Curse

Hexum · Aug 10, 2006, 08:45 PM // 20:45

I searched the threads to find the answer, but didn't. GW and the PC freeze up and it has that stuttering sound, I have to reset the PC from the case. This happens here and there, and sometimes it does it all the time. I can't even stand in a city, do a quest or anything. This has been happening off and on since GW through Factions.

Yesterday I updated my vid card drivers, sound card drivers and reinstalled gw. It did it before this, and is still doing it. My CPU runs right around 50-55C.

Specs:

Athlon 2200+ (1.8ghz)
1024 PC2700 ram
Gigabyte 7VT600P-RZ mobo
ATI 9600XT
SB Audigy 2 Soundcard

Any help would be appreciated.

gabrial heart · Aug 10, 2006, 08:50 PM // 20:50

Does gw or the system software give you and error? You can check the system error log to see if it details anything specific about the crash, such as memory issues, driver issues, etc.

Iceman2 · Aug 10, 2006, 08:53 PM // 20:53

I had that same problem, so i went and cleaned off all the dust off the fan. See if thats the problem

Hexum · Aug 10, 2006, 08:59 PM // 20:59

I don't receive an error message. It just freezes everything. Where do I look for a log?

I always keep my case clean.

gabrial heart · Aug 10, 2006, 09:11 PM // 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hexum

I don't receive an error message. It just freezes everything. Where do I look for a log?

I always keep my case clean.

Control Panels > Admin Tools > Event Viewer then click the applications tab. It will show a red circled x with error next to it. and it will say something like gw.exe. You can also check under the system item and see if it's system software/driver related. Check the times when it happens to trace the right error or set of errors. If nothing else you may be able to narrow it down to a device, like memory, hard drive video card, etc.... You can copy and paste the arror here if you'd like we might be able to help you further.

Hexum · Aug 10, 2006, 09:31 PM // 21:31

Ok, just crashed and checked the logs. There isn't anything on there that crashed/failed.

gabrial heart · Aug 10, 2006, 09:43 PM // 21:43

A couple things you can try then. More often then not, if it doesn't show up in an event log then it's a hardware level issue.

Re-seat the cards and memory chips. Take them out and put them back in, basically. Don't bother with the processor.

If not, take out a mem chip (if you have 2 512 sticks) and alternate between each or run a mem/systems test.

Use a benchmark program since it's pretty hardware intensive. Watch the test, if the machine locks, you'll be able to see exactly what test it was performing when it failed. heres one i've used before http://www.freshdevices.com/freshdiag.html

One other issue could be power, either the supply is going bad or is just not enough for the system. Lastly, if your overclocking anything, revert to factory defaults.

Hexum · Aug 10, 2006, 10:10 PM // 22:10

I have re-seated everything already, as well as swapped and moved the ram. Even running just one stick here and there. It has done this in every scenario.
How do I run a mem systems test?

I downloaded that program, but an unsure on what to run. Do I run those benchmarks? (processor, multimedia,memory, display etc.) Also, when you select those benchmarks, it says for registered users only. And I have a free email account and it won't let me register with that. :/

PS is fairly new, and again it has done this with the last PS as well.

gabrial heart · Aug 10, 2006, 10:27 PM // 22:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hexum

I have re-seated everything already, as well as swapped and moved the ram. Even running just one stick here and there. It has done this in every scenario.
How do I run a mem systems test?

I downloaded that program, but an unsure on what to run. Do I run those benchmarks? (processor, multimedia,memory, display etc.) Also, when you select those benchmarks, it says for registered users only. And I have a free email account and it won't let me register with that. :/

PS is fairly new, and again it has done this with the last PS as well.

Wow, ok heres another one.... Although i registered it with a hotmail account, so I'm not sure why it won't let you, unless they changed something. http://www.canadiancontent.net/tech/..._FlexInfo.html

And yes, just run the tests and watch the progress till your machine freezes or returns an error. You might be able to pin it down easier that way. Other wise you may just have to be swaping cards or worse mobos. If it's fairly new, then most should be under warrenty <crossesfingers>

Hexum · Aug 10, 2006, 10:52 PM // 22:52

I ran these tests and it did not freeze up. My PC came out a little above average. And again this has happened on different vid cards as well as mobos.

