Curse

Brianna · Jul 08, 2008, 12:30 PM // 12:30

Ok, so for the past weeks my computer has been crashing hard core, no BSOD, just full lock with infinite sound loop, and just today my monitor went black and kept switching from analog/digital trying to find a signal, but couldn't.

I plugged the DVI cable into the other port in hopes that it might help something, but meh.

This is some of the reports Vista has been able to come up with so far:

Does anyone know what to do with it or where I should go to get more information on it? I'm seriously stumped with this. I just updated my drivers from the December ones to the brand new ones that just came out, don't know exact versions but I'm sure you all know the ones I am talking about.

I have a 320mb 8800GTS, Vista 64 bit SP1. I think all of the other hardware is irrelevant since my computer has worked just fine since day one up until now, I am suspecting the card of simply dying as I get no BSOD's and very vague information on the errors, and the DVI output going dead really puts me up to more suspicion.

PS: It's 5 AM so forgive anything I may have forgot to add or do, really tired. I hate this video card too.

Kattar · Jul 08, 2008, 12:36 PM // 12:36

I can't say definitively it's the card. Rahja will have to give the code a good once over.

BUT, my uncle's PC used to do the same thing. It wouldn't crash all the time, but when it did, it did the same thing as yours, infinite sound loop, with no response at all. The only way to fix it was to hard reboot the machine.

A few months later (that shows you how much of a problem it was) he replaced the card, and it doesn't lock up like that anymore. I don't know if it was just an intermittant failure or what, but I haven't had any problems with it since he got a new card.

My .2 cents anyway.

Brianna · Jul 08, 2008, 12:44 PM // 12:44

Yeah, I have to hard reboot, system is unresponsive. I am seriously thinking it is the card, later today (when it freezes again, and it will) I am going to pull it out of the computer, dust it all out to be extra sure, and then reseat it in case it came loose.

I highly doubt that will help, but I have to do all of the standard procedures to make sure I don't miss anything ''stupid and simple''.

Suggestions are also welcome, if my card is dead a new one will be on its way faster than .. yeah, then I'll get this one replaced under warranty and give it to a family member.

Etta · Jul 08, 2008, 12:48 PM // 12:48

You can try putting it into someone else's pc and see if it does the same thing.

Brianna · Jul 08, 2008, 12:51 PM // 12:51

Yeah, I was thinking of that. It'd have to be my second computer though, and what a pain to mess with all those drivers and settings, ugh.

I guess I will also have to extend a hand to my other hard drive, which has dust, and ole' reliable - Windows XP.

I have utter confidence that if my system still crashes under XP then it is my video card no doubt, that - or my power supply being lame and not providing anymore, however my PSU is a 500W with X2 12v rails @ 18 amps per, so it should put out.

Kattar · Jul 08, 2008, 12:52 PM // 12:52

Aye, good advice Etta.

Cleaning it sounds like a good idea. There's no worse a feeling than finding out you didn't need to spend $200 on a new part when the old one just needed a little tweaking.

Quaker · Jul 08, 2008, 03:20 PM // 15:20

Do you have a multi-core processor (2 or more) and have you tried running GW in only one core? (ForceCore)

Does this happen only in Guild Wars, or is it any time?

Is the fan running on the video card.

Cyb3r · Jul 08, 2008, 06:10 PM // 18:10

well my good old 5950ultra had that error when it first came out and it basicly pointed out to one thing => dying card (pain if it's only a month old -_-)

But i'm really suspecting you're having the same problem brianna i sure hope it's not but i think i'll wait for Rahja's look on this (heck i can allways learn more ^^)

Brianna · Jul 08, 2008, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Yup I have a dual core, and yes this happens in any game, matter of fact I haven't even been playing Guild Wars much lately.

Temps are fine, 70C~ as always, fan is moving accordingly, 85% speed usually. I got this card only a few months ago, so it isn't very old in that regard.

EDIT: I am going to do some work now, going to take the card out and dust it and re-seat it, then boot up windows XP. I might have to run on XP for a while to see if it locks up though - I left this on over night and no freeze, so it seems that it is mostly games that cause everything to mess up.

UPDATE: Ok I dusted out the card, damn it had tons of dust globs caked onto the fan, glad those are out now. The input signal is indifferent though, my monitor keeps switching from analog/digital every time I shut the computer off, I wonder of my video card messed it up - or if it is just the card itself causing that. I will test it in my other computer here in a bit. I am on Windows XP and I have updated everything here, going to try to run some games later when I get some other issues sorted out.

UPDATE 2: I loaded up XP as you know, and I have left games on over night and played all day yesterday - no crashes, apparently my Vista just fails. I am still curious as to why my monitor did the signal searching, but alas I am not crashing on XP so it must have been Vista's problem.

Lord Sojar · Jul 09, 2008, 11:26 PM // 23:26

Update the video cards BIOS. Just change a single value on the BIOS and reflash it over. Vista has issues with nVidia GPUs (8800 series, and 7900 series)

Oh, and as for that error. That is a PCIe error. New motherboard BIOS = required. Do that first, as it is easiest. Them, the vBIOS needs to be updated. Poof, problems will go away.

