Whenever I try and play a newer DirectX based title my laptop goes apeshit. Actually, come to think of it, older titles (Max Payne) crash as well. I'll play for a few minutes, and if I come to a certain part of whatever game I'm playing, I'll get a distorted BSOD before my computer resets. It never did this before I installed a new hard drive, but since I reinstalled everything I'm beginning to wonder if it's my video card drivers ("Xtreme G MobileForce" drivers). I've read about problems with desktops motherboards using the GeForce 6100, so I'm wondering if this is the same problem (only on a laptop, which I'd basically be screwed since no one really gives a shit about laptop drivers; especially eMachines). I'm going to be building a computer soon, but I'd still like to be able to play something newer than Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II in the meantime.
my wifes laptop had a similar problem with it keep crashing whenever she played a 3d intensive game, although it is different graphics card (hers is a ati radeon) but the best solution i found was either install a older driver or have a look on the laptop manufatureres website for a specific graphics driver, works like a treat now!
Sometimes Windows will want to download a driver that isn't what your laptop has and corrupts it. Try the following... 1) Uninstall the graphics driver and then reboot (ut'll reboot in VGA so you'll get an odd display) and get the machine to reinstall the driver, if you have a disc that came with the machine then try that as it will probably have the correct driver. If not then get Windows to look for the best one. 2) If that doesn't work go to the website of the maker and download the latest driver. 3) If that doesn't work, try calling tech support.
nVidia only has the integrated graphics drivers up for Windows Vista, which has me turning all shades of red. The recovery DVD that came with my computer doesn't do shit (basically installs Windows Media Center and leaves you to fix the rest of it). None of the other video card drivers I've downloaded have worked - I tried installing an older release of ForceWare that supposedly worked with this video card... After forcing it to install, my external monitor doesn't want to work. I'm getting ready to smash something. I'd sooner buy a new laptop than call tech support. Every single time I've called tech support with any company it's been nothing but a waste of time. Thanks for your help, though. Edit: Tried force-installing newer Forceware drivers for "Geforce 6100 nForce 430", which is what I'm pretty sure I have. Everything is working *except* I can't set up my external monitor to be the main display, which is what it was set at (and what I want). Edit 2: I give up. I just installed a newer version of whatever I was using. It works for now, and hopefully I've have a newer computer built within a month.
I can't really help you, but I have the desktop version (GeForce 6150\430 combo) and I can play HL2 and Doom 3 fine, and the system is as reliable as a Honda. Those problems might not be graphics issues, it could be a heat issue, or a plain ol' shitty chip, so try running RivaTuner and underclocking it a bit, then stress testing it using 3D Mark 03 or something. Have you tried downloading and installing just vanilla Windows? As long as you use your own CD key, its perfectly legal, and means you can install just the drivers you want without fear of conflict. Also, Driver Cleaner's good when uninstalling video card drivers.
nVidia has unified drivers. Just download the 6series FX drivers and try that. Considering that it's a laptop you have, check to see if your fans still work. This might also be a heat issue. Get rid of the emachine. Custom build your next PC so that it's easier to fix next time if it breaks down.
I've never had any luck with using a plain install of windows and a product key from a brand name system. Is there some kind of trick to it?
There are 3 or 4 different types of each flavor of Windows, IE XP Home comes as: XP Home Retail (which you buy in a green box at the store) XP Home OEM (which you find comes with your system, on a sticker) XP Home MSDN (for MS subscribers, I believe) XP Pro also has VLK, which doesn't need activation (so all the downloaded copies are VLK), and XP MCE is OEM or MSDN only. Not only does the key have to be for the same flavor (Home, Pro, MCE or x64), it has to be the same type of key, so if you want to use your CD key on another comp, the image you "aquire" has to be the same type, usually OEM. My uncle once lost his brand new XP Home OEM key with the system he had custom built, so he stole it from the bottom of my Dad's laptop. Because he bought OEM Windows from a specialist store, it was OEM, and the XP Home key from the laptop worked fine. Plus, the laptop (like most store bought PCs) , doesn't need activation at all. So if you wanna use a CD key from the side of a comp, get OEM images (legally )! No VLK or MSDN!! Sometimes you may have to phone up to activate, as online will fail. If you do, they'll ask why you have to activate, just say "I upgraded my system" and they'll also ask the make (and sometimes model) of the system, so keep the info of the system you "borrowed" the key from handy. Hope this helps!
That was the first thing I tried. The fans work, and my card never goes above 60 degrees Celcius. Maybe the newer drivers are working, though, since I played Stalker for about an hour today with no problems (other than the sky looking incredibly odd). It's not like I've been playing a ton of games lately anyway (or really using my computer for that matter), so I'm not really worried about it.
