fed up with computer freezing during games

**kursed** · January 19th, 2005, 01:41 AM

So ive got the same freezing issue that keeps being discussed, ive been digging through forums for 2 days and no one can conclusively decided what actually causes this issue. Im going to try to recap what ive been through.
first off it started when i installed the new motherboard Abit's AT7 (via chipset), with an AMD XP 2400+, and i got 512 kingston ddr pc 2700. Everything else is left over from my old system (ati radeon 9600 SE, HP cd-writer, maxtor 120 gig hd, and a generic (i think) 30 gig hd. it was good for about 2 weeks and then the freezing apeared. Im running XP w/ sp2.
Ive got latest VIA hyperion 4 in 1 drivers (covers sound ect.).
Had the latest ati drivers. read somewhere to ditch those for Omega Drivers.
Flashed my bios to the latest version.
Exchanged the RAM even though the windows memory diagnostic tool said there was no error.
ugh, what else...Disabled all the services from services.msc, disabled the systems.ini and the win.ini, read somewhere to change the VIA CPU to AGP controler to another windows one that wasnt registered, dropped my bios agp thing from 4x to 2x...which actually worked for about 18 hours or so. ive got a 300w ps from Technology, inc? no problems before. umm...over heating isnt an issue because ive got the side panel off and its freezin in my dorm. Ive got registry mechanic, McAfee, and Ad-Aware SE.
If i can think of anything else that ive done ill update the post, any help would be much appreciated, i just got my WoW subscription up and its killin me that i cant play.
thanks
Steve

**Ferrit** · January 19th, 2005, 08:51 AM

It looks like most everything has been looked at except the power supply.
I am sure you dont want to hear it but it may be low
I would also disconenct the cdroms and run that way for awhile

**ilovetheusers** · January 19th, 2005, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by kursed

So ive got the same freezing issue that keeps being discussed, ive been digging through forums for 2 days and no one can conclusively decided what actually causes this issue. Im going to try to recap what ive been through.
first off it started when i installed the new motherboard Abit's AT7 (via chipset), with an AMD XP 2400+, and i got 512 kingston ddr pc 2700. Everything else is left over from my old system (ati radeon 9600 SE, HP cd-writer, maxtor 120 gig hd, and a generic (i think) 30 gig hd. it was good for about 2 weeks and then the freezing apeared. Im running XP w/ sp2.
Ive got latest VIA hyperion 4 in 1 drivers (covers sound ect.).
Had the latest ati drivers. read somewhere to ditch those for Omega Drivers.
Flashed my bios to the latest version.
Exchanged the RAM even though the windows memory diagnostic tool said there was no error.
ugh, what else...Disabled all the services from services.msc, disabled the systems.ini and the win.ini, read somewhere to change the VIA CPU to AGP controler to another windows one that wasnt registered, dropped my bios agp thing from 4x to 2x...which actually worked for about 18 hours or so. ive got a 300w ps from Technology, inc? no problems before. umm...over heating isnt an issue because ive got the side panel off and its freezin in my dorm. Ive got registry mechanic, McAfee, and Ad-Aware SE.
If i can think of anything else that ive done ill update the post, any help would be much appreciated, i just got my WoW subscription up and its killin me that i cant play.
thanks
Steve

When the freeze up happens, does the screen remain the same or does it blank out or blue screen?

What make (manufacturer) and wattage power supply do you have?

Now since the issues starts when the new motherboard and CPU are introduced, lets start there. Set your BIOS settings to failsafe defaults or setup defaults or whatever it is that gets things set to the most stable configuration there is for you. This will be slower but if it works without freezing, it's a bios setting you have to fiddle with.

If none of that does it, check the jumpers on the hard drives and make sure they are correct. Remove the generic HDD and find out who makes it, use #'s on the drive to search google and you may turn up the manufacturer. Go to maxtor and the manufacturer of the other HDD and get thier diagnostic utilities and run them to look for errors.

**Thag** · January 19th, 2005, 01:33 PM

Did you wipe the hdd and rebuild after swapping the motherboard? WinXP is notoriously cranky about significant changes in hardware (such as mobo and CPU).

Also, 300W seems kinda small for the hardware you're running. You probably want at least 400W, preferably from a quality manufacturer. I prefer Antec TruePower units myself. Just don't get some cheap off-brand.

**kursed** · January 19th, 2005, 01:52 PM

The screen just stays as it was when it froze, no reboot, no black screen, usually the sound get shattered right before it happens.
Also when i was playin WoW (for the little bit that i could) i checked my cpu usage and it was in the mid-to-low 90s.
I did reformat my OS HDD when I installed the mobo and cpu.
As far as the bios is concerned, there is one thing that may be screwy. the when i got the mobo (hand me down from a friend) i looked through the manual to see what processor is it would handle and it only listed up to AMD Athlon Xp 2200+, but it went on to say "or any future Socket A processor based on 200mhz/266mhz" so i picked up the 2400+ because it was the last one made before the switch to 333. The bios issue is that it would not recognize it originally so i had to do the user define thing. Now when i flashed my Bios is did recognize it(the name showed up at the title screen and whatnot), but it set it at 1500(+133) and when i tried to get to windows with that default setting it wouldnt get there, the monitor would go blank and stay that way. I tried a couple of other settings (dont rememeber which ones) before i settled on the User Define thing like i had it before, any info on those settings in Bios would be much appreciated cause i dont usually play with Bios all that much.
Im planning on picking up a new PS today so i'll post later with how that went.

