Half Life 2 help

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Wendigo

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When ever I play Half Life 2, my computer crashes. Even though I meet all the requirments. How do I go about fixing this problem?
 
You can try listing what your pc is for starters :)

Q&A:
PC Specs- Make/Model or:
-CPU
-Motherboard
-Ram
-video card
-power supply info (make/model/watt rating)

What happens _____ you play HL2? (ok, BSOD, noises, wierd graphics etc)
Before:
During:
After:

could you play the game normaly before or is this the first time you try to play it?

Temperatures? (CPU, Ambience, vid card...)
Voltage readings?
Drivers updated?
Goto C:\Windows\Minidump and post any recent ones that occur when you try to play the game. Post a few up.

EDIT: You can use programs such as Everest Home to help you with these questions..
 
okay here you go

-Windows XP
-nVidia GeForce 6100 version 84.41 (due to the newer update having issues)
-Ram 512.00 MB


From the point I start the game until it crashes, the computer is fine

Drivers are updated
and do you mean Everquest?
 
Everest Home Edition is a little app that can read hardware information and other usefull diagnostic information.

You still missing the CPU (processor, like Pentium 4 or AMD etc), Motherboard (big board with circuits and components that you have everything pluged into), Power Supply Unit (gray or black box that connects the power from the wall to the rest of the computer, all the info needed is on a little sticker on its side when you open the pc up). But otherwise a good starting point.

Download the Everest Home linked above, install it and run it. You can grab all the info relating to what i've said above (excluding PSU) or save a report and post it here. Then in that program navigate to Computer>Sensors and give us its readings while the PC is idle (not doing anything) and when its stressed (maxed out).
 
hope this'll help you.
Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name YOUR-C759F649EF
User Name Owner

Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon 64, 2200 MHz (11 x 200)
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Unknown
System Memory 896 MB
BIOS Type Award (02/23/06)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6100 (512 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA C51
Monitor Gateway FPD1760 [17" LCD] (L66 50N 00397)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Realtek HD Audio output

Storage:
IDE Controller Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller
IDE Controller Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller
Disk Drive Generic USB CF Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB SM Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB MS Reader USB Device
Disk Drive HDT722520DLAT80 (186 GB, IDE)
Disk Drive Generic USB SD Reader USB Device
Optical Drive LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S
SMART Hard Disks Status OK
 
Ok, Now we're getting somewhere. I want you to do some things for me.

Go back to Everest Home, then go [Computer>Sensor]
Click on the button Report up the top
[Next] Custom Selection [Next] Computer>Sensor [Next] Plain Text [Finish]
Save that report and post it here.

Go play some games or movies (to stress the pc) and while its running, make another report on the sensor readings in Everest again, so we have two results to compare.

Open up My Computer
Navigate yourself to C:\Windows\Minidump
Post 5-6 of the most recent ones by date (or when your PC crashed)

Did you upgrade any hardware or installed any new hardware before you got HL2? (as in that your pc has changed with better parts since you first bought it)
 
here:
Computer:
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name YOUR-C759F649EF
User Name Owner

Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon 64, 2200 MHz (11 x 200)
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Unknown
System Memory 896 MB
BIOS Type Award (02/23/06)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port Printer Port (LPT1)

Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce 6100 (512 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA C51
Monitor Gateway FPD1760 [17" LCD] (L66 50N 00397)

Multimedia:
Audio Adapter Realtek HD Audio output

Storage:
IDE Controller Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller
IDE Controller Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller
Disk Drive Generic USB CF Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB SM Reader USB Device
Disk Drive Generic USB MS Reader USB Device
Disk Drive HDT722520DLAT80 (186 GB, IDE)
Disk Drive Generic USB SD Reader USB Device
Optical Drive LITE-ON DVDRW SHW-160P6S
SMART Hard Disks Status OK

Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 186590 MB (161774 MB free)
D: (FAT32) 4172 MB (1218 MB free)
Total Size 186.3 GB (159.2 GB free)

Input:
Keyboard Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant mouse

Network:
Network Adapter NVIDIA nForce Networking
Sensor Properties:
Sensor Type HDD

Temperatures:
CPU 40 °C (104 °F)
HDT722520DLAT80 28 °C (82 °F)

No, didn't get any upgrades, but i got the updates for the drivers if that's what you mean
 
ok.. straight up, please just save it into a notepad file next time.. its easier than me scrolling down a long post :)

To tell you right now, we're making progress, but not doing as much as i'd hoped lol..

