Major FPS drops in single player.

[Blín D'ñero]

Try this: delete the paging file by disabling it and then re-enabling it.

1. Right-click "Computer" > Properties. Under 'Tasks' select Advanced system settings > Continue > tab "Advanced" > under Performance, click button "Settings" > tab "Advanced" > Virtual memory > "Change..."
2. select "no paging file"
3. To validate this modification, click on the “Set” and then on the “OK” button to close the box
4. reboot your PC for these changes to take effect.
5. Then (you have the latest Auslogics Defrag?) right-click on C:\ > "defragment and optimize".
6. Right-click "Computer" > Properties. Under 'Tasks' select Advanced system settings > Continue > tab "Advanced" > under Performance, click button "Settings" > tab "Advanced" > Virtual memory > "Change..."
7. select "Custom size", ininital size: 8000 / maximum size 8000
8. To validate this modification, click on the “Set” and then on the “OK” button to close the box
9. reboot your PC for these changes to take effect.

Of course do this without antivirus- or any system protection program running on the background.
Do you have a minimalistic startup list in msconfig btw?

[Delfofthebla]

Try this: delete the paging file by disabling it and then re-enabling it.

1. Right-click "Computer" > Properties. Under 'Tasks' select Advanced system settings > Continue > tab "Advanced" > under Performance, click button "Settings" > tab "Advanced" > Virtual memory > "Change..."
2. select "no paging file"
3. To validate this modification, click on the “Set” and then on the “OK” button to close the box
4. reboot your PC for these changes to take effect.
5. Then (you have the latest Auslogics Defrag?) right-click on C:\ > "defragment and optimize".
6. Right-click "Computer" > Properties. Under 'Tasks' select Advanced system settings > Continue > tab "Advanced" > under Performance, click button "Settings" > tab "Advanced" > Virtual memory > "Change..."
7. select "Custom size", ininital size: 8000 / maximum size 8000
8. To validate this modification, click on the “Set” and then on the “OK” button to close the box
9. reboot your PC for these changes to take effect.

Of course do this without antivirus- or any system protection program running on the background.
Do you have a minimalistic startup list in msconfig btw?

I followed your steps, and unfortunately nothing changed. I went ahead and did 8192 instead of 8000 btw, I figured doubling my ram would be better. I downloaded the latest Auslogics dd version and did defrag/optimize. My anti-virus and pretty much everything else was disabled when I tested this. I set my msconfig to only load up logitech related apps while testing these changes. (The software required for my keyboard/mouse features to function properly.)

[Blín D'ñero]

Other things to try:

• Control Panel\Power Options\ make sure you selected performance. Edit Plan Settings\change advanced power settings:
  pci-express > link state power management = off?
  hard disk > turn off hard disk = never
• right-click Computer > properties > tab "Remote" >
  allow remote assistance ticked off
  Remote desktop > don't allow connections to this computer
• right-click Computer > properties > tab "Advanced" > button "Performance" > adjust for best performance of: programs
• Steam:
  Run Steam in offline mode
  Tab "Updates" > "Always keep this game up to date" should be selected.
  Tab "Language" > English selected.
• nVidia control panel: Global 3D settings at application controlled, not override game settings
• try with internet physically disconnected
• If your cpu and / or videocard is/are overclocked, try with default clocks to find out if this is the culprit
• Do you have the latest bios for your motherboard?

[Blín D'ñero]

If all the above doesn't change the problem, try deleting cache files:

1. Steam (directory) > appcache > create a New Folder (give it any name).
2. Move all from app_0.vdf to the last app_xxxx.vdf (select all > hold Ctrl > exclude appinfo.vdf and imagecache.dat) into that new folder (for safety reason just moving instead of deleting).
3. Play any Steam game and see if it still works.
4. Play dark messiah of might and magic

Game will recreate the cache files.

[Delfofthebla]

Tried all of the above listed methods, nothing has worked. None of my stuff is overclocked, and my appcache didn't have anything in it. I had "appinfo.vdf" and that was it for files. I don't have the latest bios, but I didn't have it when the game worked before either. Something about updating them is kinda daunting for me too, I feel like it's risky for some reason. I'd really rather not.

[Blín D'ñero]

Yeah i understand that.
Install the latest DirectX redist (June 2010) from Softpedia (or from microsoft.com)

(Right-click on the downloaded file > see if at the bottom of "General" tab there is a security blockade. If so, hit button 'unblock'. Extract the directX package into a "New folder" you create. Then open that folder and doubleclick the dxsetup.exe.)

[Blín D'ñero]

Try with default launch settings

1. Right-click on the game title under the My games tab in Steam and select Properties.
2. Under the General tab click the Set launch options... button.
3. Enter
   -autoconfig
   and click OK.
4. Close the game's Properties window and launch the game.

This restores video and performance settings to default for the current hardware detected. Ignores settings inside any .cfg files until this parameter is removed.

[Delfofthebla]

Installed latest directx, and then set it up to autoconfig. Without changing any settings I tried to load up my game - no dice. Still just as much lag as ever.

I went ahead and tried a few things to see what type of results I get.
Launching with -dxlevel 95 seemed to delay the lag by 10 seconds or so.
-dxlevel 90 made no difference.

The lag is nonexistent if there are no enemies around, but the moment they appear the lag starts to hit. (The more there are the faster I hit "< 8fps")
If I adjust the Lighting or AA levels while the lag is happening, it seems to refresh DM, allowing me to play lag free for 15 seconds. After that it's business as usual.

[Blín D'ñero]

Could you run TaskManager (stretched so you get to see more history) > "Performance" tab on desktop while playing the game, then alt+tab to see the cpu usage?

I would still try uninstalling Steam completely, and manually deleting all Steam remains that you find and including removing ALL relevant entries (Steam, Valve, Source) in Registry! Freshly downloaded Steam installer and only game dark messiah. This is the fastest way to rule out if possibly Steam has been corrupted.

[Delfofthebla]

Could you run TaskManager (stretched so you get to see more history) > "Performance" tab on desktop while playing the game, then alt+tab to see the cpu usage?

I would still try uninstalling Steam completely, and manually deleting all Steam remains that you find and including removing ALL relevant entries (Steam, Valve, Source) in Registry! Freshly downloaded Steam installer and only game dark messiah. This is the fastest way to rule out if possibly Steam has been corrupted.

CPU usage is always below 40% while playing. (I can view it via my LCD on my keyboard.)

On the steam uninstal - it just seems like we're going in circles now. Honestly, I'd rather just give up there. I thank you for the help BlindNero but I really don't think this is fixable.

Way back when I first had this problem I tried going through the steps of removing steam/deleting registry entries using ccleaner ect. and it didn't fix anything. And like I've said, I've reformatted win7 at least 3-4 times and this issue is persistent throughout every single install of the game. How steam would manage to corrupt itself 4+ times when it's one of the first applications installed on a newly formatted PC, is beyond me.

I never backup ANYTHING steam related.
I always download the installer directly from their website.
DMM is always one of the first games I ever install through it.