Random stuttering sounds like the system is busy trying to do something else at the same time as you need all your CPU and GPU power for gaming - but given that Battlefield 2 isn't regarded as a particularly demanding game graphically, I would suspect the CPU load.

Given that this is a "new" system, and you've had a the previous system running fine, have you removed all the cra@pware, uneeded services and miscellaneous dross that the new system came with?  And turned off or re-scheduled any daily scans or updates for anti-virus, spyware programs?  Also, on a new system the indexing service chunters away for months - I liked the search that you could do with indexing, but my machine seemed to spend so much time thrashing round the hard disk that I gave up and turned it off.  Another CPU related consideration would be to see if there are any options to enable multiprocessor support within the game's advanced options.  Do Ctrl Alt Del to get into task manager, and see if you can see any obvious applications or services running and consuming CPU cycles.

I doubt that the problem would be caused at the GPU end, but if the above draw a blank, then check your refresh rate on the display and the game if it has a separate setting - there's no point in having a refresh rate higher than the 60Hz on your monitor (assuming typical TFT), and a higher rate could possibly cause stuttering by asking the system to do more work?  And finally, as this is a re-install of the game, have you got the program defaults right for your GPU/display?  I'm think of resolution, and any setting for anti-aliasing and ansiotropic filtering, but possibly detail settings as well?

Regards

Led

I suffered with a similar problem. Is the Windows install new? Are you using Vista?

If so then it could be Vista indexing your hard drive (which it does to help 'speed' up searches). To remedy this  (if it is indeed the problem) then I suggest leving the computer on over night and all should be well in the morning !

_TK_

Gott a gree.  My new Vista Ultimate XPS 720 Quad  (4 GB RAM, 8800 GT) is defintiely (on the surface) slower than the P$ Dual Core XP Pro System I replaced.  Kind awierd really.  Nothing unusal insytalled, HD indexing off, all background apps off.  Not really impressed.  Even when I have 8 applications open at one time, no noticable difference btwn my old and new system.  Hope SP1 helps, but not especting much.  Vista is a resource hog.

How do i disable hard drive indexing? Thanks for the reply

>>> read in another thread that there have been reported problems with the 8600GT and openGL applications.  ANd that problem was stuttering video.  Now on the hierarchy of video cards, I don't know if the GTS is above or below the GT, but maybe that series of cards has the same problem.

any chance you recall any solutions?  Or is the solution buy a new card (eek).

Turn off indexing:

 

Navigate to Control Panel/System and Maintenance/Indexing Options. There you can remove all locations or only those you use rarely. It is also possible to disable indexing for a certain drive or enable it only for selected folders. You can do this by changing the Properties of a drive or folder (right click on drive letter in Windows Explorer).

The fasted way is to simply disable the Windows Search service. Run Services (just type “Services” at the Start Search bar), right click on the Windows Search service and select “Properties”. Then choose “Disabled” for the start type. Afterwards, you have to stop this service by right clicking on it and selecting “Stop”.
The first option is the one you will quite often find on the Web.

 

But many report that Windows Search remains active after disabling it this way. The second option works, however, it takes quite long time until all files in all subfolders have been excluded from indexing. Thus, the third option is the best one. You don’t have to reboot, as with the first option, and if your want to enable it again later, it will cost you just a couple of mouse clicks.

 

Lesser of evils.

I read in another thread that there have been reported problems with the 8600GT and openGL applications.  ANd that problem was stuttering video.  Now on the hierarchy of video cards, I don't know if the GTS is above or below the GT, but maybe that series of cards has the same problem.

I suppose it still isn't impossible that it is a game engine/graphics card problem, but Battlefield 2 doesn't use Open GL.

As to how to turn off indexing, it's in Control Panel under "Indexing options".  I've got mine fully turned off, but bear in mind that when you do this, the "search" on the start menu doesn't work.  As a gamer you are likely to be prone to tinkering, and this means you'll need to specify the path for things like MSconfig in order to run it - I find this surprisingly irritating.  Should you decide you want indexing back there a nice convenient button for "restore defaults".

Regards,

Led

I would qualify that by guessing the 8800 is not up to snuff "for Vista." Soemthing tells me it will work in XP Pro.  I might test that when I get my dual boot running.