There are 4 factors to a game to not run: 1. Software conflict 2. Inappropriate hardware and 3. Not enough power and 4. Temperatures, last two usualy ties into the 'hardware' catagory.

Hardware we can cross off you meet the requirements. For me, this system sounds like it was custom built for you, correct? Then there are a few more troubleshooting i'd like you to do. Print this instructions if you need to.

-Turn off and unplug your PC from the wall. Take the screws on the back holding the case access side off and slide the case off.
Check the PSU info:
-Usualy on the top rear corner of your PC there is a box where the power cord from the power socket goes into and on the other side has a bunch of wires going to different components of your pc. Look for a label that has your info on it and write them down, then post them up here. An example of this looks like this: http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h47/N3051M/PSU_Lable.jpg
Dust(and a bit of Temperature)
-Clean out all the dust buildup while you're there.. use a can of compressed air or a brushto dislodge any stubborn particles

-I'm guessing that you have 3 or 4 RAMs installed on your motherboard (512mb, 256mb, and/or a 128mb), from the info given from Everest. Sometimes mixing RAM sizes isn't a good idea, so for troubleshooting take them all out, and find the one that is your 512mb one, and leave that in slot 1. Boot up your PC and try to play HL and see if its a bit more stable now. If it does seem better then you just need to buy another stick of RAM that is the same size and type as the one you currently have (to make it 1GB).


Software we've crossed off drivers being the conflict.
-You can also try exiting/turning off all the other background programs and see if HL2 makes a difference, as well as reinstalling HL2, updating it through Steam etc..
However i'm still waiting on your Minidumps files. Instructions to find them are in my previous post.
If you don't have any, then its either that you've disabled it or it doesn't seem to 'need' to generate one (which is ok).
In the case that its been disabled, goto the My Computer icon on the desktop and right click>Properties. Find the Advanced Tab and under Startup and Recovery click on the button Settings.
Uncheck Automaticaly Restart and under Write Debugging Info select Complete Memory Dump from the drop down menu.

In particular the info i was trying to get from you from Everest was this one, sorry if i wasn't to clear of it before:
Everest_sensorpage.jpg

Don't worry about making another report, just write down what you see on the readings at the moment and post it on here, and one more while you're playing HL2 for a few minutes.

Don't be afraid to tell me what other things you've tried to 'fix' this problem of yours, so i know what you've done and what doesn't work eg: reinstalled HL2, look for a patch, tried playing HL2 in window mode or a lower resolution etc.
 
Power supply info:
Model: ATX-300-12E
REV: DR
input: 100-127~6A, 200-24v~3A 50/60 HZ
output: +12V/15A
-12V/0.8A
300W MAX +5V/30A
+5VSB/2A

3.3 V/28A
+5V& +3.3V / 80 W MAX
+5V& +3.3 288 W MAX

the temp was at 43 °C (109 °F)
And also I've reinstalled it, looked for a patch, tried HL2 in a window and without sound(as you probably guessed, none of these worked)
also it does not show the voltage value
 
As i've thought. Your PSU isn't providing enough power to power your video card. Although it has enough wattage to cover your system, the amps on the 12V (currently 15A) wouldn't supply enough juice to power the video card when it needs it. If you can borrow (or something) a PSU with at least 18Amps to 20 amps on the +12V rails and try it out on your pc.

