When running in full screen mode, the Sims 2 (with University expansion installed, btw.) pegs my CPU at 100%, even when sitting in 'pause' mode doing NOTHING in the game. It acts like it's not using the video card hardware. In "-w" windowed mode, the CPU fluctuates between 50% and 95%.
 
Dxdiag options are all enabled, and all tests pass.
 
My wife DOES install a lot of custom objects, so if there's a possibility of some hacked object doing this, I don't know...
 
My system:
Celeron 2.4 (acts the same when overclocked to 2.88)
1GB Dual Channel DDR
Radeon 9550/128 with latest drivers (as of 3/16/05)
XP SP2
 
Am I missing something? Shouldn't the video card be doing most of the work? I notice that the Radeon 9500 and 9600 are on various 'compatible' lists, but don't see the 9550... is it possible that the 9550 isn't supported? (In which case, I'll BIOS flash it to a 9600...)
 
Thanks for any help