Mine is a long, sad, and from looking round the web an all too familiar story:
This is the best forum I’ve found so far, you lot actually seem to know what you’re talking about so here is my tale:
I’ve built my own computer, my specs are as follows:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name HOME
System Manufacturer 75V80
System Model 775VM800
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 4 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~2999 Mhz
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 4 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~2999 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. P1.30, 14/10/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name HOME\Gareth
Time Zone GMT Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 697.02 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.31 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
My problem is that every time I play a 3d game (call of duty 1 & 2 , farcry, SOF2 etc.) is that about 10 minutes into playing my computer crashes.
Normally this is just to desktop, with an error report that doesn’t offer a solution. Occasionally, but not for a while, I get the old BSOD, followed by a reboot and ‘recovered from serious error’ message, which leads to a more than useless Microsoft site telling me it may or may not be a driver conflict (I’ll tell you more about that in a minute).
My computer is totally stable otherwise: I’ll list all the things I’ve tried so far:
1. I’ve ran 2 different types of mem test for over 12 hours: no problems
2. I’ve tried 2 different motherboards and 2 sticks of ram and 2 processors: (the shop I bought them from was very helpful)
3. I’ve tried 2 different graphics cards (a radeon 980xt and now my geforce 6600)
4. I have reseated all the components and checked the connections
5. I have replaced the hard drive
6. I have tried repairing windows, I have reinstalled a raw copy of windows.
7. I have used windows update.
8. All my drivers are up to date: I have used a driver uninstall utility to remove old drivers (in its latest incarnation my I did a raw install and only installed the latest drivers (no conflicts))
9. I did have a creative sound card, but I have since removed that and uninstalled its drivers
10. I have installed motherboard monitor and watched the temperatures before, during and after a crash: my cpu and gpu never get above 50. Just to make sure I have both sides of the case removed and a large fan blowing into it. (Believe me im freezing)
11. My bios is flashed and up to date
12. I have followed the bios set up thingy on this site and have disabled all the bollocks like game ports etc.
13. I have no IRQ sharing or conflicts
14. I am running Norton internet security, but any time I install anything I have used the ‘msconfig’ thing to boot without startup items.
15. I have tried playing games in this mode as well; the results are the same
16. I am about ready to throw it form the window.
17. I have also used gamexp to tweak my ram settings as well, but have since returned everything to it windows default.
I’ve probably done other stuff as well but I cant remember.
I really am at a loose end, the reason im posting here is that I have read somewhere that it could be a faulty PSU. I wanted to see what you guys think before I go splashing anymore money on this god forsaken typewriter:
My PSU is a Jeantech (bought from PC World here in the UK for £45 ($80))
It is rated at 425.5 Watts; here are its particulars:
+3.3v = 30amps
+5v = 28amps
+12v1 = 14amps
+12v2 = 15amps
-12v = 1amp
+5v = 2.5amps
I might be answering my own question, but the 14/15amps on the 12vlt rail seems a bit low to me??? Especially as both graphics cards I tried have had separate power inputs. Is this the cause of my problems???
Also the motherboard monitor shows the following results for my voltages:
+3.3 is averaging at 3.3
+5 is averaging at 5.08
+12 is averaging at 11.46 (with a low of 11.37)
The graphics card is on the 12v isn’t it??? Is this my problem?????
If you need any more info or copies of my minidump files (from Dr Watson) etc. please ask (they don’t mean anything to me.
I think it’s the power supply, but I would really value your opinions before I go and splash the cash. This is the single most infuriating PC problem I’ve ever ever had.
What worries me is that there are loads of people on various forums with similar problems and I cat find a comprehensive solution: some people claim to have tried new PSU’s without any joy.
HELP before I turn to the xbox for ever more……
This is the best forum I’ve found so far, you lot actually seem to know what you’re talking about so here is my tale:
I’ve built my own computer, my specs are as follows:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name HOME
System Manufacturer 75V80
System Model 775VM800
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 4 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~2999 Mhz
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 4 Stepping 3 GenuineIntel ~2999 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. P1.30, 14/10/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)"
User Name HOME\Gareth
Time Zone GMT Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 697.02 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.31 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
My problem is that every time I play a 3d game (call of duty 1 & 2 , farcry, SOF2 etc.) is that about 10 minutes into playing my computer crashes.
Normally this is just to desktop, with an error report that doesn’t offer a solution. Occasionally, but not for a while, I get the old BSOD, followed by a reboot and ‘recovered from serious error’ message, which leads to a more than useless Microsoft site telling me it may or may not be a driver conflict (I’ll tell you more about that in a minute).
My computer is totally stable otherwise: I’ll list all the things I’ve tried so far:
1. I’ve ran 2 different types of mem test for over 12 hours: no problems
2. I’ve tried 2 different motherboards and 2 sticks of ram and 2 processors: (the shop I bought them from was very helpful)
3. I’ve tried 2 different graphics cards (a radeon 980xt and now my geforce 6600)
4. I have reseated all the components and checked the connections
5. I have replaced the hard drive
6. I have tried repairing windows, I have reinstalled a raw copy of windows.
7. I have used windows update.
8. All my drivers are up to date: I have used a driver uninstall utility to remove old drivers (in its latest incarnation my I did a raw install and only installed the latest drivers (no conflicts))
9. I did have a creative sound card, but I have since removed that and uninstalled its drivers
10. I have installed motherboard monitor and watched the temperatures before, during and after a crash: my cpu and gpu never get above 50. Just to make sure I have both sides of the case removed and a large fan blowing into it. (Believe me im freezing)
11. My bios is flashed and up to date
12. I have followed the bios set up thingy on this site and have disabled all the bollocks like game ports etc.
13. I have no IRQ sharing or conflicts
14. I am running Norton internet security, but any time I install anything I have used the ‘msconfig’ thing to boot without startup items.
15. I have tried playing games in this mode as well; the results are the same
16. I am about ready to throw it form the window.
17. I have also used gamexp to tweak my ram settings as well, but have since returned everything to it windows default.
I’ve probably done other stuff as well but I cant remember.
I really am at a loose end, the reason im posting here is that I have read somewhere that it could be a faulty PSU. I wanted to see what you guys think before I go splashing anymore money on this god forsaken typewriter:
My PSU is a Jeantech (bought from PC World here in the UK for £45 ($80))
It is rated at 425.5 Watts; here are its particulars:
+3.3v = 30amps
+5v = 28amps
+12v1 = 14amps
+12v2 = 15amps
-12v = 1amp
+5v = 2.5amps
I might be answering my own question, but the 14/15amps on the 12vlt rail seems a bit low to me??? Especially as both graphics cards I tried have had separate power inputs. Is this the cause of my problems???
Also the motherboard monitor shows the following results for my voltages:
+3.3 is averaging at 3.3
+5 is averaging at 5.08
+12 is averaging at 11.46 (with a low of 11.37)
The graphics card is on the 12v isn’t it??? Is this my problem?????
If you need any more info or copies of my minidump files (from Dr Watson) etc. please ask (they don’t mean anything to me.
I think it’s the power supply, but I would really value your opinions before I go and splash the cash. This is the single most infuriating PC problem I’ve ever ever had.
What worries me is that there are loads of people on various forums with similar problems and I cat find a comprehensive solution: some people claim to have tried new PSU’s without any joy.
HELP before I turn to the xbox for ever more……