Games lock-up

II_Phantom_II · Jun 19, 2004, 05:15 AM

I'm wondering if any can give me some insight as to what is causing my games to lock up.

All games i play do this, KOTOR, Max Payne 2, CoD, Gothic2, NFSU.. I'll get a bit of ways into it, and it hard locks with the sound repeating. (So i have to hold the power button in to restart)

I've tried most common things to remedy this..

There are no IRQ sharing, i have the latest video, sound and chipset drivers and i've also tried-out a few older versions as well. (Ensuring there are no driver files/reg entries left over too)

I've took most of the hardware out and cleaned the contacts, made sure they are connected/seated well.

I even have the pc side panel off with a fan pointing at the video card! ..Still nothing

..This just started all of the sudden, and obviously i can't pin-point the culprit.

Thanks,
Matt

Pc Specs,

AMD Athlon - 900Mhz
FIC-AZ31 Motherboard
PNY Ram- 384MB PC-100
Sound Blaster Audigy-XGamer
PNY Geforce4 TI-4400
WD Caviar 80GB 7200RPM

applebyk · Jun 19, 2004, 05:59 AM

I'd say it would either be heat, or else not enough voltage to something.

II_Phantom_II · Jun 19, 2004, 06:58 AM

Unfortunetly i have a compaq, so i can't set the voltage of anything.. and i'm still using the stock power supply so, i doub't that it would help much.

I'm not quite sure how to get more heat away from everything, since i already have the side panel off and using a fan.. Beside getting a new HSF, wich probably wouldn't be a bad idea.

..I think time is just taking it's toll on this ol' compaq, and it's starting to show.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jun 19, 2004, 07:04 AM

what are your voltages and temps?

II_Phantom_II · Jun 19, 2004, 07:56 AM

lol.. I can't check either of those, no hardware monitoring and i have no multimeter to check the voltages that way.

Necrosis · Jun 19, 2004, 02:42 PM

It could be a ram issue. You're running a dated system, and somtimes parts do fail out right. I would advise you to try one of the many memory testers out. Memtest seems to work rather well.

MythicaL · Jun 19, 2004, 04:15 PM

Try disabling EAX sound... it was the same problem for me and when I turned it off it ran fine again

II_Phantom_II · Jun 19, 2004, 05:35 PM

I let memtest run for about 30mins, got no errors..

I'll try disabling sound, period... Then i'll test a few games & report back

Btw, thanks for the help.

reno · Jun 19, 2004, 07:11 PM

Quote:

i'm still using the stock power supply

From a Compaq that's that old? You may have answered your own question...

II_Phantom_II · Jun 20, 2004, 08:39 AM

Yeah, it could be psu but, wouldn't it have been locking-up before? ...I guess it could be going out on me though.

Although, i find it really odd because i installed/played the far cry demo today without one problem.. wtf?

If any game was to lock my system, you'd think that would be the game to do it.. Nope, it ran perfectly fine

..I dunno what's going on

mainman · Jun 20, 2004, 08:46 AM

Since Far Cry did any other game crash your system?

II_Phantom_II · Jun 20, 2004, 10:50 AM

Nope, neither gothic2 or max payne 2 are locking-up on me now, and those have been the two that did it most.

I've not even had the pc shutdown, so with everything warmed up i'd think it would crash now if it was going to.

I even pushed it and oc'ed my video card, just to see if it would do it and it hasn't.

Really weird, it couldn't have just fixed it's self.

..oh well, i'm not complaining. ..just hope it stays this way

II_Phantom_II · Jun 24, 2004, 06:39 PM

This makes no sense at all, it started locking up again.

It has been running great since my last my post, untill now.. started locking-up for no appearent reason

Well, i know there's a reason for everything.. but what

(It's so frustrating to play through a game, and having to feel all tense about it locking on me.)

Logla · Jun 26, 2004, 09:23 AM

Sounds to me like the power supply or the memory. Which if it is then you might get away with unplugging the power supply from all the components and then removing the ram, blowing all the dust off with some compressed air and reseating everything.

We get a lot of pcs at work which are quite old now and have problems hanging/not booting and often reseating and cleaning stuff is all it needs.

Could even be the HDD but then you would likely be having problems in windows as well.

II_Phantom_II · Jun 27, 2004, 10:41 AM

Well, thanks for the reply but, i usually keep everything clean on a every other week basis, so, i doubt dust has a factor in this.. although i did check to make sure everything is seated well

As for the HDD, it's basically new.. not even a year old

On a good note though, i uninstalled the creative drivers, and switched to Kx Project.. no lockups yet, hopefully it stays this way.. again

If it does lock again, i'll probably look into a quality HSF and some thermal paste....or maybe even a PSU

Wich would be the more, logical choice of those..

