Computer Hope

Hardware => Hardware => Topic started by: Arc on June 04, 2006, 02:52:19 PM

Title: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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.




Thanks

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Fed 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man 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?

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man on June 04, 2006, 03:58:12 PM

I still don't think that will turn out to be an 8 meg. card.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: sealbee 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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)



Thanks

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man 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?

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man 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.  ;)

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc 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...

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man on June 07, 2006, 02:57:54 PM

I don't believe that board has PCIe

http://www.zonavirtual.es/asrock-k7vta-socket-p-661.html?codigobarras=1

Taking that processor was my first tip off. It has standard PCI slots.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 09, 2006, 08:59:36 PM

That's not the standard processor for that board, it's quite slower than the standard, and it does have a PCI Express slot

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 13, 2006, 05:25:14 PM

well, I got a new card in it, installed the drivers for it, and now when I try to do anything graphical, the computer restarts. I have DX 9.0b, but I was wondering if I could go back to dx 8, because I think it is a DX problem. I tried to disable the acceleration for the card, but that didn't fix it either.


Any help would be wonderful!

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 13, 2006, 05:34:31 PM

By the way, I'm a total retard! the board is an ASRock K7vT2, not a z, a 2. LOL

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man on June 13, 2006, 05:42:47 PM

I don't believe it is possible to downgrade Direct X. I believe you have to do a reinstall. Sorry.  ;)

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Dead_reckon on June 13, 2006, 07:18:15 PM

NO! NO REINSTALL!!! sinple fix, use d9.0C i use it, works fine

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 13, 2006, 10:41:07 PM

I just found my 9.0c updates, I'm gonna go try that

Thanks

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: dl65 on June 13, 2006, 11:18:52 PM

 Viper1991......   Isn't this the same machine that has all the download issues not to mention the activation problems ......  I would be getting a legit copy of XP /SP2 ...... install it ...... do the activation thing ....download the available updates and I'll bet the majority of your issues will disappear.


dl65  ::)

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 14, 2006, 07:21:44 PM

I plan on installing XP pro corporate this weekend (legitamitly), and of course, the DX 9.0c didn't do anything. I'll tell you if that works.

Thanks

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 16, 2006, 11:36:38 PM

Today was the last day of school here!! w00t!! ok, mrjcwhite and I are installing windows xp corp with SP2 right now, I hope that fixes it, I'll post the results in a little bit!

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 17, 2006, 12:41:46 AM

w00 freaking t !!! it works! victory is mine, so far, I'll post anyother errors that occor, if there are any more anyways.


Thanks,
Viper

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Fed on June 17, 2006, 01:00:08 AM

Don't forget protection, antivirus, antispyware, firewall, IDS and hardening of browser & email options.

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Arc on June 17, 2006, 03:15:24 AM

done, all of that is on there so I should be pretty much good to go!

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: Fed on June 17, 2006, 04:50:26 PM

Victory is yours!  :D

Title: Re: Total system halt
Post by: GX1_Man on June 17, 2006, 05:21:06 PM

Amazing what a real copy of windows will do!