Computer freezes when playing a game

[LocoColombian]

Hello, I've been having a freezing problem with my computer for the last couple of months now, and can not figure out what the problem is. When I start up a game like World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Battle Field: Badcompany2, etc. Is usually when the freezing occurs. It's happens right when any actual 3D environment is shown. What I find extremely weird is that sound will keep playing on, like if I have music in the back ground and even when I am on Skype with a friend, I can talk to him while everything is unresponsive.The Keyboard and mouse become completely unresponsive and frozen. Also I have noticed that I've never had a problem while running any Valve games like Team Fortress 2, Left 4 dead 1&2, Counter-Strike:Source and Portal. I have already updated the drivers on my video card,and have cleaned the computer several times thoroughly. This is all happening on my own build, here are the specs. If anyone can please help me out It would be very much appreciated.

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 925 Processor 2.80Ghz

Motherboard: ASUS M4N82 Deluxe AM3/AM2+/AM2 NVIDIA nForce 980a SLI AMD Motherboard

Memory: G.SKILL PI Black 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory

Videocard: Evga 9800GT 1MB Ram

Soundcard/Speakers: PLANTRONICS GameCom 777 3.5mm/ USB Connector Circumaural Surround Sound Gaming Headset

Case: Antec Nine Hundred Two Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

OS: Windows 7 32bit

 

[tjohnusa]

Sounds like a video card problem. Since it was running fine bfore my guess is either you have some dust accumulated in your card or the fan (if it has one) is not working so the processor is over heating and locking up. Take off your cover and look for dust...blow it out as best you can with canned air or a compressor then if you have a fan turn your machine on with the cover still off and watch the fan to see if it starts. If it doesn't start with your desktop screen go ahead and start a game...go to spectator mode and watch the fan. If it still doesnt start you may need a new card or fashion an aftermarket fan to cool the processor. Goodluck

 

[LocoColombian]

Thanks for your replay. You know for a while I was thinking the same thing, but the fan on the video card was always running. And I've always kept my gear clean, I've never seen any clumps of dust, just a light coat of dust if anything.It wasn't until recently, like 3-4 days ago, that I decided to download a GPU fan speed and temp meter. I came to figure out that my video card's idle temp was at 68-70C and the fan speed was down to 45/100. I decided to move the meter on the fan speed to 95/100 and the temp of the video card dropped to 50-52c. I ran a couple video games and Alt Tab'ed to look at my active video card temp and it ranges from about 70C highest I've seen it since I increased the speed on the fan was 80C, but I only saw that once before.I did notice a decrease in the amount of times my Pc was crashing a week, but my friend who has taught me all I know about Pc's says that the heat was probably the problem and that I did the right thing by increasing the fan speed, but that the damage might have already been done from before which is probably why it is still freezing.

 

[Casterbal]

You dont have proper cooling i guess