Computer problems

[Structural Integrity]

My brother recently got a new PC, but we've got loads of problems with it (again, just like the previous PC we bought).
First day we got it, it seemed to crash/reboot whenever it saw fit. My guess was the memory and my own test with the "x86 bootable memtest" kind of confirmed this with a load of errors. So we made a note and brought it back to the store we bought it. A week later we got it back. It crashed less, but occasionally still went down, so I Put back Windows XP's original files and I can't remember it rebooting at random times since then.
But now it seems to crash every game after a random period of time. Dungeon Keeper 2, Battlefield, C&C Generals and Zero Hour, battlezone 2... all crash. I've experienced artifacts in some games aswell, varying from colourful textures, weird flickering polygons up to entire disappearing landscapes (last one could be a bug in that particular game BTW (Desert Combat, BF1942 mod)). 3Dmark seems to have problems too sometimes. I just did full successfull benchmark, but the time before that it exitted 3Dmark after game test 1. The problem is quite unpredictable.

Anyway, it's prolly going back to the store again tomorrow (or this week) but I don't know what to tell them... "it exits with an error after a while when playing games"... right... they see me coming. "cmon, let's play all the games till it goes down".
My guess now is that the videocard is overheating since it only happens in games. It's a GF 5200, which is if I'm correct a card from the FX family. What surprised me is the noise that the cards fan makes... or better said, doesn't make. It's rather silent from what I've read of the FX. But I'm no expert on this so I could be all wrong.

Well, does someone know what could be wrong? What I should tell the people at the store? Or perhaps what I still could try to fix or diagnose the problem?

Thanks.

[JetLinus]

That's a tricky one...

IF it's some kind of heat-problem the error should occur more frequently, the longer you keep it running. I.e. the first period without crashes after a long break should be the longest, and then the machine should die faster.
Well... Maybe run 3DMark very often, and in the end it should crash after quite a short time.

[Had this problem back in 486-times with a DX 66mhz machine running OS/2, you could defenitely notice this effect].

Maybe also keep you computer running without any processes / cpu jobs. No standbay, just running for a couple of hours. Shouldn't crash, right? (totally NOT sure about this).

BUT, if you open up your pc and put a ventilator / fan right in front of your gfx card and direct the air stream straight to it... Am I right that it shouldn't crash then, even when running 3D Mark?


But the machine DOES have enough power?

[MT]

stress each component individually.
Find a CPU benchmark that uses virtually no memory, and run that for 24 hours. If it crashes, take it back.
Find a mem benchmark that constantly swaps in and out memory and validates it. If it crashes/fails, take it back.
Finally, stress the graphics card. Its hard to do that without stressing the memory and CPU, which is why you must do it last. UT2k3 in demo mode with a permanent loop should do the trick.

Personally I think you have 2 sticks of RAM - the first is good, the second is slightly dodgy, and when you play games, you start using that stick more fully, causing the intermittent errors.

[Luckeh!!!!]

Originally Posted by Structural Integrity

My brother recently got a new PC, but we've got loads of problems with it (again, just like the previous PC we bought).
First day we got it, it seemed to crash/reboot whenever it saw fit. My guess was the memory and my own test with the "x86 bootable memtest" kind of confirmed this with a load of errors. So we made a note and brought it back to the store we bought it. A week later we got it back. It crashed less, but occasionally still went down, so I Put back Windows XP's original files and I can't remember it rebooting at random times since then.
But now it seems to crash every game after a random period of time. Dungeon Keeper 2, Battlefield, C&C Generals and Zero Hour, battlezone 2... all crash. I've experienced artifacts in some games aswell, varying from colourful textures, weird flickering polygons up to entire disappearing landscapes (last one could be a bug in that particular game BTW (Desert Combat, BF1942 mod)). 3Dmark seems to have problems too sometimes. I just did full successfull benchmark, but the time before that it exitted 3Dmark after game test 1. The problem is quite unpredictable.

