# Two computer questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400 "2009-04-26T13:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/1 "2009-04-26T13:32:11Z")
Greetings, Dopers. 🙂 I’d like your help answering these two questions… 1. Recently whenever I run Civilisation 4 (or Civilisation 4 Warlords) on one of my computers, **two yellow overlays appear** : - in the top left of the screen, it says ‘ **FPS 8** ’ (the number frequently changes, ranging from 2 - 30) - in the top right of the screen it gives the time ‘ **14:23** ’ It doesn’t happen on my other computer. One of my mates thought it might be a program called FRAPS (and that FPS was Frames Per Second). Anyway it’s obtrusive and I’d like to get rid of it. (I’ve tried restarting the machine, to no effect.) 1. On another message board (D_m_b\*), I get a different choice of smilies for the Straight Dope. Is that because of what the different Admins offer? ---
**Author:** ![Casserole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Casserole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casserole)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/2 "2009-04-26T15:00:11Z")
Your friend’s right. It’s a program called FRAPS, which is designed to keep tabs on framerate in DirectX games and record gameplay to MPG files. It’s probably running in the background. You can check the task manager and shut it down. You can also remove it from Add/Remove Programs. As for the smilies: The choices are dependant on the forum software and admin choice. Each forum comes with a default set, and it’s up to the admin to change them 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/3 "2009-04-26T16:34:01Z")
Sadly there’s no sign of FRAPS on the Task Manager, nor on the list of Programs I can remove. Could FRAPS be part of Xfire (which is a program associated with Civ4)? ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/4 "2009-04-27T00:04:36Z")
It could be another utility, such as ATI Tray Tools. ---
**Author:** ![Petek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/petek/32/1590_2.png) [@Petek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petek)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/5 "2009-04-27T00:39:57Z")
I can answer your question about the clock being displayed. This option can be set by going into _Options_, _Other_ and selecting (or deselecting to remove) _Clock on_. HTH Petek ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/6 "2009-04-27T01:48:31Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > It could be another utility, such as ATI Tray Tools. That’s what FRAPS support suggested. 🙂 But I don’t have that program. ☹ > [@Petek](#): > > I can answer your question about the clock being displayed. This option can be set by going into _Options_, _Other_ and selecting (or deselecting to remove) _Clock on_. > > Petek Sorry, go into ‘Options’ from where? ---
**Author:** ![Petek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/petek/32/1590_2.png) [@Petek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petek)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/7 "2009-04-27T10:26:31Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Sorry, go into ‘Options’ from where? From the first menu that’s displayed when you start the game, select _ADVANCED_. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/two-computer-questions/494400/8 "2009-04-27T11:29:48Z")
It’s definitely frame rate regardless of what is doing it. Look at advanced options in the game as has been suggested. It has to be another program if not set in the game option. Go to the manufactures site and read the FAQs or Q&A section for this problem if advanced options doesn’t have a setting for it. Good luck on your search.