My computer will randomly lock up during game play in any 3d game, and only 3d games. Its been doing this since I built it a few months ago and its really getting on my nerves. I tried replacing the power supply without any luck. The computer is a Athlon X2 3400 (or 3800 or whatever), pci-e Radeon X800 with 1gb of 667mhz memory. I'm almost positive neither the CPU nor the video card are overheating, as immediately (seconds) after a lockup, neither heatsink is hot to the touch.

Unfortunately I don't have an extra video card or memory to swap out, which are my next two guesses. I suppose I could try removing the heatsinks and reapplying thermal paste, but I'm fairly certain they should be good already.

Does anyone have any other ideas or things I can try to fix this problem?

Perhaps you're overclocking the video card or the CPU? If you're doing either of those perhaps you should try setting the clock back to 0% to see if you get any more system stability.

I used to run my X800 at 10% Overclock on bus speed and memory and then 20% on my P4 2.6 chip, but had to lower both because my system would often become unstable.

run memtest86
run prime95 dual with the mid option
and run 3dmark

both for a few hours and see if anything turns up

It's not overclocked, but I'm running memtest86 now and I noticed its reporting the memory is running at 207mhz instead of 667? When its finished I'll take another look in the BIOS. Its been going for almost 45 minutes now without crashing so I'm doubting the memory is a problem.

Edit: Doh.. looks like 207mhz was the FSB, so yeah, it was overclocked. Took help from both of you for me to realize it. Hopefully that'll take care of it. I'll let LFS run for a while and we'll find out.

the important bit with memtest isnt if it crashes or not but if theres any number larger than 0 in the error column
usually you should let it run for at least 10-15 passes

Well, no dice. It crashed again. I'll let memtest run while I'm at work today and we'll see what happens.

Do you think it could be your windows installation? Maybe it got buggered up somehow after a while. Try running prime95 on the different torture modes for a while and see if it crashes during that.

Quote from Dennisjr13 :

Do you think it could be your windows installation? Maybe it got buggered up somehow after a while. Try running prime95 on the different torture modes for a while and see if it crashes during that.

i used to think this too but it was not windows/heat/paste/psu etc etc


what memory settings have you got in your bios??

irecently had alsorts of problems in the memory bios that would cause crashing of 3d games at random times etc etc. Although the bios maybe set to auto it might not be picking the right one...

stuff like the voltage of the memory should be insured...

i went around for weeks pulling my hair out, until i posted on the mobos support forum and the memory support forum and i got all the advice and help i needed and my problem was sorted in less than 24 hours

Good Luck.

Sounds more like DirectX to me.

start >>> Run >>> dxdiag

just go to the display tab and run the tests there. any problems then try re-installing DirectX.

additionally just try changing your Hardware Acceleration for the G-card (right click desktop... properties..,,settings....advanced.....troubleshoot tab)

if neither of the above make a difference then assume its hardware.

There is a thread like this just a bit down this page. Check your RAM.

Sort of o/t, but a heat sink should get hot.

I'd check if you have any nefarious (sp?) copy-protection or anything of that sort installed. I had similar problems a few weeks back and solved it by uninstalling a few programs. DK

Could be a number of things. Most likely overheating.

Open up your computer, get all the dust out! There will be dust clinging on to your fans, clean it all off. I had so much dust on my CPU fan, I had to take it off the heat sink and pick it all out. There was no air getting through to the CPU and it was overheating and shutting down automatically to protect the parts.

That's likely what's happening here, overheating, but it could be something to do with your drivers. Just do a quick update on your drivers. Search Google for your card name, ie. "driver download [your card name here]" for your video card and sound card, and motherboard while you're at it.

Hope you get it fixed, I miss racing with you on STCC1a qoncept!

Ok. I tested the memory. I cleaned everything out. I watched the temperatures. I tested DirectX. I made the I'm using the latest of all of my drivers. I pulled the heatsinks off the cpu and gpu and put new thermal compound on them. I added a more powerful power supply. I've done everything but swap the CPU, graphics card, memory and motherboard, and reinstall Windows. Unfortunately, without buying new ones, I have none to swap in and no friends with them. Serves me right for thinking it was time to upgrade to dual core cpu, DDR2 and PCI-express

So, recap. It happens in ALL 3d games, and ONLY in 3d games. Sometimes I can play for a half hour, sometimes 5 minutes. When it happens, the screen will freeze and sound will skip for maybe 5 seconds and then reboot. Sometimes, the sound will actually recover and not reboot (maybe 10-20% of the time). It's happened since I first built the computer. It doesn't seem to matter how CPU or graphics intensive the game is (WoW, LFS, Doom Legacy, Colin McRae, GTR2 all do it, regardless of what resolution graphics and whatnot).

