Games causing PC to freeze up

[SiroVai]

Hi

I hope I can get some help here..

My Spec:

EVGA 680i Mobo
C2D 6600 + Zalman CNPS9500
BFG 8800 GTX
Enermax Galaxy PSU 850w
Corsair DDR2 XMS2 PC2-8500 C5 Twin x (2x1gig)
WD Raptor 150gig
XP+SP2

Recently, all my games have started freezing the PC up. By freeze I mean, the graphics stop moving, the sound goes on a loop and all keyboard/mouse buttons become unresponsive. Even the digital time readout on my keyboard stops. The only way to fix this is to hit the pc reset button.

I first noticed it on BF2142 a few days ago but now it’s affecting every single game. It can happen anywhere from the first menu screen (like in UT3 demo) or a few minutes into it like TF2 or BF2142.

I did not make any driver/bios/hardware changes to prompt this, it just suddenly started happening.

Here is a list of things I have tried so far:

Ran memtest86 from boot cd - no errors (left for 2 passes)
Ran memtest in windows - no errors (650%coverage)
Reinstalled graphics driver - no change
Installed latest graphics driver - no change
Installed earlier version graphics driver - no change(Using drivercleaner each time)
Updated to latest BIOS - no change
Ran Lavasoft Adaware - no problems
Ran AVG and Nod32 - no problems
Ran WD HDD checker - no errors
Disabled onboard sound - no change
Swapped GTX for a 7300 - no change
Ran Prime95 Torture test - no freeze
Ran 3dMark03 benchmark - no freeze

The only thing which has had an effect so far has been resetting the CMOS. Upon further investigation I found that if I set my memory voltage+timings to those specified for the memory (2.2v 5-5-5-15)it produced the problem. However, if I left them at stock default (1.85V 5-5-5-18) the pc took several hours to freezeup - as opposed to minutes.

I have scoured the EVGA forums and don’t have NAT or NTUNE installed. My system temperatures are all within acceptable levels. CPU-35 Idle - 50C Prime95 torture test - GPU 55C idle - 70C Load (Using RivaTuner)

Everything has been operating fine for around 9 months, and like I say all of a sudden this has started to happen, suggesting to me that it’s a hardware failure of some sort.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I am stuck as to what to do next, save send everything back to my supplier.

Thanks

 

[Rabidpeanut]

From the symptoms i believe it must be your ram dieing. Cant think of anything other than maybe motherboard.

 

[tlmck]

Gotta be the vid card or the ram. Swapping out is the only way I would know to check. Even if the swaps are lesser spec. like DDR2 800 and a lesser vid card. I have heard stories of BFG cards pooping out. Maybe that's why most buy EVGA and XFX, i don't know. I do know if it is the card, BFG will make it right. Same with Corsair on the ram.

 

[kyee7k]

Although my system is not as advanced as yours, the symptoms appear to be very
similar to your problem except that my computer freezes between 3-4 minutes after
playing a mission (settlers:ROE, Blazing Angels 2, & Co. Of Heroes: OF). It couldn't be
my RAM since it appears to be fine (I've tested it with several hardware
diagnostic programs). After several tests, I found that my linear video memory (256 MB)
could be the problem. Unfortunately, my card's a PNY model and without a
lifetime warranty. Fortunately, 8800 GT release schedule is only
about a week away.


Windows XP SP2
630 P4 3.0 GHz
ASUS P5W DH motherboard
2.5 GB RAM
PNY 6600 256 MB Video Card
160 GB HDD (Primary), 2*300 GB HDD
Intel 1000/Pro NIC

 

[gomerpile]

Ok set your memory timings to spd, set memory ratio to 1:2, your video cards heat is to high 70c you need to find a better way to cool it down.
The internal heat monitor in the video bios is close to that. What happens is the video card reduces volts to cool the core.
Usefull tools for you is by uniblue.com/registrybooster, speedupmypc,spyeraser try to get these. Its not the bfg card they make a good Gcard

 

[SiroVai]

Thanks for all the replies.

I have tried swapping the 8800GTX for a much less powerful GeForce7300. The problem still persisted, so we can rule out the graphics card. The heat on the 8800GTX's is expected to get up to 70C and higher, nothing you can do about it, its just the way the cards designed.

Unfortunately I don't have any spare DDR2 memory available to test. So that leaves me with the only option of RAM'ing the Board, RAM, CPU and PSU. Someone has suggested that a dodgy psu is to blame - when I pump more volts into the ram the system freezes more often, and since I have ran memtest, it must be a PSU/board problem.

 

[systemlord]

If its the ram failing then Orthos will show it, get Orthos and run it on the ram test. After that test only the CPU and see what happens. It seems that anything demanding like games you run causes the problem. If you RAM & CPU show no errors then it must be either your mobo or PSU might be going bad.

 

[olmecoid]

I did have some problem like that, the way I checked what was going on was on the event viewer of the os. Checking this I realize that each time that my rig crashed the acpi BIOS was trying to access to restricted memory area. You could check if you have the same problem, go to control panel, under administrative tools, choose event viewer. Check the system option and also the application option. It may be the same thing that happened to me, or not, but at least you will be able to see what is causing the freeze

 

[boner]

i bet it's the ram

 

[gomerpile]

i bet it's the ram

or psu

 

[systemlord]

The thing is memtest86+ tests for faulty ram, but doesn't check the ram under stressful conditions.