Windows.......

[geforceman]

:| I've been Having problems with windows for a while now (so what else is new). When I try to play games, I'll get somewhere around 3-4 minutes play before it crashes and exits back to windows. Some games (including Diablo2) won't even run, but exits to windows after the introduction.
In windows2000 all games run, but the still exit to windows after time. Does anyone know what it could be? I think it <MAY> be a software conflict (as multiple virus scanners have picked up nothing).
I'll list system specs below.

Thanks for any help.




System
AMD K7 700

198 RAM
K7M Mainboard
GeForce DDR (Hercules)
SB Live
ACER DvD
HP CD-RW etc.

P.S.
System temperature is fine, I've got the latest drivers for everything (inc. Directx8)

 

[TheCorm]

Check to make sure that those games are okay to run under Windows 2000, it is a business network operating system after all.

Have you tried some slightly older detonator drivers, i've had some problems with some of the latest ones.

Corm

 

[IamDavid]

Are you by any chance on a LAN or have a broadband connection?

 

[geforceman]

I'm not on any type of network (besides internet). Also, the problem persists with older drivers as well as in Win98. I'm running Win98 and Win2k, the problem occurs in both operating systems.

 

[AKA]

If its happening in both Win98 and Win2K, then its more likely a hardware issue.

 

[HotWire]

Are you running an approved AMD power supply? If not, I would look here first because as the gaming increases the stress on your CPU and Power supply also increase, also what temp is your CPU at when this takes place?

 

[geforceman]

I'm not sure exactly what tempurature it's running at actually. I don't know if the power supply is AMD certified, I just know that it's 300w.

The problem has gotten worse in Win2k, in win98 it's the same as before. Now there are now three effects. Sometimes it exits to windows like before, sometimes it freezes and recently it has begun restarting my computer mid game (and again while windows was loading).

I took it to a friend who has a computer store and when I got it back the problem was gone (this was around a week ago). Than I installed some files I'd backed up previousely and it came back again. He said that all he did is reformatted the hard disk and re-installed windows, but I've tried that around seven times and the problem's still there.

I think he may have done something else he forgot about that may have fixed it. I've known him for some time so I don't think he would try to stuff me up.

It couldn't be errors on the disk surface could it? Or maybe multiple hardware devices sharing some system resources?

Thanks for the help.

 

[geforceman]

Oh, yeah. I'll check my CPU's operating tempurature in bios and get back to you.

Also, It sometimes crashes in non-gaming applications. It pauses sometimes while burning CD's (but only temporarily), but if I try to scan for viruses or defragment using Norton Systemworks it will often crash there as well.

Again, thanks for th help.

 

[geforceman]

I'm not sure about my CPU temperature at the time of crashing, but at startup its 0 degrees C (32 degrees F). Now that I think about it, I just took out my old CD-rom to install my DvD and CD-RW about a month ago (when the problem started to get bad). This would also suck more from my power supply....

 

[nickdakick]

It may be not an issue with CPU temp but vid card temp. My Asus V6600 &quot;locked up&quot; several times last week doing Q3A until I noticed the SmartDoctor software provided by Asus stopped the system to protect the vid card. Did you oc the vid card ? If the answer is yes dc and try. Just my .02$.

 

[Rakkis]

Maybe it's an issue of what drivers you're using for the video card. Ask yoru friend which ones he used.

 

[AC]

u say win freezes with both games and non-games...check your irq settings...some cards don't like to share...

 

[geforceman]

He installed all of my drivers, I supplied them. In windows 98 no hardware is sharing IRQs, however, in win2k my SB Live card, geforce and USB host controller are all using IRQ#9. I just noticed this. Although this would explain it (and SB Live cards and geforces have problems with AMD motherboards, so I've heard), would that explain why it's doind the same in win98 with seperate IRQ's (Geforce:11, SB Live:12)?

 

[AC]

win98:
if live! is on irq 12, where's your mouse at?

win2k:
try to get them on their own irq; in device manager go to &quot;system devices&quot; >> &quot;pci bus&quot; >> &quot;irq steering&quot; >> and mess around with those

 

[CapNjacK]

Have you tried removing the sound card I know a few ppl that had problems getting the SBlive and geforce to play nice together.

 

[geforceman]

Sorry, I meant IRQ#9 for the sound card in win98

 

[TheCorm]

My Geforce &amp; sb live work fine together, is it only with particular chipsets they have problems?

Corm

 

[geforceman]

I think so. I've heard that some systems do and some don't. Asus boards (such as mine) are supposedly the worst.

 

[kitkit201]

can this be a software problem?? it might be the lack of Direct X drivers for your hardware since it is fairly new. It might also be AMD's fault for making Win2k unstable for users like you.. I have no problem running games in Win2k, except for some obvious cases like Sega Rally 2 and DVD problems too..