Curse

krypt1200 · Apr 25, 2008, 11:54 PM // 23:54

My computer keeps crashing while I play GW! Help!

It also does this occasionally in COD4 proving it isnt just GW.

Although it seems like a random crash not triggered by anything, there are a couple places in GW it always crashes at. (Spider cave in FOW, and entering the main final room of Duncan)

What can this be? I updated my gfx drivers.

I run an ATI All-In-Wonder x800 Series.

Admael · Apr 26, 2008, 12:08 AM // 00:08

Not all crashes are the same, could you describe the crash in more detail?

krypt1200 · Apr 26, 2008, 01:31 AM // 01:31

Hmm, lets see.

While im playing, its mostly random, but with some specifics metioned above.

The game crashes, and the computer does as well, it lets out some kind of noise, like it gets surged, im not sure if its exactly a surge noise or not, but thats how I can describe it.

Then, all programs shut off, and it goes to a black screen. The monitor goes idle(originally green power button, turns orange as if the computer was off) but the computer still runs. No programs/windows runs. It's like it runs, but everything crashed. It remains on after the crash, I have to hold the powerbutton and do a hard reboot.

Tachyon · Apr 26, 2008, 02:10 AM // 02:10

What are your temperatures when the crashes occur? Make sure your GPU and CPU fans, actually your PC in general, isn't clogged up with dust.

krypt1200 · Apr 26, 2008, 03:04 AM // 03:04

A while back, I had the similar problem of it crashing, the same way it is doing now. I sprayed it clean, totally spotless, and resumed play, and it quit crashing for awhile. I thought I had the problem solved. Recently, I sprayed it out again, and I regularly make sure its clean, and it still crashes.

I'm not sure what my temperature is when it crashes though, how would I check?

krypt1200 · Apr 26, 2008, 09:44 PM // 21:44

I may throw my computer in my swimming pool latr tonight if we cant fix this

Brianna · Apr 26, 2008, 10:00 PM // 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by krypt1200

I may throw my computer in my swimming pool latr tonight if we cant fix this

Video tape it for us if you do, lol.

http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php is a good way to check your GPU temperatures, just download it and run it, then post a screenshot of what you have.

Quaker · Apr 26, 2008, 10:15 PM // 22:15

These sorts of crashes can be caused by may things. The most common are overheating issues. However, the overheating may not be the cpu or gpu, it could also be the power supply. If the power supply is too small, or running near it's max, it can overheat or otherwise trip it's internal protection circuits (sometimes for just one supply rail). The simplest way to check is to replace the PS with a larger one, but that could needlessly cost you money.

krypt1200 · Apr 27, 2008, 03:43 AM // 03:43

Heres my readout after playing in GW for a bit (before the dang thing crashes) then logging out.

Im gonna try to take a look at the readout as I play COD4.

It baffles me because playing GW it will repeatedly crash, without a doubt, but while playing COD4 crashes rarely happen, and i can play for long periods of time, and the graphics on the game are much more detailed. Common sense would lead me to believe that that program would create a larger workload on my computer, and heat it up more.

Brianna · Apr 27, 2008, 03:47 AM // 03:47

Hmm.. well your video card isn't being detected by HWmonitor, this may just be that it doesn't support that, or your card doesn't have temperature sensors.

Try GPU-Z. http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/ it should tell you the temperature (if it works right) on the second tab.

But for the record those temperatures are fine.

Mr Pink57 · Apr 27, 2008, 05:34 AM // 05:34

If you hear a sound and it kills out I'd look more at your PSU over anything. Did you install the Power Supply or was it a package deal? I had something like this happen on my old one when it couldnt support the components. The PSU did not go bad but it just didnt draw enough power. They just kill themselves when they cannot take anymore.

If you have a friend with a spare PSU try to swap em out. Dont go to geek squad or some crap like that they'll charge you an arm and a leg to tell you you need Norton.

pink

Snograt · Apr 27, 2008, 03:14 PM // 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by krypt1200

The monitor goes idle(originally green power button, turns orange as if the computer was off) but the computer still runs.

If the system is still running but the display has shut down, wouldn't that make the GPU the prime suspect?

OasaTor · Apr 27, 2008, 04:06 PM // 16:06

I have had a problem like this before, had a problem with a few drivers. I originally suspected it to be a video driver because it would crash while playing games.

BUT while playing games, I had music running in the background so I thought.. SOUND DRIVER.

It appears when dell gives out the "latest" drivers on there webpage, they are the latest at the time the page was updated. I went to creative and got the newest driver and bam, no crash from then on.

Might wanna check your memory too, run memtest86 overnight or something, lots of times it comes down to having faulty sectors on your ram.

Good luck on your problem!

Quaker · Apr 27, 2008, 04:33 PM // 16:33

Geez, just look at those voltages. Especially the +5, +5 VCCH, -5 and -12. They're all over the map. I'd say try changing the power supply.

Brianna · Apr 27, 2008, 04:57 PM // 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

Geez, just look at those voltages. Especially the +5, +5 VCCH, -5 and -12. They're all over the map. I'd say try changing the power supply.

Quote:

Originally Posted by krypt1200

The game crashes, and the computer does as well, it lets out some kind of noise, like it gets surged, im not sure if its exactly a surge noise or not, but thats how I can describe it.

Maybe we have a winner? I'm not good with voltages, so I can't confirm.

Snograt · Apr 27, 2008, 05:00 PM // 17:00

The fan running at 19rpm is amusing too. I assume that that is set to only switch on at a specified temperature, though.

Was too busy looking at temps, didn't even notice those fluctuating voltages - reading comprehension = phail ><

Brianna · Apr 27, 2008, 05:04 PM // 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snograt

The fan running at 19rpm is amusing too. I assume that that is set to only switch on at a specified temperature, though.

Was too busy looking at temps, didn't even notice those fluctuating voltages - reading comprehension = phail ><

Nah that's a bug, sometimes mine have ran at like 1,023,2313,454,238,986 RPM and stuff according to it.

krypt1200 · Apr 27, 2008, 09:32 PM // 21:32

I ran the GPU-Z program last night for a little bit, I found that it freezes my computer entirely, and has to do a hard restart, while I have a video game open. The highest temp before it froze, that I could record was approx 57C, that was while in Guild Wars.

Fan speed approx 67%

Ill try testing with this program once more later today, thanks for the suggestions, Ill look into them

Tested it once more, this time with Call of Duty 4. (GPU-Z) It froze the computer as always, but I recorded a 59C temperature before it did.

I also switched out the PSU to a complete and new one. The initial PSU had a wattage of 500, and the new PSU has a wattage of 400, but crashes still occur.

I'm starting to suspect either the GFX card or RAM, and I have many sticks of ram that I swap out to test, and It always had the same problem as before.

Brianna · Apr 27, 2008, 11:22 PM // 23:22

Well, I know that new series cards run really hot, like the 8-9 series is anywhere from 50-70C. Maybe this is just too hot for your card? I don't know.

It could be RAM too, my friends computer would BSOD every 10 minutes and nothing was working right, so she got a new RAM stick and sure enough that fixed all the problems, bad RAM really messes things up.

Grab another GFX card and put it in for a bit?

krypt1200 · Apr 28, 2008, 12:34 AM // 00:34

I don't have an extra graphics card to put in, but I just switched the ram. I also took the GFX card out, cleaned it, and its contacts to make sure it was okay.