# Random freezes during games.



## godofimpiety (Jan 13, 2006)

Hi. I use my computer mostly for gaming and so I built it (or tried to build it) specifically for that. I play World of Warcraft 90% of the time I am on this machine. My system randomly freezes at times, without warning. The times it freezes are completely random and give me no clue as to what I am doing wrong for this to be happening. I usually don't do anything but just sit here and have WoW and AOL Instant Messanger open when it freezes. I have noticed, though, that the computer will only freeze at the times when I have my game application open. Nothing happens when it is minimized. This leads me to believe that I have a graphics issue which has subsequently lead me to shut down my computer by holding down the power button numerous times. This is a sure way to damage one's hard drive. Can someone please help me?

My system set up is currently as follows:

Windows 2000 Professional with latest SP
1gb RAM
ATI Radeon X800XL PCI-E graphics card
AMD Athlon 64bit 3200+ processor

If there is anything that I am leaving out, which I'm sure of, please let me know what it is and how I can get that information.


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## whodat (Mar 13, 2005)

welcome

run it with the side off and a fan blowing in, and see if it reacts the same way.... also -

tell us about your power supply..make and size

and what is your virus/spy protection, seeing that you are an _a.i.m_. user

post back


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## godofimpiety (Jan 13, 2006)

My power supply is an Ultra-X Connect 500 watt. It's a brand new PSU so it shouldn't be the problem. My best guess would be yours. The side fan on the tower might be too small to cool off the graphics card. Though, I have been using a regular appliance-sized fan but I made it so that it would blow from behind onto the chasis. At times I aim it towards the PSU and at times at the graphics card. I will try opening the case and having the fan blowing directly into the card as soon as I get home, though.

I currently do not have any anti-spyware, shameful I know. Though, I am doubtful that this could be the problem as I've formatted my harddrive numerous times and continued with the problem. My guess would be that it is either overheating or there is a fault in the drivers that I'm using.


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## whodat (Mar 13, 2005)

dont blow it on the back, that is defeating the purpose of the intake fan in the front, which i assume you have, use the fan and blow it right at the mainboard with the side off.
good luck


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## maddoghoek (Jan 24, 2006)

hey guys i have a similar problem. my comp just freezes up at random times, mostly during AOE3 lately. it has never done this before till about 2 weeks ago. i found out norton systemworks 2006 wasnt helping so i got rid of that (that program wud freeze me even in AOE3's main menu). my power supply really sucks - its like a raidmax 400w i think. omg but i usually have to turn off everything that uses power to turn my comp on! i havent had any signs of power issues once its on, the psu just requires like tons of amperage at turning on. my comps specs are:
athlon64 3000+ sock. 754
xfx geforce 6600gt 128mb agp
1.5 gb corsair 2.5cl ddr400 ram
80gb samsung 7200rpm hdd
gigabyte nforce 3 250 mobo
generic 56x cd-rom

so anyway yeah i freeze quite a bit at random times anymore lately. ill try blowing out the dust and stuff in the comp and look at the cpu and gpu hsf. ive heard that theres a problem with nforce 5.10 drivers with the lan driver. but i have 5.11 - i really have no clue of whats causing the freezes. any help wud be greatly appreciated!


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## maddoghoek (Jan 24, 2006)

k now sometimes when it freezes in-game. one side of my monitor will be green and the other half black. ? and different colors also.


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## whodat (Mar 13, 2005)

it might be heat on your video card [ check that its pushed in all the way]

i assume you have the latest drivers for your pci-e card.. and the latest bios version for your motherboard

but definately grab ewido and adaware from my links and update them before scanning.

when you get some time also try housecall

post back with your results


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## maddoghoek (Jan 24, 2006)

k i scanned with fully updated adaware and ewido and i turned up all is clean. earlier i blew a lot of dust out of my computer - but still same problem. hmm ill try re-seating my graphics card. i dont think its overheating - its at like 45c idle. in games i think it goes to like late 50s maybe 60. anyways ill get to re-seating soon. thx for the help whosdat


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## maddoghoek (Jan 24, 2006)

ok still got the problem unfortunately. took the card out and even replaced the thermal glue on the gpu with arctic silver. lowered the idle temp a degree or two but still no problem fix hehe. yeah my graphx drivers are the latest official ones. and my mobo bios is updated to latest. my cpu runs about 35c idle. i highly doubt thats the problem but i dunno hehe.


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## maddoghoek (Jan 24, 2006)

well i got a new psu. a msi 450w. still froze in aoe3. hasnt froze at random yet. but yeah kinda sucks.


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