View Full Version : Computer Problems
scott_pd
06-20-2005, 09:09 PM
I wasnt sure exactly where to post this because it could be hardware or software and i didnt see any "Computer Problems" forums.
So anyway, when playing any game on my computer, from little games on miniclips to big games like Battlefield 1942, after around 10 or 15 minutes of game play my computer either completely freezes up or restarts on its own. If the computer restarts then it will usually load to the point just after the "Windows XP Professional" and the blue bar, and the restart itself again....it does this 2-3 times before it starts normally.
I have swept my computer with AVG, Adaware, Spysweeper and Spybot several times, each time picking up nothing.
I have no idea what so ever what is going on here, so if anybody could offer any form of advice it would be great.
Well, it certainly doesn't belong in the drawing room.
spelunker121
06-20-2005, 09:19 PM
I dont have an answer at this point.......but make sure your video drivers are currrent.
(thats a VERY good place to start the diagnosis)
System specs would be useful.
I suspect either overheating or overloaded PSU.
Download Everest (http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en) and check your temps and voltages.
Virtualbody1234
06-20-2005, 09:28 PM
Well... Since you say the problem only happens 10 to 15 minutes of being under load, I would suspect that your computer is overheating. Check the temps while under load.
scott_pd
06-20-2005, 11:02 PM
Processor: AMD Athlon XP 1800+ 1.5Ghz
Memory: 256MB Ram
Graphics Card: Radeon 7000 Series, 64MB
These are the basic systems specs, if you need anything else i will try to find it. Now Lynx what exactly do i look for in this Everest? Currently this Everest says my CPU speed is 1533.23 - .24, im not actualy doing anything or running anything other than typeing this.
clocker
06-20-2005, 11:48 PM
Open Everest.
>Computer>Sensor.
Wait a few seconds and your systemps and voltages should appear.
Duffman
06-21-2005, 03:21 AM
Well maybe letting the compute BSOD instead of the standard restart would help too, also check your bios if you have failsafes for temps, they could be set to low...
scott_pd
06-21-2005, 04:13 PM
My motherboard is 41 degrees
My CPU is 75 degrees
My Maxtor 6E040L0 is 46 degrees
My CPU is 1.79V. Im not really sure if thats good or bad, but 75 degrees sounds bad....taking the side panels off and using fans may help right? What else could i do.
Not sure about your particular processor, but 1.79v sounds a bit much if it isn't oc'd. I'd think it's supposed to be around 1.6v.
And 75 degrees (assuming everest isn't too far off) is definitely very high, if that's in celcius.
EDit: your hd prolly won't like temps far above 40 either.
EDitII: In short, it may be both overvolted and overheated.
scott_pd
06-21-2005, 04:41 PM
Erm thats celcius yea....what could i do to get the temperature down.
EDIT: Had a quick play of a game and the temp rose from 75 degrees to 81.
Have a look in your bios and see what your vcore is set to.
Virtualbody1234
06-21-2005, 06:43 PM
Check the CPU cooler. Is the fan working properly?
Clean out any dust from the cooling fins.
Improve the case cooling by adding fans and opening up the intake and exhaust restrictions.
Look into a better CPU cooler if the temps stay high.
The operating voltage of your processor depends on which model it is.
If it is the Thoroughbred processor (model 8) the voltage could be as low as 1.5v, but is more usually 1.6v or even 1.65v.
On the other hand if it is the Palomino chip (model 6) the operating voltage should be 1.75v.
In any case, Everest should be able to tell you the correct values, look under motherboard/cpu/cpu physical info.
Duffman
06-22-2005, 03:47 AM
Thats celcius? how is that possible that chip should be burnt by now...
scott_pd
06-22-2005, 02:20 PM
Goign by what you people are saying here, this seems to be very unlikely, so i thought id take a picture just to show this isnt some crap a fool has made up.
http://img159.echo.cx/img159/2536/untitled6sp.th.jpg (http://img159.echo.cx/my.php?image=untitled6sp.jpg)
clocker
06-22-2005, 02:25 PM
Try installing Speedfan (http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php) instead.
Everest misreads my CPU temp (way high) also.
Virtualbody1234
06-22-2005, 02:26 PM
Goign by what you people are saying here, this seems to be very unlikely, so i thought id take a picture just to show this isnt some crap a fool has made up.
http://img159.echo.cx/img159/2536/untitled6sp.th.jpg (http://img159.echo.cx/my.php?image=untitled6sp.jpg)
Ok but what's the status now? Have you checked the CPU cooler yet?
scott_pd
06-22-2005, 02:50 PM
Do you mean the fan? I checked out the fan, its dusty, i wasnt sure how to remove it to clean it properly i gave it a little tug but it didnt want to come out and i didnt want to pull to hard incase it ripped out. I also cant really see any screws to unscrew it with, it seems to be very attached to this big metal square block.
The "big metal square block" is the heatsink, you need to clean that too. Make sure the fins on the heatsink aren't blocked with dust. You can actually tell it's got fins, right? :blink:
You will probably find that the fan is attached to the heatsink by a screw at each corner, if you really want to remove it, but I wouldn't bother personally.
A can of compressed air is useful for cleaning in this area, and a small artists brush for getting between the fins and cleaning the fan blades. Stop the fan from rotating with a pencil (or the artists brush) if you use compressed air, otherwise you could damage the bearings.
clocker
06-22-2005, 09:48 PM
Do you mean the fan? I checked out the fan, its dusty, i wasnt sure how to remove it to clean it properly i gave it a little tug but it didnt want to come out and i didnt want to pull to hard incase it ripped out. I also cant really see any screws to unscrew it with, it seems to be very attached to this big metal square block.
