Suicidal

Hello, heres the story:

A few months ago I bought a new harddrive and copied everything directly from my old one to my new one, everything worked fine. 1-2 months later I upgraded my Windows XP Pro SP1 to SP2, I'm assuming it also installed Directx 9.0(b I think). After doing that is when all my problems started. When I play the SWAT 4 demo, it loads the game menu, then loads the game and once the game loads and the text starts to type to the screen, it freezes and I can't ALT-TAB-DEL or anything. Everything just locks up, no sound, the last video image on the screen is still there and the harddrive light stops blinking. It also freezes when I play Everquest, sometimes in 5 minutes, sometimes 45 minutes. And the same problem with ToonTown. Total Annihilation, Starcraft, Quake 3 demo and Soldier of Fortune have no problems. Once when I ran the DirectX diag and diag and ran the video checks it froze(just once).

After trying downloading the Omega drivers, then trying to downgrade DirectX back to 8.0 and messing with the MB Bios settings I gave up and reformated my harddrive and reinstalled Windows XP Pro and had everything the way it originally was. I'm still having problems. I ran Windows Memory Diagnostics it didn't report any problems. I've updated my motherboard drivers to VIA's 4-in-1 and have the Omega 2.6.53 drivers installed. I never tried the latest ATI 5.8 driver because it needed .NET installed and I didn't want to do that. I HAVE NOT updated my motherboard BIOS yet because I have never done it before and want to have it as a last resort so I don't mess it up.

I have Fast Write turned off. AGP is set to 4x(I tried lowering it before). I tried VPU Recovery off and on.

I also downloaded the ATITool program from techpowerup.com and when I tried to run the Find Max Core and Find Max Mem it froze both times.

I also looked for a updated BIOS for my video card but the one I found was the same release date.

Thanks for any help someone can give me!

-Adam

EDIT: I also had a fan blowing into the side of the case(with the covers off) and with no results.
EDIT: Nothing on my computer is overclocked.

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AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

H3X4D3C1M4L

Windows SP2 is DirectX 9.0c, windows pre SP1 is DirectX 8.1 so unless you uninstalled the service pack it didn't go anywhere.

Does your motherboard have a switch on it that controls the CPU command decode because this is a carbon copy of my problem I had and all I had to do was turn command decode to be set by the CPU rather than BIOS

Suicidal

The Windows XP I installed was SP1 and got installed with DirectX 8.1 so I guess when I didthe SP2 upgrade, DirectX 9.0 got installed. I'm not sure about the motherboard thing but I will look into it. Thanks!

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AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

Suicidal

I wasn't able to find anything about the CPU command decode in my manual or the ECS website. I also looked on the motherboard itsself. Shoudl there be a setting for this in the BIOS? If so, what would it be labeled? Thanks again!

I also just ran the Maxtors harddrive checking program and it didn't find anything wrong with it.

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

SexPistoL

Try turning fast write ON. As some 9600's have a problem with it turned off.

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md5

Also, try getting the latest ATI drivers. You don't need necessarily .NET for them, there are 2 versions, one with CCC that needs .NET and one with the normal control panel which doesn't. Go to our ATI downloads page over here:
http://www.driverheavendownloads.net/ati.htm

and get the latest classic Catalyst (5.8 at the moment)

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H3X4D3C1M4L

It should be located in the CPU multiplier and voltage settings area, thats where mine is...it depends on the BIOS.

My mobo has a jumper just to the right of the RAM slots that configured it but if you can't find it in the manual it ain't there.

But it may be in BIOS

Suicidal

I tried to download the 5.8 classic but the link is broken.

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

SexPistoL

Try www.ati.com and get it from source

__________________

Suicidal

Whoops my mistake. When I was reading the ATIs website, i saw it said I needed to install .NET for the control panel and I thought it needed the .NET for the driver too but I was wrong. Thanks!

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

Suicidal

Ok just installed ATI's 5.8 Driver and no dice. Any other ideas?

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

Dyre Straits

When you upgraded to SP2, is your Windows Firewall -- or another Firewall -- active? Have you given these games permission? I have a very similar situation when I install any new game or program and forget to set it up to work with the firewall.

Not all games/programs will allow a popup or access to Task Manager and it appears that the system has locked. Actually, all that's happened is that there's a window beneath the game/program that's waiting for your input as to grant permission or not.