Jun 19, 2004, 05:15 AM	#1
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Games lock-up I'm wondering if any can give me some insight as to what is causing my games to lock up. All games i play do this, KOTOR, Max Payne 2, CoD, Gothic2, NFSU.. I'll get a bit of ways into it, and it hard locks with the sound repeating. (So i have to hold the power button in to restart) I've tried most common things to remedy this.. There are no IRQ sharing, i have the latest video, sound and chipset drivers and i've also tried-out a few older versions as well. (Ensuring there are no driver files/reg entries left over too) I've took most of the hardware out and cleaned the contacts, made sure they are connected/seated well. I even have the pc side panel off with a fan pointing at the video card! ..Still nothing ..This just started all of the sudden, and obviously i can't pin-point the culprit. Thanks, Matt Pc Specs, AMD Athlon - 900Mhz FIC-AZ31 Motherboard PNY Ram- 384MB PC-100 Sound Blaster Audigy-XGamer PNY Geforce4 TI-4400 WD Caviar 80GB 7200RPM

Jun 19, 2004, 05:59 AM	#2
applebyk DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 91 Rep Power: 0	I'd say it would either be heat, or else not enough voltage to something. __________________ Antec Sonata + 380S Truepower 2500+ @ 1.3v , Volcano 12 + stealth NF7-S rev.2 w/ iceberq copper 9600XT + zalman NBsink @ 550/330 Raid 0 120GB Sata hard drives HyperX 3500 @ 2700, 2-2-2-6

Jun 19, 2004, 07:04 AM	#4
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	what are your voltages and temps? __________________

Jun 19, 2004, 04:15 PM	#7
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Try disabling EAX sound... it was the same problem for me and when I turned it off it ran fine again __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Jun 20, 2004, 08:46 AM	#11
mainman Mr. Nobody Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OmniPresent Nightwatcher Posts: 5,961 Rep Power: 71	Since Far Cry did any other game crash your system? __________________

Jun 19, 2004, 06:58 AM	Thread Starter #3
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Unfortunetly i have a compaq, so i can't set the voltage of anything.. and i'm still using the stock power supply so, i doub't that it would help much. I'm not quite sure how to get more heat away from everything, since i already have the side panel off and using a fan.. Beside getting a new HSF, wich probably wouldn't be a bad idea. ..I think time is just taking it's toll on this ol' compaq, and it's starting to show.

Jun 19, 2004, 07:56 AM	Thread Starter #5
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	lol.. I can't check either of those, no hardware monitoring and i have no multimeter to check the voltages that way.

Jun 19, 2004, 02:42 PM	#6
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	It could be a ram issue. You're running a dated system, and somtimes parts do fail out right. I would advise you to try one of the many memory testers out. Memtest seems to work rather well.

Jun 19, 2004, 05:35 PM	Thread Starter #8
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	I let memtest run for about 30mins, got no errors.. I'll try disabling sound, period... Then i'll test a few games & report back Btw, thanks for the help.

Jun 20, 2004, 08:39 AM	Thread Starter #10
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Yeah, it could be psu but, wouldn't it have been locking-up before? ...I guess it could be going out on me though. Although, i find it really odd because i installed/played the far cry demo today without one problem.. wtf? If any game was to lock my system, you'd think that would be the game to do it.. Nope, it ran perfectly fine ..I dunno what's going on

Jun 20, 2004, 10:50 AM	Thread Starter #12
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Nope, neither gothic2 or max payne 2 are locking-up on me now, and those have been the two that did it most. I've not even had the pc shutdown, so with everything warmed up i'd think it would crash now if it was going to. I even pushed it and oc'ed my video card, just to see if it would do it and it hasn't. Really weird, it couldn't have just fixed it's self. ..oh well, i'm not complaining. ..just hope it stays this way

Jun 24, 2004, 06:39 PM	Thread Starter #13
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Okay, i reject my previous statement.. This makes no sense at all, it started locking up again. It has been running great since my last my post, untill now.. started locking-up for no appearent reason Well, i know there's a reason for everything.. but what (It's so frustrating to play through a game, and having to feel all tense about it locking on me.)

Jun 26, 2004, 09:23 AM	#14
Logla HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 3,311 Rep Power: 0	Sounds to me like the power supply or the memory. Which if it is then you might get away with unplugging the power supply from all the components and then removing the ram, blowing all the dust off with some compressed air and reseating everything. We get a lot of pcs at work which are quite old now and have problems hanging/not booting and often reseating and cleaning stuff is all it needs. Could even be the HDD but then you would likely be having problems in windows as well.

Jun 27, 2004, 10:41 AM	Thread Starter #15
II_Phantom_II DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Tennessee Posts: 10 Rep Power: 0	Well, thanks for the reply but, i usually keep everything clean on a every other week basis, so, i doubt dust has a factor in this.. although i did check to make sure everything is seated well As for the HDD, it's basically new.. not even a year old On a good note though, i uninstalled the creative drivers, and switched to Kx Project.. no lockups yet, hopefully it stays this way.. again If it does lock again, i'll probably look into a quality HSF and some thermal paste....or maybe even a PSU Wich would be the more, logical choice of those..