Uh...random crashes?

Cap'n Beeb · 16th Jul 2003, 08:37 PM

As of today, I've had nearly every single program I've tried to run, suddenly crash, with no warning signs whatsoever. Mozilla, UT, Winamp, aim, a few other games, just to name a few. I'm not sure what could be doing this, but I did have to get a new XP key from Micro$haft tech support, since apparently I had used the one on the back of my package too many times.

Incidently, I've seen alot of chop in every game I run now. This has been going on for a while, maybe a week, week and a half at most. It seems my comp lags for a second everytime a new sound is played, like I've been opening normal wood doors throughout a level, but if I open a metal door, it has to think of what sound to play. It's not a quick hiccup, this is _very_ noticeable, I'll hit a hitch that lasts a good three to five seconds. I defragged about a week ago, so I dont think it's fragmentation. Wtf could be causing these problems?

Beowolf · 16th Jul 2003, 08:39 PM

Reformat!

Really, I don't know...

Try turning the power voltage up to 7.5 in your BIOS Monitor/Hardware section. I had a similar problem, only it would completly lock up, and that worked.

PsychoMoggieBagpuss · 16th Jul 2003, 08:53 PM

I would exhaust EVERY single option before playing around with your voltage.
You've spent a lot of money on this pc so you will be well pissed if something melts.

Hit "CTRL-ALT-DEL" and take a screen shot of what processes you are running before you go into the game (sort by CPU and by mem usage) and post it here.

BTW you are running an uptodate virus scanner?

DeaJae · 16th Jul 2003, 09:39 PM

have you set your CAS latency for your RAM correctly?

dunno if RIMM's have a standard in CAS but decent DDR is usaully 2.0 or 2.5.

if the CAS between the new stick you put in is different to the one you got in there that could well be the problem :/

Cap'n Beeb · 16th Jul 2003, 10:22 PM

How would I do that DJ? And btw, it's two completely new sticks.

Beowolf · 17th Jul 2003, 07:20 AM

Yeah, be carefully if you do my option. Only reason I did it is because that is what the tech guys said to do.

Rocket_Magnet · 17th Jul 2003, 08:00 AM

check your sound card...

if your getting delayed sounds it could be the soundcard having a hard time getting the sounds out ?

Hunter · 17th Jul 2003, 08:41 AM

what sound card? u got a network card in your system?

Fluid · 17th Jul 2003, 08:52 AM

Check your temperature sensors. Random crashes could mean that the CPU is overheating, screwed up screen could mean the video card is overheating.

Cap'n Beeb · 17th Jul 2003, 10:01 AM

Rocket and Hunter: Now that you mention it, I have installed a network card fairly recently. As for my sound card, it's an Audigy Platinum eX.

Fluid: Before I load a game, and after I finish up (or it crashes) I compare temperatures, just common practice. All temperature increases are well within normal amounts.

Syri · 17th Jul 2003, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerbaron

Rocket and Hunter: Now that you mention it, I have installed a network card fairly recently. As for my sound card, it's an Audigy Platinum eX.

Fluid: Before I load a game, and after I finish up (or it crashes) I compare temperatures, just common practice. All temperature increases are well within normal amounts.

well, you do occasionally get faulty cpus... i have an athlon xp2100 that crashes at 57 degrees c, which should be well within limits, in fact, i am using an athlon 1.4 that runs at 70 some of the time perfectly happy....

Syri · 17th Jul 2003, 08:39 PM

oh, one other thing, could possibly be the hdd failing. a friend had that happen recently. games would drop to windows, or the system would freeze for ages like it was loading, then kick in suddenly. turned out one of the platters on his hdd had slipped, so wouldn't always line up to the heads properly

Cap'n Beeb · 17th Jul 2003, 09:00 PM

Oh my processor is working fine, I've yet to have a problem with it.

16th Jul 2003, 08:37 PM	#1
Cap'n Beeb Banned Join Date: Nov. 27th, 1999 Location: A mountain compound Posts: 8,107	Uh...random crashes? As of today, I've had nearly every single program I've tried to run, suddenly crash, with no warning signs whatsoever. Mozilla, UT, Winamp, aim, a few other games, just to name a few. I'm not sure what could be doing this, but I did have to get a new XP key from Micro$haft tech support, since apparently I had used the one on the back of my package too many times. Incidently, I've seen alot of chop in every game I run now. This has been going on for a while, maybe a week, week and a half at most. It seems my comp lags for a second everytime a new sound is played, like I've been opening normal wood doors throughout a level, but if I open a metal door, it has to think of what sound to play. It's not a quick hiccup, this is _very_ noticeable, I'll hit a hitch that lasts a good three to five seconds. I defragged about a week ago, so I dont think it's fragmentation. Wtf could be causing these problems? __________________ Cap'n Beeb & Fizzil <3 for life. Anaemic is a super stud.