Brianna · Jul 10, 2008, 01:54 AM // 01:54

Well considering that I have no problems with games or stability on XP, why would the BIOS's be an issue? I also don't know how to flash the BIOS, and I'm not really that comfortable doing it either. It's not exactly my expertise.

I also don't get why it has worked fine for so long, then up until now I just randomly get crashes and errors, sometimes I accidentally knee my computer on the side and it might have knocked something loose - I don't know, or dust could have been in a bad place. I should load up Vista again soon and check for stability, I still have to try all the small things before I do any big things.

fenix · Jul 10, 2008, 02:03 AM // 02:03

If it helps at all, when my 7600GS died, it was freezing like you described, would also just reset itself or sometimes go to BSOD, and at the end it was constantly swapping between Analog and Digital, and wouldn't get a signal. Swapped to my old card, and it worked fine.

Could be that something in the card has overheated/fried, or just a fault?

Brianna · Jul 10, 2008, 02:13 AM // 02:13

Yeah, the crash characteristics were leaning me towards that - though my only BSOD was upon booting, the OS didn't even make it to the loading screen, just BSOD and crash dump, after a reboot it loaded up happily again.

Though I have heard that Nvidia is responsible for a large percentage of Vista crashes and hangups, and since I have no problems on XP thus far, I am strongly leaning towards it just being Vista's issue - why, I don't know, it just randomly decided to go tits up. I am thinking I might have knocked something loose as well, I will find out soon when I load up Vista again.

Either way, if the card dies I can't really be bothered to care, I've wanted a new one. I just have this lurking feeling that if I put a new card in my problems would magically go away. XP is 2000 times faster than Vista on my machine though, and I don't actually have to wait 5-10 seconds just for a single damn folder to open, so I am enjoying this luxury atm.

iria · Jul 11, 2008, 02:30 AM // 02:30

If you return to XP (I love it personally), leave it at service pack 2. I just installed the 7600GS AGP 512MB 4 days ago and I had sp3 already installed. Then the latest MS update yesterday and the desktop was freezing in normal boot. I called PNY support and was told to remove sp3. I did, updated everything again (it gives you a list of what software to check after removal) and I am magically back to perfect. Well, close anyways.

Brianna · Jul 11, 2008, 05:06 AM // 05:06

I've left all of my XP machines on SP2, if it isn't broke - don't fix it. I might try SP3 on a fresh install, but that is it.

I will try to reformat Vista and install all updated drivers (Mobo/Graphics) etc, see how that works out. Indeed XP rocks though, sometimes I forget how fast it is, the computer isn't even sluggish after closing full screen games, and I can multi task insanely good. I was actually just going to consider erasing Vista fully and just using that drive as storage and backup, but I paid good money for Vista.. so I'm really not going to waste all of that, it would be a shame.

KZaske · Jul 11, 2008, 05:18 AM // 05:18

Vista, got to love it. Several friends of mine with newer video cards have had to update the MB BIOs to be able to get Vista stable.

Lord Sojar · Jul 11, 2008, 05:44 AM // 05:44

It IS a BIOS issue. Vista fiddles with the BIOS too much, even though it can't write to it actively. It still has some strange access methods that I have found to corrupt stuff.

Just update the BIOS on your motherboard and if needed, the graphics card.

I can always do a BIOS rewrite for your card. I will just need a copy of your original BIOS or the BIOS version and number.

Brianna · Jul 11, 2008, 06:46 AM // 06:46

Eh, well, that is retarded. I might just stay with XP then, oh well.

http://www.ecsusa.com/ECSWebSite/Pro...nuID=1&LanID=9

That is my motherboard, and the newest BIOS.

The first BIOS selection says:

Release Reason:
1.Update AGESA to Ver 3.1.9.0
2.Update NVMM to Ver 4.082.10
3.Update RAID ROM to Ver 10.0.0.32

Second says:

Release Reason:
-Support New CPU:
AMD 8750&8650&8450

I definitely do not need the second one, as my CPU is fine. I don't know if the other reasons pertain to this problem, but yeah.

Is there any explanation as to why in the hell it worked fine for months, then craps out?

Showtime · Jul 11, 2008, 07:29 AM // 07:29

Smart move... some people now report having zero issues with updated vista OS and newer drivers, but xp just doesn't have those issues to begin with. It uses less ram and performs better while using less resources. Vista is just a pretty interface while xp is still plenty viable for the vast majority of users.

I've had some bad luck with nvidia cards since the 6800GT and will probably grab a radeon 4850 next for around $150ish and get aftermarket cooling. That card should have less issues with vista, but who knows. Right now it's the best bang for the buck card out... especially with all the sales going.

KZaske · Jul 11, 2008, 03:38 PM // 15:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Showtime

Smart move... some people now report having zero issues with updated vista OS and newer drivers, but xp just doesn't have those issues to begin with. It uses less ram and performs better while using less resources. Vista is just a pretty interface while xp is still plenty viable for the vast majority of users.

A few more advantages of XP include; DRM is an addin. It is not built into the OS at the kernal level. Hardware can be accessed directly, without having to get permission from the DRM crippled kernel.
For me, DRM is the deal breaker. At this point in time, I see myself using XP Pro 64Bit for years to come.