Booted from games, even emulators

[casse2go]

I Keep getting booted from games after two minutes of play.  I can't even play em games. I can't even start the Pogo.Com games. I get the "Page Not Found" and "Wrong Version of Applet" error message. In the site GSN (Game Show Network) the games laod and play for a few minutes then boom, my screen freezes and goes black and I have to turn off the CPU by hand. Then in another site I can play one game without interference but not the others. I get either an error "Required Resources Could Not Be Loaded" or same as with GSN. Everything else seems to be working okay. Any possible diagnosis from anyone. (I've heard "throw it out the window" already) BTW, the comp is a dinosaur named CYBERMAX from Microsoft.

I recently changed from AOL Optimized to AOL 9.0 VR. I have 400 mhz and 320 Rams of which a computer check up advised I use 128, and reset the computer. I thought i had a virus so I had the comp reformatted, then it was reformatted again the next week. I had Java installed. I had McAfee Security installed on the sayso of a tech, but had it uninstalled on the sayso of another tech.  The thing just shut down and sent me to the BIOS page when I tried to scan. (The system Requirements were for 500 MHZ or higher, I had 400) I now have AGV. I have Windows XP SP2 Pro.

[Computer Hope Admin]

First, thanks for posting all the helpful information, e.g. AOL, version of Windows, etc.

Are you just getting booted from games you're playing online? If this is happening mostly online I'd highly recommend you go through the basic Internet Explorer troubleshooting steps found on the below link. Something could be in the Internet cache or extensions that is corrupt or causing issues.

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chie.htm

Also, you mentioned you have McAfee Security and AVG although this is not the McAfee virus scanner you may want to disable McAfee and/or AVG temporarily, having more than one virus/security programs running on the computer at the same time can cause havoc.

[casse2go]

No, I have only one virus protection AVG. I uninstalled McAfee before I installed the AVG.

As for the games. Yes, GSN, POOGO.COM, GAMEDESIRE.COM, GAMEHOUSE.COM these are all online game site. But the emulator game I was playing from "My Documents" and not connected to AOL.

As for the IEB to play the games that doesn't work either. At least not on those I've tried it on. I'll go back and try again.  I have been working with Microsoft Techs for two straight weeks on all kinds of things since I had to validate my copy of Windows. I have installed and uninstalled programs up the wazoo, and as I said been reformatted twice. I even had IE6 upgraded to IE7.

*It should be noted that I know diddley squat about computers.
 

Okay, so now the one game I could play has just thrown me off.

[patio]

casse2go could this possibly be related to a connection issue ? ?
Do you lose your internet connection while browsing or checking mail ?
What type of connection do you have ? ?

[casse2go]

I have no idea if it involves connectivity. I do know I have gotten disconnected while doing some things,  I'll try and recall when but first, I have a dial-up modem. NO DSL.

Now, I have gotten the AOL ERRORs (AC - 3000); (AC - 1502); (AC - 1200). When I first had the computer reformatted, I got the disconnects a few times, reported it to AOL and they advised that perhaps the reformat wasn't proper, so it was re reformatted. But I still got a few disconnects so I switched Access Numbers. Whereupon, I still got disconnected a couple of times. I know I got disconnected twice(in the same session) when I was using the IM, it took me to the BIOS pages; and when I had more than two windows open.

I have been dealing with so many connection and disconnetion lately it's hard to keep them straight.

I haven't heard anyone mention what microsoft suggested might be the problem, so I'll keep waiting rather than make the suggest myself.

 

[patio]

Well just from experience it's difficult to get a good gaming experience on dial up at all...
The things you can check though is call your phone co. and request a "line test"...this is free.
It will tell you what quality signal you are getting at your location.
DSL is another option and probably not much more than you are paying for dial-up as it has gotten pretty competitive lately
DSL still uses your existing phone lines so there's no real hassle on your end...and most providers ship you the modem for free usually in the form of a rebate so you would be all set.

[casse2go]

Well, when I had the line put in, I was told DSL wasn't available in my area. Could chek again though, and thanks about the test.

I just got anothe booting...this time I was just searching although I did have two pages open.

I'm interested though in whether or not anyone thinks it might be a V-Card problem. Microsoft insists the problem isn't software but hardware.

[patio]

Without any info on the video hardware involved that would be speculation on my end...
I still think it's a connectivity issue though.

[casse2go]

Thanks for the info. I'm monitor this just incase someone with like issues should happen to post. And, when I get resolution I'll post back as well; but not expecting to for at least a week.

[casse2go]

Question: I had my machine reformatted because a tech told me I might have a virus on board. If that were a case, after the reformatting, if the virus had invaded my registry, would it be so deep it could be detected ot the reformatting might miss it? Thereby, still be on my machine?

[Deerpark]

A format effectively clears the partition, there is no place for a virus to hide. But if you have more than one partition and you only formated the one with windows on it, the virus could still be lurking in any software you have on another partition.

[casse2go]

Well, I'm guessing the tech knew what he was doing, hopefully he did anyway. However, is it possible for a virus to avoid detection by the scan? I'm using AVG and it comes up clean when run.  Also, does the virus scan indicate what are called, "critical objects" like you get with Lavasoft scan.

Sorry if my questions seem lame but I'm one of those people who has a comp and doesn't know jack about it's upkeep. So I ask...and appreciate the help and advice.

[Deerpark]

No antivirus solution can catch 100% of the viruses out there. The best have a detection rate in the +90% range. You can try scanning your computer with an online virus scanner to get a second opinion. Here are links to a couple.

http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

[casse2go]

You say I can use an online virus scanner...I have AVG and it scans everymorning when the comp is turned on. Do you mean something other than that? Also, I just looked inside the box that came back from the repair shop when I had the new V-Card put in in 2005. There is a Radeon Cd in there. What is it for? Ver. 8.2

[Deerpark]

I'm just saying that if you're suspecting a virus and AVG isn't finding anything, it doesn't hurt to get a second or third opinion from other anti virus scanners. Like I said, no scanner is able to detect all viruses. And it doesn't cost anything to have your computer checked with the two scanners I linked to.