Hello all, I have been having some issues with my computer, mostly with higher end PC games. I picked up S.T.A.L.K.E.R yesterday, installed it, and played it for a couple of minutes. Right when I get to a playable part, it works for a little while, then red lines and distortion show up, then I either get a error message saying it crashed, or a BSOD. Thing is, I have had this issue with other games as well. Quake 4, Neverwinter Nights 2 are two other games that does this. Odd this is that other games don't do it: such as the steam version of Deus Ex, Half Life 2, and Oblivion. Is it a processor problem, or a video card problem? Or is it not even that? I have a 7800GT with a AMD Athlon 64 3000+ with 1.5 gigs of RAM (One 1 Gig stick and two 512 sticks). The only thing I can think of is I am setting those games way over what my video card can handle, or it is eating up so much memory that it just crashes.
Smells like video card problems. Try to update your drivers, if that doesn't work your GPU is screwed.
Coule also be heat issues. Leave the sides off your case and see if the trouble goes away. If it does, you probably need to buy a third-party GPU cooler. They run about £20 here so more like $20 where you are for a decent one. It could also be the CPU cooler, but if you're getting display issues like red lines it doesn't really sound like it.
Yeh. It is either heat issue like Alchy said (which it can also be a CPU fan whose fan is dying). Download 3Dmark03 or 06 and run it. If you're getting problems there, then it is most definitely a videocard issue. Also, check y our memory with MemTest (google it), and CPU with SuperPi and Orthos. Stress the components with these programs as they can better determine what the source of the problem is.
Be careful what you dust with - anything like an actual duster or a hoover can cause static damage. Compressed air is the way to go, it's always worth keeping a few cans of that stuff around.
Nah, I avoid using dusters. Q-Tips are fine, correct? EDIT: I took the side off. It helped it a little bit: it didn't crash, but it still gave weird shading effects. Dare say it is the heat.
Hi. I think I know your problem. The newest Nvidia drivers from their site are causing this. They do it to me to but on other games since I dont play the same ones as you. The way I fixed my problem was to get the BETA drivers from Nvidias site. They fixed all my problems so you should try them. When you goto download drivers look for the small text that says beta drivers and click it or you can use my link. http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_rel70betadriver.html Make sure you get the ones for your op system. The ones you want are 93.81 from last November for XP. Also your GPU may be overheating due to lack of airflow or thermal paste. Running games on higher settings shouldnt cause anything but bad lag and performance issues. Anyways good luck!:thumbsup:
1. Check your power supply. What wattage is it? If you can boot into the BIOS, some display the status of the supply voltages. 2. If leaving the cover off your computer helps, something is seriously wrong. Cases are designed around the fact that air should blow out the back of the computer. If you have any case fans, make sure they're blowing into the case. CPU fans should blow away from the CPU. 3. It might be some bad memory. Try borrowing some of the same type, or run MEMTEST86. It's easy to damage some parts of the memory just with static electricity, and you don't notice it right away. 4. Try older gfx drivers (maybe 1-2 revisions below current). 5. Check for bulging/leaking capacitors on all circuit boards.
1. Check the CPU temperature at rest and under load (after vacuuming the inside and the heatsink/fan on both the CPU and GPU - if applicable) 2. Check the graphics card and memory is seated properly in their slots 3. Check the graphics driver 4. Run memtest on each memory module in turn (take all out and put 1 stick at a time in the primary memory slot) 5. Change the power supply. 6. Make sure computer doesn't share a plug socket with other devices (no mutli-plug type set ups) to rule out power drain issues. If none of these things are the problem then you have me stumped. Did the issue start after adding anything to your computer set up in hardware or software?
I may just do a complete wipe and re-install windows and clean the PC/try out some things then. I'll try cleaning the inside and trying out some of the RAM programs once I get home.
It really doesn't sound like a software issue, to be honest. If you format, your PC may not be stable enough to install properly, and then you'll really be in for some fun. While you have Windows up and running to some degree, do the diagnostics people here have recommended. For simplicity: CPU: prime 95. If it can run a torture test for more than 15 minutes without giving an error, your CPU is fine and cool enough. Memory: burn a memtest86 boot CD and leave it run a complete test. BIOS: check your voltage levels are close to what they are supposed to be. A little bit over is fine; under, especially on the 5V line, is not. VGA: 3Dmark 03/06, try earlier VGA drivers. If (as I suspect) 1, 2 and 3 are clear, and 3 crashes/produces garbled display regardless of driver revision, you have a problem with your VGA card. Either buy a new card or a third party cooling solution.
I bet its a drivers problem. Try disabling some effects from the games option and install the newest drivers.
OK, quick question: Does removing the sides help with the air situation? I've had a few friends do it, and I am curious if that helps keep the computer from overheating. Going to run prime 95 in a few minutes, as well as install the beta drivers and do a memtest86 run once I burn a disc. I'll let you guys know how it turns out. EDIT: Ran a torture test in Prime 95 for 14 minutes. No errors. Guess the CPU is fine. EDIT 2: Installed the Beta drivers, installed the patch for STALKER, and turned down some of the higher end options in STALKER. Didn't get any errors at all this time. Going to try it with some other games.