Anyway, it's prolly going back to the store again tomorrow (or this week) but I don't know what to tell them... "it exits with an error after a while when playing games"... right... they see me coming. "cmon, let's play all the games till it goes down".
My guess now is that the videocard is overheating since it only happens in games. It's a GF 5200, which is if I'm correct a card from the FX family. What surprised me is the noise that the cards fan makes... or better said, doesn't make. It's rather silent from what I've read of the FX. But I'm no expert on this so I could be all wrong.

Well, does someone know what could be wrong? What I should tell the people at the store? Or perhaps what I still could try to fix or diagnose the problem?

Thanks.

its either lack of power or its GFX card related.

Try using different GFX drivers, what DX version do you have installed? Try DX9b if you don't have it.

not all FX cards are noisy, only the FX5800Ultra the rest are actually much more silent, and some FX5200/5600 run passively

[Leshy]

Originally Posted by MT

Personally I think you have 2 sticks of RAM - the first is good, the second is slightly dodgy, and when you play games, you start using that stick more fully, causing the intermittent errors.

Considering he mentioned artifacts in addition to crashes, I am fairly certain the problem is GFX-card related.

[Shr00m]

I have similar problems with my comp when I overclocked. Games would run for a while, then crash suddenly. Check if your PS is up to the job or update drivers. Maybe throw an extra fan in your case to move some more air around. It couldn't hurt

[NEWSBOT3]

possibly a power issue.

http://www.aquamark3.com/

[NEWSBOT3]

and benchmarking helps how ????

Originally Posted by NEWSBOT3

and benchmarking helps how ????

Originally Posted by MT

stress each component individually.
Find a CPU benchmark that uses virtually no memory, and run that for 24 hours. If it crashes, take it back.
Find a mem benchmark that constantly swaps in and out memory and validates it. If it crashes/fails, take it back.
Finally, stress the graphics card. Its hard to do that without stressing the memory and CPU, which is why you must do it last. UT2k3 in demo mode with a permanent loop should do the trick.

[Structural Integrity]

ok, thanks for your suggestions, I did a lot of things you suggested, but the problem still occurs.

- Microsofts bootable memtest - no problems found

- memtest-86 v3.0 bootable memtest - sporadic faults, low addresses (used to be high addresses and more faults before it was taken back the first time)

- Games that shut down after a while:
* C&C Generals
* C&C Generals Zero Hour
* Need for Speed underground
* Battlefield 1942
* Battlezone 2

- Benchmarks:
* 3Dmark - exits sometimes
* aquamark - exits sometimes

- Replaced old WIndows files

- Reinstalled DirectX 9b

- Reinstalled 53.xx detonator drivers


I'm kind of growing tired of this. It'll be going back soon with a list of all problems that are occuring and what I've tried to fix it. Let them figure it out. I won't mind if they rebuild the whole machine.

[Leshy]

Don't you have a spare video card lying about to test with? Not sure if opening the case will void your warranty, I think it did on mine

[Deathjam|wee]

1. take it back to the shop, complain and tell them to fix it
2. get it home after the shop has proded it
3. turn it on, if it works procced to step 6, if no worky after this onward to the next step.
4. if it doesn't work repeat steps 1,2, and 3 two more times, if no worky after this onward to the next step.
5. phone and complain to trading standards
6. be happy

[Structural Integrity]

Nah, I'm not going to fiddle around in the case. The place we bought it usually doesn't make a problem out of it, but I better not take any risks.
I'm now reinstalling Windows. See if that helps. I'm copying it over the current version tho, I can't be arsed reinstalling all games and apps.

And if THAT doesn't help, I'm really going to bring it back.

[Deathjam|wee]

fine don't listen to me, it maybe writen in a drug crazed madness*, but some of the best ideas come from drug crazed madnesses















*drug crazed madness as in i have flu, not as in trainspotting junkieness