Houston, we have a problem.
Gripper
06-22-2005, 09:56 PM
I know this guy,have pm'ed him to phone me,scary what comes across,just glad no one suggested he wash the fan or some such :)
clocker
06-22-2005, 10:18 PM
just glad no one suggested he wash the fan or some such :)
I was just about to.
Then the "big, square metal block" thingie appeared and I ran away, screaming.
Might take weeks to recover.
Gripper
06-22-2005, 10:34 PM
just glad no one suggested he wash the fan or some such :)
I was just about to.
Then the "big, square metal block" thingie appeared and I ran away, screaming.
Might take weeks to recover.
we all have to start somewhere I supose :w00t:
clocker
06-22-2005, 10:43 PM
we all have to start somewhere I supose :w00t:
True...so very, very true.
I for instance, started as a zygote.
scott_pd
06-22-2005, 10:52 PM
we all have to start somewhere I supose :w00t:
True...so very, very true.
I for instance, started as a zygote.
It doesnt help im doing a computer practitioners course does it, no wonder im going to fail.
clocker
06-22-2005, 11:01 PM
Maybe the "big, square metal block" part comes later in the course.
Just hang in there.
Don't worry, these guys will help you :) (:wags finger gently: at the no0b teasing)
Don't ask me though, I know less about this sort of thing than you do! :lol: :lol:
clocker
06-22-2005, 11:04 PM
Don't ask me though, I know less about this sort of thing than you do! :lol: :lol:
Then how do you know we're teasing him?
scott_pd
06-23-2005, 06:07 PM
Well anyway with a fine brush and a computer hover i managed to remove alot of the dust and know its running at 56 degrees. Although there is still alot of dust i cant exactly reach, is there NO way at all to remove the fan from the heat-sink without damaging it? It appears the fan is only attached by 4 pieces of metal wire that looks like they could be taken off for cleaing and replaced again.
But its not something i want to attempt without knowing that there is nothing else under there attaching it.
Peerzy
06-23-2005, 06:28 PM
A small ammount of dust is fine. To be honest if those temps are real i would right now take your side panel off and keep it off untill you install a few decent fans. Both the CPU & HDD look to be overheating and the only thing that can lead to is broken parts, lose of files and Clocker getting excited, which i must confess is rather amusing.
Might want to replace the heatsink & fan with a more powerful and effective unit also, but don't do anything to it unless you know what your doing.
Get canned air, it will really remove those dust bunnies. See if you can clean the PSU fan(s) and any other case fans you may have, that should bring your general temps down too.
Still, you've brought your temps down by 24C, I'm guessing this will have solved most of your problems.
clocker
06-23-2005, 07:57 PM
...the only thing that can lead to is broken parts, lose of files and Clocker getting excited, which i must confess is rather amusing.
My work here is done then.
Virtualbody1234
06-23-2005, 08:04 PM
Did it solve the freezing and restarting problem?
Don't ask me though, I know less about this sort of thing than you do! :lol: :lol:
Then how do you know we're teasing him?
pwnd :blushing:
:lol: :lol: :lol:
scott_pd
06-23-2005, 10:45 PM
My problems have cleared up, i playd a game for a whole half an hour without it shutting down today....but I still want to go through with a can of air like you suggested and make sure its done properly.
Thanks you lot for helping me.
Virtualbody1234
06-23-2005, 10:54 PM
That's good news. 3 days to remove some dust.
clocker
06-23-2005, 11:08 PM
He must be Canadian.
Spicker
06-23-2005, 11:50 PM
He must be Canadian.
:lol:
omg this thread just made my da :lol:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
ROFLMAOLMFAO
scott_pd
06-23-2005, 11:58 PM
He must be Canadian.
English actualy, what do you have against Canadians? Dont tell me your American, cos if you are you cant hardly say anything about Canadians.
clocker
06-24-2005, 12:13 AM
what do you have against Canadians?
Why, I have nothing against our cute and cuddly Neighbors To The North.
We Americans love Canadians.
We breed them to produce hockey players for our teams in the Sun Belt.
Spicker
06-24-2005, 12:14 AM
He must be Canadian.
English actualy, what do you have against Canadians? Dont tell me your American, cos if you are you cant hardly say anything about Canadians.
it was a joke man...
and quite a clever and funny joke :lol:
i hate u clocker :pinch:
scott_pd
06-24-2005, 12:26 AM
English actualy, what do you have against Canadians? Dont tell me your American, cos if you are you cant hardly say anything about Canadians.
it was a joke man...
and quite a clever and funny joke :lol:
i hate u clocker :pinch:
I know that, i wasnt snapping at him or anything.
kazaa2002
06-25-2005, 03:36 AM
My problems have cleared up, i playd a game for a whole half an hour without it shutting down today....but I still want to go through with a can of air like you suggested and make sure its done properly.
Thanks you lot for helping me.
back to thread...
get a fan...no get a big fan, like fox did.
dust report...you need to check your pc often if you have
a dusty place Sudhian Media (http://www.sudhian.com/showdocs.cfm?aid=648)
3 days is too long(lots of dust), too slow
things will cook.
clocker needs to be re-assured
spocket is hiding in the closet waiting for a hepa filter
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