How did you go with the rest of the things i suggested you to do? and is the temp you mentioned when the PC is doing not much?
 
N3051M said:
As i've thought. Your PSU isn't providing enough power to power your video card. Although it has enough wattage to cover your system, the amps on the 12V (currently 15A) wouldn't supply enough juice to power the video card when it needs it. If you can borrow (or something) a PSU with at least 18Amps to 20 amps on the +12V rails and try it out on your pc.

How did you go with the rest of the things i suggested you to do? and is the temp you mentioned when the PC is doing not much?
so i guess i'll have to get a new PSU or something, right?

yes that is the temp when the PC isn't doing much
 
well right now it does sound like a PSU problem, or a memory problem.. can you give me more details on the 'crash'? eg: it gives me a BSOD, PC just shuts down and i have to wait a while, PC reboots by itself, it just freezes etc...

is this pc a emachines by any chance? because googleing the model no. of the PSU comes up with some emachines replacement stuff..

For the sake of putting my mind at ease, can you tell me if you have/dont have those minidumps files i asked you? its located at C:\Windows\Minidump
 
QUOTE=N3051M]well right now it does sound like a PSU problem, or a memory problem.. can you give me more details on the 'crash'? eg: it gives me a BSOD, PC just shuts down and i have to wait a while, PC reboots by itself, it just freezes etc...

is this pc a emachines by any chance? because googleing the model no. of the PSU comes up with some emachines replacement stuff..

For the sake of putting my mind at ease, can you tell me if you have/dont have those minidumps files i asked you? its located at C:\Windows\Minidump[/QUOTE]
when the problem occurs, there are no messages at all, it just restarts. and no, it's not an emachine

here are the minidump files:
View attachment 8577

View attachment 8578

View attachment 8579

View attachment 8580
 
Those minidumps cleared up a lot of things now. If you've given them earlier i wouldnt have to do the realy long troubleshooting way.. :D

Minidumps points to 3 things: Memory corruption, hardware fault and/or drivers being at fault. I want you to try and follow all of my instructions, and tell me how each thing went.

Download Memetest86. Burn the ISO onto a CD (to make it bootable)

Open up your PC again, and look for your RAM modules. If you dont know what they look like, just google it. Take all of them out (depress the locks on the sides of the modules). Tell me how many you have.
Put one (if you have many) of them back into the first slot, then with the memtest CD boot off it. Run the test for 10 passes and note any errors and tell me.
Take that stick out and run the test again on the other sticks if you have more than one.

If you do encounter errors, then that stick is faulty, and is causing your PC to crash, so you'll need a new stick of RAM to fix this. At which point i do suggest you to upgrade to 1 GB of ram (2x 512mb), with both of the pair being matched/similar (same brand/type/size)


This is something i picked up in your previous post, that maybe related to your problem:
Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon 64, 2200 MHz (11 x 200)
Motherboard Name Unknown
Motherboard Chipset Unknown

System Memory 896 MB
It could mean that somethings not right for everest not to be able to read the specs of the motherboard, or your chipset drivers is incomplete. Try and find out the model and make of the motherboard and see if you can locate the proper drivers for them, or use the motherboard CD that came with your system originaly to load the drivers off that. You may even need a BIOS update to fix this..

This program might help: SIW

attached is the minidump reads if you want to take a look at them.
 
I have two sticks of RAM

And for memtest86, an MSDOS looking window opend asks for a disk image source, what should i put there?
 
if you downloaded the .zip file, then you need to put it on a blank floppy, then press whatever key it tells you to. If you downloaded the ISO file then you'll need to use a CD burner program to make it bootable CD.

Just make sure you take out one of those sticks while testing, so to ensure a bit more accuracy.
 
Hey, I just installed an update for Windows XP that is meant to solve known gaming issues with Intel Dual Core CPUs and things seem to be working fine for me now. The update is KB896256, available from the Microsoft website. Let me know how you go!
 
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