Black screen during 3D intensive applications

[czarh]

Plays 3D game for a little while
Screen Freezes
Goes Black
Sound played at that time repeats itself or continues
Reboot is required.

Basically i get a black screen after a random amount of time during games. This is really annoying me because ive tried so many things. The problem seemed to have started when i installed AOE3, I played it for a short while before it screwed up. Now the problem has spread to other games.

Ive reinstalled/updated my GPU drivers several times (the microsoft site told me to), replaced my PSU, installed a different anti-virus program (read in another thread that AVG might be the problem) and I've searched for hours online to try find a solution but to no avail

Also my computer will restart randomly during normal operation sometimes

Help? Anyone?

 

[Tmagic650]

Your motherboards bios may need to be updated. check for this

 

[czarh]

hmm...tried to update my BIOS, but the instructions from the motherboard website are a bit dodgey and its a really big risk.

 

[raybay]

My first suspect would be the video card, or the power supply relationship to the video card... If the video graphics card is not able to handle the heat, or the speed demands, or if the memory is too slow... Or if the powers supply is not able to supply a constant, high-quality voltage, the problem you describe can occur.
Tell us more about your power supply and video graphics card... and how much memory is installed.

 

[czarh]

Powersupply is:
Delux DLP-31A
Output (Watt) 450 Watt
Over Voltage Protection +3.3V@28A, +5V@28A, +12V1@12A,+12V2@15A,-12@0.5A, +5VSB@2.5A

Graphics Card:
Sapphire Radeon 2600PRO
(600mhz core, 1000mhz RAM)
Omega Drivers v4.8.442

That's a new cheap PSU from the local computer store and i suspect there aren't enough amps on the rails, i've tried several different versions of drivers. Sapphire, all new ATi drivers and the omega drivers. I've tried underclocked which works for some people but to no avail.

(sorry for the extremely late reply)

 

[kimsland]

Basically i get a black screen after a random amount of time during games

Drivers are ok

Must be either heat related (try blowing out all internal dust)
Or the monitor itself is faulty (you'll need to test with another - if you have another!)

 

[czarh]

I've tried blowing out the dust in the heatsink of the GPU before and it didn't work

I shall try using only my second monitor now. (I run a two screen set-up but this problem has been occuring even before i had two screens)

 

[kimsland]

after a random amount of time

Hear from you then.