computer freezing; help please.

[iaremark1]

to start it off - I'm not a moron or "computer illit", I'm just stuck on this one problem.

when I purchased my new system (specs included later) I put it together yadda yadda and (I can't really remember how long or if long at all it worked) installed newer games such as cs: s and hl2. striaght to the point

I can play for (if lucky) 10 minutes and then my screen blacks out - audio skips...and it shuts down...not restarting itself - just stays on...but off if making since. since I couldn't play high end games (i'm guessing others too) I installed Counter Strike 1.6 and played that. but randomly if I have alot of windows open while playing and keep tabbing etc, it crashes also. so it's something eating with my computer. can't run alot - when it should run hella.

I'm currently running (all stock):
500w smart power
DFI Lanparty NF4 UT PCI
AMD 3200 (venice core)
2x512 Corsair (1 gig) ValueSelect
SATA Seagate 250 gig HD (bought refurbed from newegg. have had problems with it)
BFG 6800GT OC
audigy zs2 plat yadda

xp pro - sp2

the other night I found out that my prof. didn't have power plugged into the floppy http://www.angrygames.com/pics/nf4/build/NF4_build-8.jpg

I thought "YES! this will fix the problem" allowing more power..but it didn't
problem still exists.

I doubt this matters, but I have no floppy, and I have the other end plugged into a connector going to cd drive and then to psu...I have an extra plug in not used on psu not being used - and an extra wire that fits... it won't reach the floppy...I don't think it has to be a direct plug to the psu, but eh mentioned anyways.

TEMPS:

CPU: 30
PWMIC: 45
n4CHIP: 46
SMARTHD: 38

your time and effort is much appreciated


mark

 

[iaremark1]

bump...

 

[wpshooter]

I sort of am having a hard time exactly understanding what you are saying.

But first off, since you mention that you have had problems with the hard drive, have you run the Seagate diagnostic software to test the integrity of your hard drive ?

I don't understand the part about the floppy drive. Can you explain further ?

 

[alcoholbob]

A lot of windows open while gaming?

Isn't that Spyware?

 

[phantom110565]

Here is probably what your issue is. BTW, I understand perfectly what you are saying. Does that make me nuts? I don't think so. It's just 15 years supporting networks and folks like yourself.

The only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

First off, when you run high-end games, you don't want to have anything else open, except maybe TeamSpeak, and if necessary, a messenger client of some sort. Hopefully not AIM or Yahoo. They will infest your POC with SpyWare.

When you're playing a game, play the game. Shut down all your other apps. Windows and the apps that go with it are notoriously RAM intensive, and will cause this problem.

Another common cause is Spyware and Malware.

Here is what I recommend for keeping those nasty little buggers out of your machine.

Google for AdAware(made by LavaSoft), and SpywareBlaster(made by JavaCool), install them and run them on a regular basis, especially after a heavy surfing session.

Also, don't use IE. Get Opera and/or Firefox, and use them instead. Trust me, you'll love them. They have more and better features than IE ever did, and at the moment, they will cut your spware problem by 99%. But once you install the alternate browsers, run SpywareBlaster again, and enable all protections. I also recommend that you do an online update of those two tools on a weekly basis to keep definitions updated. Those two companies are awesome about keeping the tools updated. Best of all, the browsers and tools are FREE.

The other thing you need to do, is make sure that you are running DirectX 9.0c, and that your video card drivers are up to date, not the ones you got on a CD with your card. Those are usually 2 or 3 driver versions behind current. The same with your sound card.

If you are using an Nvidia video card, go to Nvidia's site and download their reference drivers. IF an ATI card, I recommend not using the ones on ATI's site, but going to
http://www.omegadrivers.net, and downloading the latest versions of his drivers. They are great, and not bloated like the official ATI drivers from ATI. The Omega site also has good Nvidia drivers, but I have always had the best performance with the reference drivers from Nvidia.

Also, if you are a heavy PC user, defrag at least once a week. Contrary to popular myth and belief, XP fragments like a son of a gun.

Do these things, and let me know how it goes.

Also, some games don't like it at all when you ALT+TAB back and forth to your desk top, but I never had trouble with that with HL2 or CS:S.

If I can be of further help, let me know !

 

[phantom110565]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
A lot of windows open while gaming?

Isn't that Spyware?

Not necessarily. What I get from his post is that he may be running other apps while trying to game. If I mis-interpreted this, it is probably a spyware problem.

 

[iaremark1]

sorry that it's confusing. I don't have spyware. NOD32 running at all times - eating little to no resources. and my computer is built to be able to mutli-task - even with high end games. I should be able to have (for examble) firefox with 4 tabs on it open; while talking on aim and a few msn msgs. with teamspeak or ventrilo open at the same time. it's a PCI - E, 6800GT OC, 1 gig system. easy and smooth.


but no - no spyware. and nothing is open when I try to play , other than steam. still crashes. and yes, I use up to date drivers..still doesn't work. I've tried other drivers too, beta's to older. still no luck.




floppy drive:


I don't have one - but if you look at the link that I have in my original post - it's the further left one circled. I didn't have that powered - so I figured that would be shorting my bored, causing too many things to crash it seeing it likes power...but now tha I have it plugged in - didn't help.

I've read there have been "temp bugs" with the GPU's on 6800's, but mine never reaches any limit close to the shut down. never over 57 when it shuts down.

 

[akugami]

I'm assuming you're running everything on stock. The problem is that it sounds like either a power problem or an overheating problem. It seems like it's only when you play games which puts a huge amount of strain on a system. The bad part is that PC's can have such a wide amount of possible causes to similar problems.

Possible causes.

If your PSU is flakey, it'll crap out at this point and cause your system to lock up. If you have a spare PSU that's known to be good, you can try to see if it locks up with this PSU.

Bad video card, causing errors when running games as this stresses the video card the most. Place the video card in a different system or place a different video card in your system to see if problem persists.

Bad CPU or one that doesn't have it's HSF on properly causing it to overheat when you run games. Run Prime95 to see if problem occurs with this program as it stresses mainly the CPU. If problem occurs remove HSF, clean it and the CPU, then re-apply thermal paste and re-install. Run Prime95 to see if problem persists.

Bad memory, which is causing your system to crash when anything intensive is run through them. Run memtest86 from a floppy or optical drive and see if memory is flakey.

Bad motherboard. This is a tough one for most to diagnose because much like the video card and PSU problem you'd need a different motherboard to test your components on. If all your parts work fine in a different motherboard, your current motherboard may be the culprit.

 

[jdavisomaha]

I'm fairly sure that the LanParty mobo's do not like Corsair Valueselect ram.

Try some different ram?

 

[feelingshorter]

Originally posted by: jdavisomaha
I'm fairly sure that the LanParty mobo's do not like Corsair Valueselect ram.

Try some different ram?

True that corsair and DFI dont mix for some reason. One reason is that you might have your ram in the wrong place. Make sure you have both sticks on the orange slots of the mobo. Other wise you will get errors. Not only that, make sure your ram is configured correctly. Go online and learn how to configure your ram as DFI lanparty boards arent user friendly straight out of the box. Some people cannot even boot windows without messing with ram options first. Yes i know its a pain but i think thats ur problem as high end games use up a lot of ram and it seems to me its logical that is probably the problem.

 

[iaremark1]

ram is easily fixed. I'll borrow some Geil from a friend and stick it in and see if that helps. ram should be good, had it at ddr500 speeds before. I hope it's just not compatible or messing up...thank you 2 much for the help. I'll get back to ya.


oh and btw: update


I underclock my 6800gt oc from stock. source runs now...not a long time- but it runs...still have the same problem just takes a lil longer...