Games locking computer up

[Rhys]

Lately, a lot of simple games have been locking my computer up.
I'm running on 512mb ram, with a Radeon X800xt video card, yet for some reason, my computer completely locks up whilst playing games like warcraft 3, world of warcraft, lord of the rings: battle for middle earth and other games that should not present a problem to my system.
What usually happens is the screen freezes, then weird distortion comes out of the speakers, and even sometimes the screen jumbles itself up. The only way i can get out of it is to hold trhe power switch down.

I have recently updated my video cards driver from the ATI official website, yet the games still lock the computer up! Please help me someone, no longer can i enjoy gaming!

[Rhys]

Sorry, i now know this matter has been addressed many times, yet i think mine may be different.

My system is:
-Intel Pentium 4, 3.4Ghz
-512mb ram
-256mb ATI Radeon X800xt graphics card
-SB Audigy Audio

I also have the latest DirectX, i heard this may help my problem, but it hasn't. Sometimes i get an error after manually resetting my computer telling me that my system has recovered from a serious error, however, sometimes it doesn't display this message. I really do not know what else to do, so any help is greatly appreciated.

[Fed]

Update your sound drivers.
Test your RAM.

[Rhys]

Ok, so i updated the sounds driver and i also downloaded the memtest application, but i do not know how to get it to work...every time i open it up, it stays up for a split second then closes itself down. Any other alternative programs?

[Rhys]

There's only 4 possibe things left that i can think of..

1. My computer is overheating.
2. My RAM is stuffed.
3. My computer is riddled with adware and/or spyware
4. My current graphics card is only running on 800x600 (32 bit) (60hz)

Anh help is really appreciated, i really want to get this problem fixed soon  

[GX1_Man]

1. My computer is overheating.

Check the temps

2. My RAM is stuffed.

memtest86.com. Burn it to CD. It is an .iso so use Nero or whatever you have to do that. Boot with the CD and run it for a couple of hours - each stick of RAM individually, then all together.

3. My computer is riddled with adware and/or spyware

Download,update and run AdAware, Spybot, AVG Free, and Ewido in Safe Mode. (They are all free, just google for them. You have to do some work after all.)

4. My current graphics card is only running on 800x600 (32 bit) (60hz)

Identify your graphics card and dowload and install the most current driver from the manufacturer's web site. What is the adapter/card?

Any help is really appreciated, i really want to get this problem fixed soon  

Now you know what to do. Let us know what you find.

[DigitalDeath]

(as Rhys)

1. I still don't know how to check the temps, unless it's by shoving an actual thermometer in  

2. Burnt Memtest to CD, i'm a noob, so i don't actually know what you mean by "Boot with the CD"

3. Done that now.

4. ATI Radeon X800xt (256mb), i've already downloaded the newest driver. The adapter/card? Once again, my undeveloped brain holds me back on understanding.

~~I have encountered yet another problem 5 minutes ago. While playing Warcaft 3, the game froze, but the sound kept coming. Then the screen went black, came back on, and my screen said it was auto adjusting itself. Then the screen went black again, and i was forced to reboot. Yet when i logged back on, my whole screen resolution had been changed, so that everything looked tiny! What the *censored* is going on?!~~

[GX1_Man]

(as Rhys)

1. I still don't know how to check the temps, unless it's by shoving an actual thermometer in  

Everest Home Edition (free at www.lavalys.com), if you cannot check in the BIOS

2. Burnt Memtest to CD, i'm a noob, so i don't actually know what you mean by "Boot with the CD"

You have to burn it as an ISO, not just copy it. Nero has the capacity to do this.

3. Done that now.

What did you find?

4. ATI Radeon X800xt (256mb), i've already downloaded the newest driver. The adapter/card? Once again, my undeveloped brain holds me back on understanding.

Good.

~~I have encountered yet another problem 5 minutes ago. While playing Warcaft 3, the game froze, but the sound kept coming. Then the screen went black, came back on, and my screen said it was auto adjusting itself. Then the screen went black again, and i was forced to reboot. Yet when i logged back on, my whole screen resolution had been changed, so that everything looked tiny! What the *censored* is going on?!~~

This is all related to the hardware problem we are trying to uncover......