Trying to pinpiont failing hardware

[Koo Koo Mouse]

Hi guys,
Lately games have been crashing to desktop a lot lately. To the point of not even trying to play DC online. Boom out of the blue middle of a match...ctd. I do understand this does and probrably always will happen on DC from time to time, but this is happening much more often than the norm. I never play singleplayer but tryed it. sure enough she crashed eventually.
Other game happenings:
I'm playing undying thru again and even that CTD's but with a GPF box saying it coudnt "render/draw world" somthing. Even gta Vice city gave me a black screen and I must reboot. That game has never ever given me a problem before.
Other than games I really haven't had any strange happenings except one night I went to close a box and got a reboot. That was a one time thing.

Well heres what I've done.
Cleaned the hell out of anything cooling related and made sure everying is in good order except the PS, didnt take that apart but seems to have no dust buildup. MBM5 shows cpu temps as good. well normal for this comp anyway. Tested with DC and crash. Even took the side off and setup a floor fan blowing nice cold winter minnesota air in from the deck. Let the guts get real chilly and tested, Crash. So I think its not heat related.
Ran prime 95 torture test while at work today. Got 8 Hrs in before a fatal. If I could game that long without a crash I'd be happy.. So I'm going to rule out cooling and CPU issuies for now.
I ran memtest 86 for maybe 45 mins. (one pass) No problems. I run it again longer later.
I ran 3dmarks 2001se a bit ago and whoa! I was busy while it was running returned too see my desktop. What happened? Restarted the benchmark loop and stayed put. 5 mins later suddenly black screen and a reboot. Hmmm
Test agian in loop. Ran a lot longer, 70 tests and finally a CTD.. not a reboot. I was away but I stuck a bootable floppy in the drive to prevent an OS load.
So 2 CTD's and one reboot running 3dmarks.
Next I might just pull the gf2mx400 out of my 450 just to see if I can do anything 3d for more than 30 minutes.
Oh I should also add that I have a bootable slave with 98 on it. A change in bios with let me boot to it for using my old printer port scanner and let me run some old progs that XP wont.. Anywhay I tried to run DC in 98 and got a splash screen and it quit to desktop at 600x800 bloat. Din't mess with it any more after that. but it did used to run fine.. and yes I got everything up to date on both drives/OS's, det drivers and all.. 98 wont touch the game anymore but at least XP trys.

I'm really having to lean tword a failing vid card or PS. Cant blame software becuase 2 OS's won't game.. Somthing is going south..

So its trobleshooting time.. I think I can figure this but any input would be great. somthing I've missed?

Sorry for no spec but thay should be in my sig and Im getting a hair sauced

[dadx2mj]

I would have to agree it sure seems like a video card issue. I would reinstall the drivers and give that other vid card a try. Good Luck!!

[eGoCeNTRoNiX]

Folder? If you're running F@H you may want to disable it before playing. I have run into the same problem w/NFSU but it just takes me back to the desktop, I can click on NFSU in the taskbar and go right back to it only to get kicked out a few seconds later.. But if I quit folding while playing, I have no problems.. GL eGo

[Koo Koo Mouse]

Nope Ego I don't run anthing is the baclground that isn't nessesacy

But Damn. I had a long post going on todays testing but got a reboot when almost done. I should probrably swich comps but the 450 is running a loop with the Ti and hate to bother it.. I need at least two hours of it before I feel the card is good. (yup... I gotta belive that card is OK)
But anyway I did the switch (oviously), The GF2 mx400 is now in the 1800. Ran 3d2k01se and got about a third of the horsepower. Heh Expectid that.. 2900 marks! Funny part is I thru the Ti-4200 into the P3-450 and got 3500!! Just goes to show you how hard the vid card pulls the weight .
Heres the bad news:
I cannot get either card to fail 3dmarks since the swap .. Just won't.
As for DC.. Still crashes. Had a good 25 minute going but evevtily failes..CTD
Other stuff:
I thought the cat had nocked over somthig about the time I heard A "ping" inside the case and got a reboot last night.. I thought I was hearing things, But today I heard it again just before I crashed my long post. Sounds like a light belt snapped, Prolly the hard drive snapping to park.. dunno..
Next Thing I'm goind to do is put everything back and try a differnt power suppy.. Dug up an AMD ready 250 watter.. Im askin for trouble an't I ?

Hoping for a very very Merry Chistmas eve to eveyone at PCA.

Even you Blade

[blade]

Sounds like heat isn't an issue, so that leaves either hardware or drivers. Only way to be sure which hardware is replace each piece and run with each replacement. A hassle I know. Maybe try with one ram stick, if you have more than one.

If it's drivers, the only real way is the ole format c trick. I've had driver issues before that would cause similar troubles. Tried everything and nothing worked, but a format. Things just get clogged up after time with all the driver updates.

"I heard A "ping" inside the case and got a reboot last night"

That could be a short, possibly from the mobo or psu.



Merry Christmas

[Koo Koo Mouse]

Sorry for not posting back on my trouble but Ya know Chistmas is a bitch!
Glad thats done with. Now Its just gretting thru new years eve with lotsa booze.. I can handle that no prob!
Since my last post I did try prowering up on the 250 watt (AMD ready) supply I had handy.. It use to run an AMD 600. NO GO. XP starts to load and dies.. Freeze. End of story.

Got Need for Speed UG and loaded it up.. no probs for an hour then the CDT again. Good.. now I have somthing that chashes while I'm having fun at least! (doesnt set you back to far anywahy just gotta rerun the last)

In "think mode" one night I dissconnected two drives I don't need. A floppy and my slave. NO help.
dint really seem to stop the CTD's.. ah well gotta try.

Next day I clean the chipset fan hoping..nadda.

A day later I come home and reboot for the "fresh feeling" and it wont start.. get to Bois mem check and done. reset. same. again,agian.. I try a cold and only boots to XP loading green bar (load a bit and done Frozen.. What the fok I do?1?
Weird.. I plugged the floppy and the slave connecttor back in and it boots! But Same prob with games. Sooo.. I load it harder and it works?
Let' call this day twos.
BAD day..NO more cdrom.. Bios finds it but XP does not URRG!
98 Does'
Switched drives from a spare and XP finds it.. I Now have a CD. Put E'm back and no probrems. XP Finds it too.
UPDATE

When I do chrash its a rebootS now! No more CTD's !

I buying a PSu tommow unless someone tells other.