16th Jul 2003, 08:39 PM	#2
Beowolf hail to the king Join Date: Feb. 2nd, 2003 Posts: 1,545	Reformat! Really, I don't know... Try turning the power voltage up to 7.5 in your BIOS Monitor/Hardware section. I had a similar problem, only it would completly lock up, and that worked. __________________ Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again. But life goes on.

16th Jul 2003, 09:39 PM	#4
DeaJae taking a month's break Join Date: May. 7th, 2001 Location: England Posts: 2,882	have you set your CAS latency for your RAM correctly? dunno if RIMM's have a standard in CAS but decent DDR is usaully 2.0 or 2.5. if the CAS between the new stick you put in is different to the one you got in there that could well be the problem :/ __________________ I SellZ computers naow Still down, not out.. fighting the creek of life with no paddles. Last edited by DeaJae; 16th Jul 2003 at 09:40 PM.

17th Jul 2003, 07:20 AM	#6
Beowolf hail to the king Join Date: Feb. 2nd, 2003 Posts: 1,545	Yeah, be carefully if you do my option. Only reason I did it is because that is what the tech guys said to do. __________________ Sometimes you're flush and sometimes you're bust, and when you're up, it's never as good as it seems, and when you're down, you never think you'll be up again. But life goes on.

17th Jul 2003, 08:00 AM	#7
Rocket_Magnet All I need is a certain trigger Join Date: Sep. 29th, 2002 Location: Manchester,ENG Posts: 712	check your sound card... if your getting delayed sounds it could be the soundcard having a hard time getting the sounds out ? __________________

16th Jul 2003, 08:53 PM	#3
PsychoMoggieBagpuss Gone. Join Date: Mar. 6th, 2000 Location: London Posts: 4,685	I would exhaust EVERY single option before playing around with your voltage. You've spent a lot of money on this pc so you will be well pissed if something melts. Hit "CTRL-ALT-DEL" and take a screen shot of what processes you are running before you go into the game (sort by CPU and by mem usage) and post it here. BTW you are running an uptodate virus scanner?

17th Jul 2003, 08:41 AM	#8
Hunter BeyondUnreal Newsie Join Date: Aug. 20th, 2001 Location: ...Behind You... Posts: 6,905	what sound card? u got a network card in your system? __________________ UnrealFans \| Hunter's Home \| GameFansNetwork \| deviantART

17th Jul 2003, 08:52 AM	#9
Fluid Zen fascists will control you Join Date: Aug. 2nd, 2000 Location: Maastricht, the Netherlands Posts: 2,767	Check your temperature sensors. Random crashes could mean that the CPU is overheating, screwed up screen could mean the video card is overheating. __________________ GMD/S/SS d- s:-- a-- C++++ U! P! L+ E-- W++ N o? K? w++ OS/2! M! VMS? PS+ PE++ Y+ PGP! t- 5! X! R(+) tv-- b+ DI D G e h! r! !z* The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils; The motions of his spirit are as dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted.

17th Jul 2003, 10:01 AM	#10
Cap'n Beeb Banned Join Date: Nov. 27th, 1999 Location: A mountain compound Posts: 8,107	Rocket and Hunter: Now that you mention it, I have installed a network card fairly recently. As for my sound card, it's an Audigy Platinum eX. Fluid: Before I load a game, and after I finish up (or it crashes) I compare temperatures, just common practice. All temperature increases are well within normal amounts. __________________ Cap'n Beeb & Fizzil <3 for life. Anaemic is a super stud.

17th Jul 2003, 08:39 PM	#12
Syri Who are you calling short? Join Date: Aug. 18th, 2000 Location: Nottingham, England Posts: 4,577	oh, one other thing, could possibly be the hdd failing. a friend had that happen recently. games would drop to windows, or the system would freeze for ages like it was loading, then kick in suddenly. turned out one of the platters on his hdd had slipped, so wouldn't always line up to the heads properly __________________ You wanna be a big cop in a small town? **** off down the model village!

17th Jul 2003, 09:00 PM	#13
Cap'n Beeb Banned Join Date: Nov. 27th, 1999 Location: A mountain compound Posts: 8,107	Oh my processor is working fine, I've yet to have a problem with it. __________________ Cap'n Beeb & Fizzil <3 for life. Anaemic is a super stud.

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