TG_JBRanger

My pc seems to crash here lately quite a bit. The only game in fact that does NOT CTD is JO and IL2! I thought this game used to be buggy. I don't know. It doesn't crash all the time at the same point either. Heat is not an issue as it stays right at 41C. My specs are

AMD 3000+XP
1GB OCZ DDR3200
older HD (could be issue)
9800 Pro
Shuttle SN41G2

The Muffin Man

How about your power supply?

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TG_JBRanger

well, PSU's in shuttles are 250 watt (the one in mine is). I know it sounds low but it really is quite efficient.

Pokerface

A PSU wouldn't make a CTD crash though, would it? Wouldn't it be more likely to reboot the whole machine?

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I dunno... it might crash if the PSU isn't providing enough power. A component could get an unstable current and it could cause data corruption, which could lead to a crash. It might not be the PSU but 250W is pretty low for a high power processor and a hefty video card plus other components.

What kind of crash are we talking about? Just CTD? So you're doing something like playing CS and all of a sudden you're back at desktop?

I think we're going to need a bit more information like what games do crash and what exactly happens when it does (not just crash but if you get a blue screen or it reboots, etc.). Have you installed any programs since you started noticing the crashing? New hardware?

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TG_JBRanger

No new hardware. Well, the fact the games were all demos except Max Payne (1) which I may have had an issue with where I had installed it to might have had something to do with it. BTW, it is just a crash to desktop. BUT, I tried to make a movie using Movie Maker the other night. Well, it went together smoothly and I saved the movie file. It seemed to save it okay. However, when I went to view it the video stop like halfway through yet the music continues. SOOO, I'm thinking it could be a hardrive issue. I'm also thinking I should back up everything this weekend in case it goes. It is the ONLY component that is not 6 months or newer. I've had it for about 2-3 years now. Everything else works great. Your input??

The Muffin Man

I'm guessing that you're running WinXP?
I think it's a PS issue. I don't think your 9800pro is getting enough juice.

Does it:
Hang before it CTD?
System automatically reboots with no warning?
Screen goes black but system still functioning (Can hear game being played)?
System hangs completely and requires a manual reboot?
All open programs exit and get an ATI VPU report?


Of course cover your basics as well:
Update your version of Windows.
All drivers up to date (chipset/vid card)(try http://www.omegadrivers.net/)?
If you have a single channel slot for ram move your memory there and try it.
Do you get a "send error report" and if so what does it say in the tech info area?
Is your processor overclocked?
What's your FSB set at?


With my previous gaming machine when my PS wasn't upgraded along with the rest of my hardware it would crash to desktop as well and once in a while reboot on it's own. Can you play any games at all?

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IceCold

That's what it sounds like to me, too. Assuming that "the basics" have already been attended to...

I still don't understand why PSU manufacturers haven't started a huge marketing campaign to educate people on the necessity of a good power supply. It's probably the number one cause of PC hardware problems, and yet people still ignore its importance...

TG_JBRanger

Hmm...well it hangs up then CTD. In other games it just CTD without hanging first. No reboots. Just CTD. Okay, well, if it is in fact my PSU then why is I can play JO and IL2 (very graphic intensive) and it work well. My FSB is stock so 400FSB. Of course the PSU is the only thing that I can think of. I can play games. It's just at some point it CTD's. Not always, not always the same length of time..... I'm stumped. Okay, if it is my PSU I wonder how hard it would be to put a external PSU on it. (I have a Shuttle and as such it includes the PSU). Anyway, thanks for the help.

*UPDATE! Ran memtest...got an error with one of my sticks of memory. A trying to figure it out now. Took one out and am re-running memtest.

TG_JBRanger

ANOTHER UPDATE!!

Definitely a bad stick of memory. It will recognize it when using it with the other stick but using the *bad* stick alone won't even load windows. I plan on returning it ASAp. Thanks for the help.

Overlag

shuttles 250watt PSU's are fine, even when running X800's

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TG_JBRanger

Yea, after reading over at sfftech I found out people are running much bigger systems than I and are doing just fine.

=DdogG=

mosty because you dont have 15 fans, 2 cdroms, and 6 hard drives sucking the life from the power supply.... one hard drive, one cdrom, and maybe 3 fans.....

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TG_JBRanger

Yea, this is true. Thanks for the help.

The Muffin Man

.....and if you have a window on the side and cool lights it increases your FPS by at least 50!!!

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