Not sure what else it can be. I might try throwing another cpu fan on it.

Tedy · Aug 11, 2006, 09:13 AM // 09:13

I have same problems. Often my GW just crashes to desktop or whole PC freeze with looping sound

PC is not overheating (~35°C)

Athlon64 3000+
K8-NF9 mobo
1GB Corsair XMS
160GB hdd
Creative X-Fi
ATI Radeon x800

gabrial heart · Aug 11, 2006, 02:47 PM // 14:47

Tedy Tell us your ati driver version and the x-fi driver version please.

Hexum, if you're having tha same issue on different mobos with different vid cards, then whats common that you're not changing? The hard drive? the sound card? the power supply?

There's quite a few threads about sound issues since the GW sound system got changed, many offer that you lower the sound quality or uncheck the EAX box. You might want to try those things as well, as it could be a sound issue causing your sound card to freeze.

Tedy · Aug 11, 2006, 04:34 PM // 16:34

For X-Fi Im using latest driver ver. 2.09.0001.

For Radeon I use Omega drivers ver. 3.8.252 (Catalyst 6.5)

Im also having trouble with slow decompressing times.
(Since I installed Win xp with SP2)

gabrial heart · Aug 11, 2006, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tedy

For X-Fi Im using latest driver ver. 2.09.0001.

For Radeon I use Omega drivers ver. 3.8.252 (Catalyst 6.5)

Im also having trouble with slow decompressing times.
(Since I installed Win xp with SP2)

You can eliminate a lot of decompression times by adding -image to your gw alias in the properties window, opening gw let it decompress, close it and take off the -image. Later file downloads will continue to be compressed, so if your having slow loads you can do the same thing again.

I'd roll back the catalyst to the 5.1 area (if it supports that card), I was having alot of blinking and thrashing problems with version 6 of the catalyst. I know they are up to 6.7 (released the end of last month) now, but I haven't yet tried them out. I'm using an x1800 crossifre setup. Goto the ati site and follow the instructions about removing or rolling back your drivers and catalyst software (this is vital). You can also do a roll-back under the device manager, right click or double click for properties and click roll back drivers. This only works though if you have had previous versions installed at some point prior.

I did a quick search on your sound drivers and known issue with those x-fi drivers and didn't find much. I'd try running sound in lower quality mode (in GW with the sliders and turning off eax) first or turning off hardware acceleration in sound control panel, before messing with drivers. So many people are having issues with sound in gw right now, to tie it down to a specfic driver version would be counter productive.

causation · Aug 11, 2006, 05:20 PM // 17:20

I believe that if there is a problem with creative/audigy when they crash, they generate a report, with tech details, of what failed, etc etc, Hexum, you could look in the creative file, and see if such a report has been made., if so, you should post it to creative tech support for advice. If you go to the Creative site, and into the forums, i typed audigy2 guild wars freezes, and guild wars errors, and got quite a lot of response.-Just a thought

Hexum · Aug 11, 2006, 05:27 PM // 17:27

Hmm, not quite sure what is still the same. Maybe one stick of ram is the same. I don't use eax, nothing is checked for sound at all. It did this to me last night when I was playing in a match for COD2, so I think my issue is not just GW. I am going to get a new fan for the cpu and see if that helps. Let you know what happens.

Do you know where to find this creative log?

I also have onboard sound on my mobo. I am gonna pull the SB out and run onboard and see what happens.

causation · Aug 11, 2006, 06:13 PM // 18:13

For my pc, the report is usually, opening page to My Documents, or it will be within the Creative folder, goto, my computer, local disk, program files, look for Creative folder, open.

chrisbeebops · Aug 12, 2006, 01:32 AM // 01:32

Try disabling Hardware 3D Sound and EAX (if enabled). I have the same sound card and it was giving me problems until I disabled those settings.

causation · Aug 12, 2006, 03:27 AM // 03:27

Just one more suggestion, check for an IRQ conflict. If all else fails to help, then run the dxdiag tool, and send that to Creative Support, as they may be able to help.

Wrath Of Dragons · Aug 12, 2006, 04:02 AM // 04:02

ok, it sounds like its too hot, but im not a huge hardware tech guy

when you say its only 50degC, you are talking about the interior of the case? or the processor temp? or the v-card temp?