Curse

JrCheeseburger · Dec 30, 2007, 05:53 AM // 05:53

I recently installed a new mother board, new video card, new hard drive, and a new processor. Basically built a new computer using the same ram and case as my old one.

Specifics:

Motherboard - ASUS A8N-SLI SE
Processor - AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.0GHz
RAM - 768MB

Internet: Connected to a cable modem using Ralink Wireless LAN Card 100% signal apparently

I had to get a heat sink for the processor since for no apparent reason it didn't come with one itself (thank you Tigerdirect). I went to a local CPU store and they told me the one I was buying would be cutting it close to keeping the processor cool but that it should work. My computer hasn't melted down for a month and a half so I assume it's okay.

Everything was okay for a while (a few weeks maybe idk) then while I was GvGing the game froze (though i was hearing everything fine), went black, and came back looking like this:
gw120.jpg

I minimized it and brought it back up and it was back to normal.

Later on I was jsut standing in my guild hall when the same thing happened:
gw121.jpg

Did the same thing to fix it.

Then the last time I tried after all of that:
gw132.jpg

and GW crashed

I had the similar freezing up issues when I played the Sims2 but no graphic screw ups, just lots of stalls as if the computer were trying to load something really big, but it never stopped and every time I would have to shut off my computer (ctrl+alt+delete is BS).

Since i was running on updated drivers I thought that maybe it would work better with the old ones. Which it did for a bit (maybe a few days) then it started doing it again. I tried updating my processor drivers, no effect. I then tried uninstalling the old drivers of the video card then reinstalling the most recent drivers on the NVIDIA website. That was the most effective thing yet. However, IT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE EFFECT ANYMORE

. I had the same graphic glitch today and I have also been having terrible lag on completely low graphic settings on the game.

Any suggestions?

N E D M · Dec 30, 2007, 06:22 AM // 06:22

whats your video card

JrCheeseburger · Dec 30, 2007, 06:24 AM // 06:24

oh man, all that info and I forgot the video card, my bad

PNY GeForce 8600 GT

Learn to Read my mind next time ><

N E D M · Dec 30, 2007, 06:30 AM // 06:30

If your PSU is up to specs, it sounds like you may have heat issues or a video card dying

JrCheeseburger · Dec 30, 2007, 06:34 AM // 06:34

I have been monitoring the temperature on the CPU and the temp maxes out at about 52C while I'm running guildwars, with all my regular programs running in the background.

This is a brand new video card >< please don't tell me it's dying before I hardly get to use it.

Any thoughts about PNY? I hear they aren't so good with making products.

iridescentfyre · Dec 30, 2007, 09:17 AM // 09:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by JrCheeseburger

I have been monitoring the temperature on the CPU and the temp maxes out at about 52C while I'm running guildwars, with all my regular programs running in the background.

CPU overheating usually won't cause video corruption.. GPU overheating will. Make sure the fan on your video card is working (sorry, dumb suggestion but its important), and if it is use nTune or something to check how hot its running.

my2cent · Dec 30, 2007, 09:34 AM // 09:34

looks like sumthing wrong with ur graphic-card most likely over heating

Quaker · Dec 30, 2007, 04:58 PM // 16:58

Take out your video card, and reinstall it - make sure it's fully seated in the socket.
If that doesn't help, you may simply have a bad video card, (or a bad slot) or it could be overheating. The overheating could be a function of improper air-flow in the computer, which could be hard to pin down

JrCheeseburger · Dec 31, 2007, 08:30 AM // 08:30

my GPU temperature stays around 125F idle and when I play GW in some of the more complex areas it gets up to about 157F

I decided to open it up and poke around to see if there was anything noticeably wrong, which there wasn't so I closed it and booted it up. After positioning the computer back into its place it suddenly turned off. I sat for a moment and then reached to pull it out again and it booted itself up. It did this a couple of times and I started thinking my computer was either possessed or my CPU was overheating and deciding to shut itself off.

I took a look inside after it had shut itself off again and felt the CPU, felt fine, felt cool even, certainly not hot. All fans were working....

No idea. A friend of mine suggested taking out a stick of RAM because he had had similar problems. I did, problem fixed. Turns out my RAM was Kingston AND it was 333MHz when I need 400MHz. Anyway, computer has been running fine ever since though I am afraid to move it. Ordered 2GB today.

Just in case it decides to turn itself off again, any suggestions as to what it might be if it wasn't the RAM and it wasn't something overheating?

combatchuck · Dec 31, 2007, 01:56 PM // 13:56

Download nTune from nVidia.com to monitor your GPU temperatures. Those graphical errors look like overheating to me too. Your GPU shouldn't exceed 80 degrees Celsius.

Ram Schtein · Dec 31, 2007, 02:06 PM // 14:06

I know firsthand how frustrating that is. I was having the exact same problems and I came on here looking for answers. There is a HUGE wealth of knowledge on this site and none of it comes from me.

However I did get my problem fixed. I (like you) was running 768 mb ram. Now I know that should be more than enough to run GW but I was tired of keeping track of what was using ram and what wasn't as mine is not strictly a gaming machine. I recently upgraded to 2 gigs of ram and it has made a world of difference.

I have had no graphical errors (knock on wood) and have also been able to turn all of the settings to the highest level. As I also upgraded my monitor.....I'm really discovering what a visually beautiful game this really is.

I also have an inferior vid card compared to you (Radeon 9550).

Cyan Rhae · Dec 31, 2007, 04:53 PM // 16:53

Your pictures look like artifacts too me, either your card is working way to hard or it is overheating.
So if problems return you know where to look.

JrCheeseburger · Dec 31, 2007, 06:02 PM // 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by combatchuck

Download nTune from nVidia.com to monitor your GPU temperatures. Those graphical errors look like overheating to me too. Your GPU shouldn't exceed 80 degrees Celsius.

nTune was how I figured out what the GPU temperatures were and it never exceeded 70c so I don't think it's over heating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram schtein

I also have an inferior vid card compared to you (Radeon 9550).

Oh my, get rid of the Radeon ><. I used to have a Radeon 9000 or somehting of the sort...but that was also when I had my motherboard that no one makes anymore. Radeon is just bad as far as I'm concerned.

Well thank you everyone who tried to help. If I'm still having issues after I get the RAM then you'll probably see me on here again ^^.

Aerian_Skybane · Dec 31, 2007, 06:21 PM // 18:21

That would be bad physical memory of the non-GPU kind.

Had it happen when I upgraded my old laptop to 1 gig on one stick. Was a bad stick, got it replaced. Never acted as bad as yourse, but a bad stick of memory is very hard to detect sometimes. After I replaced it Guild Wars acted 100% fine. Also, make sure you match your sticks! Latency can cause massive graphical problems that are usually attributed to a busted GPU.