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Suicidal

I have ZoneAlarm installed and I experienced those problems in other games so I make sure they are allowed. I have been turning off ZoneAlarm when I try to play SWAT 4. When I load a game, it loads and started to type the text to the screen to tell you whats going on in this senerio then it freezes.

Also, I just remembered I tried running the games off my onboard video too(which I have turned off right now) and had the same problems. Any ideas?

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

Dyre Straits

OK, out of curiosity, what are the IRQ assignments on your system?

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Suicidal

Also, I have SP1 installed right now because I reformated my hard drive(as stated in first message). Here are my IRQs:

ISA 0 System Timer
ISA 1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
ISA 4 Communications Port (COM1)
ISA 6 Standard floppy disk controller
ISA 8 System CMOS/real time clock
ISA 9 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
ISA 13 Numeric data processor
ISA 14 Primary IDE Channel
ISA 15 Secondary IDE CHannel
PCI 5 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
PCI 10 Standard Enchanced PCI to USB Host Controller
PCI 11 Radeon 9600 SERIES
PCI 11 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
PCI 11 VIA Rhine II Fast Ethernet Adapter
PCI 12 VIA Rev 5 or later USB Universal Host Controller
PCI 12 Vinyl AC'97 Codec Combo Driver (WDM)

I noticed that the Radeon 9600 SERIES is showing it as a PCI and not AGP but since AGP is based off the PCI I'm not sure what to think about it. I tried to ask someone about it but they didn't answer(not here). Also tried to change the Radeon to a seperate ICQ but wouldn't let me.

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1

H3X4D3C1M4L

You wouldn't be able to force an IRQ on the card.

Also, you should have more than 15 IRQ's ..... are you using the APIC or ACPI HAL for Windows?

And FWIW AGP is logically adressed in terms of IRQ much like a PCI device, because PCI devices can share IRQ's but ISA devices can only have 1 interrupt per device and no sharing.

You could try moving PCI cards and see ifthat helps

Dyre Straits

I have found more problems when my Network Card shares and IRQ with my video card than any other sharing situation. Personally, I don't like anything sharing an IRQ with my video card. But, I've found that I'm stuck with my current system sharing the IRQ for my video and USB 2.0.

But, having those three on the same IRQ just looks like it's asking for trouble.

However, that Network Adapter on your system looks like the built-in one on the motherboard. So, I don't believe you can change the IRQ for it. If it were me, I'd give the ol' yankee try to see if I could. Failing, I'd do this: Disable that network adapter in the BIOS at least temporarily. Restart the computer and see if a game plays OK. If it does, then you know it's this particular device that's not working nice with the others.

If you still get lock ups with 3D games, temporarily disable the USB device that's on that IRQ. (You might even change the Assign IRQ to USB setting in the BIOS.) Then, again, try your 3D games. If they work, you know that the situation warrants trying to isolate your video card away from the other devices if possible. BUT, that might require getting a different motherboard.

Question: Does this motherboard have built-in video? If so, has it been completely Disabled in the BIOS?

At any rate, I, personally, feel there are too many devices sharing IRQ 11 on your system.

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H3X4D3C1M4L

It would only be too many if all of those devices all at once tried to interrupt the system... all of my USB controllers share the same IRQ and I can use them all simultaneously without problems.

I think this is more a case of something really odd causing it to fail.

If you want to test the IRQ thing, try using everything thats on that IRQ all at once and see if it fails any quicker, otherwise you could rule it out.

Suicidal

Ill try disabling the network(yes, its built in). If that solves theproblem I have a card from when I updated that I will use. The onboard video is turned off. If none of that works, Ill try my old harddrive to see if anything works(bought a new one and the old one still has everything on it and it was working fine). if that freezes, then it might be the motherboard.

__________________
AMD Athlon 3000+(Windows reports it as a XP 1800+)
128MB DDR SDRAM
Maxtor Ultra 120GB, 7200RPM, 8MB cache, Ultra ATA/133
StarLogic 400W PS
ECS L7VMM3 Motherboard
Intergrated AC97 Codec sound
Radeon 9600 - Omega 2.6.53(Catalyst 5.7)
Windows XP Pro SP1