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Author Topic: Total system halt  (Read 5709 times)

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Arc

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    Total system halt
    « on: June 04, 2006, 02:52:19 PM »
    ok, im stumped,

    My computer is acting really weird. It will boot right, start windows, edit HTML documents and I can leave it running for days just fine, but when I try to do something like, play a game, even an older, low graphic req. game (eg. warcraft: orcs and humans) my computer will just halt, after about 5-20 minutes. I don't even get the blue screen of doom, just a frozen screen of what ever I was doing. Oh, also, it will freeze when I try to convert a video to fit on my iPod. and the only thing graphic in the program I use is a green progress bar.

    Any Ideas?

    computer information listed below








    Winodws XP professional sp1a
    Motherboard: ASRock K7vtz  
    Ram: 2, 128 PC100 sticks
    CPU: AMD duron 1300 GHz
    HDD: 1, Maxtor 20GB  
    S3 ViRGE/DX/GX video card
    Samsung DVD rom drive
    USB 2.0
    You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

    or you'll never make it out alive

    Arc

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      Re: Total system halt
      « Reply #1 on: June 04, 2006, 02:55:23 PM »
      Also, the S3 ViRGE/DX/GX video card only registers as a 4MB card. I got it, working from Mrjcwhite, and it is soupposed to be at least 8MB. I'm guessing that is a driver, or firmware issue but I'm not sure.




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      You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

      or you'll never make it out alive

      Fed

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        • OS: Windows XP
        Re: Total system halt
        « Reply #2 on: June 04, 2006, 02:58:19 PM »
        Update windows.
        Update your drivers from the manufacturer's website.
        Test your ram. http://www.memtest.com
        Get more ram.

        GX1_Man

        • Guest
        Re: Total system halt
        « Reply #3 on: June 04, 2006, 03:51:04 PM »
        Quote
        Also, the S3 ViRGE/DX/GX video card only registers as a 4MB card. I got it, working from Mrjcwhite, and it is soupposed to be at least 8MB. I'm guessing that is a driver, or firmware issue but I'm not sure.




        Thanks


        I don't recall ever seeing one of these cards with over 4 meg., although some certainly had less.

        Is the same windows with the activation problem install from your other posts? are there other issues as well?

        Arc

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          Re: Total system halt
          « Reply #4 on: June 04, 2006, 03:55:12 PM »
          Yeah, it's the same computer I'm trying to activate windows on, and I haven't noticed any other issues with the computer,
          I have mainly been doing info tech homework on it (we have to make a portfolio in html format) and it works fine for that.
          You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

          or you'll never make it out alive

          GX1_Man

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          Re: Total system halt
          « Reply #5 on: June 04, 2006, 03:58:12 PM »
          I still don't think that will turn out to be an 8 meg. card.

          Arc

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            Re: Total system halt
            « Reply #6 on: June 04, 2006, 04:04:05 PM »
            I'd have to wait till tomarrow to do any updating, mainly because I have an uber-slow download speed, and I use my schools high speed to download updates and such.
            You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

            or you'll never make it out alive

            Arc

              Topic Starter


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              Re: Total system halt
              « Reply #7 on: June 04, 2006, 10:12:20 PM »
              well, a new devopment, after my screensaver turns on, I move the mouse, it turns off, but everything is tinted green for about 10 minutes. After that everything goes back to normal. I'm fairly sure that the video card is on it's death bed. but that doesn't explain why everything else stops. I'm pretty sure it's not over heating, my mainboard is usually 30-38Cº and my cpu is usually 47-52Cº. ( I check these tempatures with my cmos ). I'm also pretty sure it's not a windows issue, I have never got a "windows has recovered from a serious error" or the blue screen of doom. and I'm positive it's not a virus, malware, adware, and/or spyware issue because the problem occured before I connected to the internet. I'm going to go disconnect my dvd drive and floppy drive, and switch out the ram and se if that helps.


              Another question, I was wondering if it was safe/bad for my motherboard to have ddr, and sd ram at the same time, because I have 2 ddr ram slots, and 2 sdram slots on my board. I am asking this because I want to add more ram, but don't want to make another problem


              any input would be wonderful

              Thanks
              You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

              or you'll never make it out alive

              sealbee

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              Re: Total system halt
              « Reply #8 on: June 05, 2006, 04:06:26 AM »
              It sounds to me like your video card is going.. I was told when I asked about the ram thing a few years ago that you can not mix the 2 different kinds. DDR is faster, go that way if you can.

              GX1_Man

              • Guest
              Re: Total system halt
              « Reply #9 on: June 05, 2006, 04:14:46 AM »
              There were some really old MB's that could use two different kinds of RAM, but if you have DDR and SDRAM slots you only get to use one kind.

              Arc

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                Re: Total system halt
                « Reply #10 on: June 06, 2006, 02:22:10 PM »
                Question, can anyone tell me where to go to find a new video card that won't cost that much?(tight on cash untill summer) the nearest computer store to me is about 50 miles because I live in the middle of nowhere (newport, washington-by spokane)



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                You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

                or you'll never make it out alive

                GX1_Man

                • Guest
                Re: Total system halt
                « Reply #11 on: June 06, 2006, 03:21:25 PM »
                Newegg.com always has great prices and superb customer service in case of problems. What kind of card are you looking for?
                « Last Edit: June 07, 2006, 04:18:51 AM by GX1_Man »

                Arc

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                  Re: Total system halt
                  « Reply #12 on: June 06, 2006, 09:13:05 PM »
                  Well, I like this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814150147 but I need to find out if my computers has pci express x16 or not. but I like the price, I only have $50 right now. I'm gonna go find out if my board will handle the card.
                  You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

                  or you'll never make it out alive

                  GX1_Man

                  • Guest
                  Re: Total system halt
                  « Reply #13 on: June 07, 2006, 04:18:26 AM »
                  PCI express is a relatively new technology, so check your motherboard manual, google your motherboard manual,   or just look in there.  ;)

                  Arc

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                    Re: Total system halt
                    « Reply #14 on: June 07, 2006, 01:58:15 PM »
                    I looked in there last night, and my board has a pci-x slot. looks like I'm going to get a new graphics card, wOOt! I hope that will solve the problem...
                    You've got to stop taking life so seriously;

                    or you'll never make it out alive