-Steve

**geoscomp** · January 19th, 2005, 02:43 PM

So what do you have the processor set at manually? Remember that an AMD 2400+ actually runs between 1.93 ghz and 2.0 ghz

**kursed** · January 19th, 2005, 04:35 PM

OK well i did load up the fail-safe bios stuff, and after a while the monitor did end up coming on, must not have waited long enought. Anyways, now the cpu is set at >2100+ (133) x13 and all that good stuff. Played for 20 mins, froze.
But upon closer inspection my CPU temp is 120 F, i was only seeing my system temp being 89 F. Gonna pick up some more thermal greese stuff and another case fan when i grab that PS...ugh the cost is rising.

**kursed** · January 20th, 2005, 01:20 AM

well, new thermal grease, added another case fan, cpu temp decreased by 0 degrees, and mobo temp down 5 degrees. 425W PS = 100 bucks, need books for classes 1st, anyone know where to get a cheaper one?

**kursed** · January 20th, 2005, 10:49 AM

Conclusion: Heat. The one thing i was sure it wasnt. I got a new case fan, and applied the thermal grease but it still froze up when the CPU hit 120 F, normal non-gaming temp is 105 F. Right now ive got the side off with a fan blowing on it, theres got to be a better way, but my case only supports 2 fans. Thoughts?

**Augurr** · January 20th, 2005, 03:52 PM

If it's freezing in your dorm as you stated, your cpu temp wouldn't be hitting 120F. It may be freezing to you, but that thing is smoking, and will be shortly if you don't fix it. Try opening the case, and put a small desk fan blowing directly on the system. See if that gets your temp down. If that works, see about re-aranging your cables in the case to promote better airflow, and turn the temp down in the room ;-) My machine, an AMD 2800+ never gets above 105F when playing games and that is closed, in a room, under a desk, with a heater going full blast all day and night to keep it mildly warm. And no additional case fans other than the PS, CPU and fan on the video.

**charlescpc** · January 20th, 2005, 11:52 PM

Originally Posted by geoscomp

So what do you have the processor set at manually? Remember that an AMD 2400+ actually runs between 1.93 ghz and 2.0 ghz

Hmmm my amd processor runs at 1.83 and I have the amd 2500.
I use completly stock settings.

**kursed** · January 21st, 2005, 03:22 AM

well for a day i ran it open with a fan on the ground blowing on it, no probs. today i ran it open without a fan blowing on it...consistantly idles at 40C/105F and when i closed WoW after playing for...oh 8hrs...holy **** i played for 8 hours straight, that game is NOT gonna be good for my GPA...but i digress, it was running at 45C and no freezing up so when i get some cash im gonna pick up the Coolermaster Jet 7 heatsink, the copper would prolly do some good and it looks like the 2400+ they reviewed it on was runnin at about my temps, so i hope that solves everything, that or for the time being i might get a tube from the front fan to the cpu.

**kursed** · January 21st, 2005, 03:25 AM

Oh and Charles, i read somewhere that alot of bios defaults underclock AMDs, might want to look into that cause i thing min is at 1.98 or so

**ilovetheusers** · January 26th, 2005, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by kursed

well for a day i ran it open with a fan on the ground blowing on it, no probs. today i ran it open without a fan blowing on it...consistantly idles at 40C/105F and when i closed WoW after playing for...oh 8hrs...holy **** i played for 8 hours straight, that game is NOT gonna be good for my GPA...but i digress, it was running at 45C and no freezing up so when i get some cash im gonna pick up the Coolermaster Jet 7 heatsink, the copper would prolly do some good and it looks like the 2400+ they reviewed it on was runnin at about my temps, so i hope that solves everything, that or for the time being i might get a tube from the front fan to the cpu.

Just as an FYI, 120F is nothing on an AMD CPU of that generation. They can go up to 180F before they fry from what I've understood and seeing them run at 120F is normal. Don't buy another cpu cooler.

If you continue to get freezeups, check the temperature of the video card (power down, unplug, ground yourself to case and touch it). It may be that the additional fan is now getting enough air blowing on the vid card to keep it cool enough.

If it's not overheating, look at your Power Supply. It may be that if you have a generic power supply that came with the case that it is not able to supply as much power as you card requires. Yes, the PSU may be rated at 350, 400, 450 or even 500 watts but it doesn't mean it's really able to put out the correct ampage to the videocard and the like. In cases of really odd issues where overheating is not the case, this is the next place to look. I've had freezeups to no end only cured by getting a decent PSU (antec, fortron, enermax, etc).

**melanie_peixoto** · February 4th, 2005, 09:43 PM

[COLOR=Pink]Now you wanna know how to stop your pc from crashing uh??

wel....... my computer.. my old one.. had the same problems... over and over.. every time i would play a game.. CRASH! it was very annoying.. and... pretty much... there's nothing complicatded about this situation........ the games are too big a file for your computer.. i suggest you either dont play them or get a better.. newer computer..... but before you do this.. try uninstalling as many things off your pc as you can.. so there will be more space... sometimes.. the only problem with games crashing is that there isnt enough memory! Try it and tell me what happens... if not.. i might have some more info for you

Peace out
Mel