I really don't want to reinstall windows, and I don't want to blindly buy new parts. Maybe I should take it somewhere (which goes against my morals).

I'm very spuprised nobody mentioned this.

Since its restarting its probably getting a BSOD but it restarts so fast you dont see it. If your running WinXP so this,

Right Click My computer>Properties>Advanced Tab>At The bottom under ''Startup Recovery" Click Settings> & in the middle of the window that just popped up UNCHECK Automatically restart.

So now next time it restarts it will stay at the BSOD and you can read the error and see whats causing the problem.

My guess is that its your video card Drivers. You said you have the latest ones so I would try getting a version before the latest ones that are out to see if that helps.

Keep me us updated,

Ciao

Did you upgrade your PSU or just replace it with the same kind? If you have the same one then it might be because your gfx card is taking up too much power (a big problem if the fan runs faster depending on the load).

This was a huge problem for me when I had my 6600gt running and it would shut down my computer (because that's what it's set up to do if there's not enough power) if it was taking up too much power.

System specs would be a HUGE help. =)

I'd say it's the gfx card temp!

My x800 used to run very hot and would then crash the whole system.
I installed a bit more cooling etc and the problems stopped. I also monitored
the temps with ATT OSD in case it ever got too hot..

Hmmm. I have a problem similar to this, and I own the same graphics card. (x800) But it's not due to overheating or faulty hardware.

When I go to run fullscreen games, instant reboot, windowed games however arent a problem. (After a reboot, the games play fine in fullscreen) But, it doesn't seem to do it as much now I re-installed .Net 2.0. Never happened before, so I guess its the new drivers.

In your case, I would suspect its the same. But if I find anything else, i'll post.

If rerolling to the previous graphics drivers doesn't work, try to get an empty HDD and plug it in as master, then install Windows on it, install a 3d game and run it. See if it still crashes.

This is not just to see if it's your install of Windows (which I doubt) but perhaps your HDD, which could be overheating.
I have a friend who had the exact same problem with a new system.

Or try disabling sound acceleration with dxdiag. Nforce2 chipsets are known to have problems with hw accel.

Also, before I forget... which settings do you have enabled for VPU recovery?

I had all these issues with game crashes in 3D and stutering sound etc etc. It was the settings in the memory bios changing them from auto matic (default) to the specific settings. Not had a single crash since and NO windows install was needed XD

jertje, I don't have the catalyst software installed, just the drivers. I'll check it out.

Dru, I'm having trouble finding how I should have my memory set. Just a bunch of random settings and voltages that I don't have a clue what they should be, and haven't been able to find anything on forums about it. :\ I have an Asus M2N4-SLI, any advice where to look for help?

Thanks for all the input guys!

Quote from qoncept :

jertje, I don't have the catalyst software installed, just the drivers. I'll check it out.

Dru, I'm having trouble finding how I should have my memory set. Just a bunch of random settings and voltages that I don't have a clue what they should be, and haven't been able to find anything on forums about it. :\ I have an Asus M2N4-SLI, any advice where to look for help?

Thanks for all the input guys!

go to the asus mobo website - go to support forums, they will have forums specifically for your mobo - here you will find all good and bad things,problems and solutions

Also what type of memory do you have? say you have corsair memory - they also have a support forum and you will be able to post it there to find out what settings are needed..

I'm not technical at all and i t was a bit 'too deep for me' however many people had the same mobo/memory setting - and many people where ablt ot help me

Good luck mate,


link added to your specific mobo forum

http://vip.asus.com/forum/topi ... 4-SLI&SLanguage=en-us


Regards ,

Dru.

Thanks Dru. It's generic memory so who knows. I'm still leaning more toward a video card problem but we'll see.. Memory is cheaper and I could use more anyway, so it would be the first thing I'd replace.

I did run prime95 on the torture test overnight. 12 hours without any errors.