Still getting lockups

Richard M · 02-07-2005, 12:45

I can't believe this, I'm still getting video lockups on my system.
It happens when playing Battlefield 2 online and also in Call Of Duty, which both happen to be my favourite games.
So far I've replaced the:

Motherboard
Video card
PSU

Why the hell is this happening on a stock speed system?
I didn't spend this much money on a gaming system to have it crash.

Just FYI my specs are:

Athlon64 FX53 CPU
Corsair XMS3200XL Pro (2x512MB)
WD Raptor 74GB
Biostar NF4 mobo
ATI X850XT PE
OCZ Powerstream 600W PSU

Cooling cannot be the issue because I've reseated the CPU and all other components, also I run a Lian Li case - fairly cool air comes out of the case even after several hours of HL2.
I don't understand why I can run 3DMark 2003/2005 and it will be perfectly stable and give good results then run BF2 online for 2 minutes and it will lock up - no error messages, just a complete lockup.

I'm tempted to accuse the RAM at this point because (apart from the CPU & HD) it's the only component I haven't replaced.

I might go out this afternoon and buy a quality motherboard instead of this MSI/Biostar crap, but it's such a waste of money.

Steve H · 02-07-2005, 12:48

Drivers?

It seems at the moment that many people are having more luck with the Omega's with regards to BF2.... I don't know what you've tried and havn't tried, but that might be worth a go.

Richard M · 02-07-2005, 12:49

I never considered that because it used to happen no matter which drivers I used but I guess it's worth a shot.

MovedGoalPosts · 02-07-2005, 13:00

I'd be tempted to accuse the RAM too. I know I had a similar problem with my own PC when I first built it. COD crashed frequently.

It was solved not by changing the RAM but clocking it very slightly. I just upped the voltage by one point. It was a recommendation I got off someone on the overclockers forum. Might be worth a try?

jamesclarke555 · 02-07-2005, 13:15

Yeah could be the RAM m8, run memtest86 for an hour or two to be sure.

Gareth · 02-07-2005, 15:35

Yeah, I'd be tempted to suggest checking your memory's ok too. If it's still borked, I'll buy your 'puter from you for ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£20

Bifta · 02-07-2005, 15:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard M

I can't believe this, I'm still getting video lockups on my system.
It happens when playing Battlefield 2 online and also in Call Of Duty, which both happen to be my favourite games.
So far I've replaced the:

Motherboard
Video card
PSU

Why the hell is this happening on a stock speed system?
I didn't spend this much money on a gaming system to have it crash.

Just FYI my specs are:

Athlon64 FX53 CPU
Corsair XMS3200XL Pro (2x512MB)
WD Raptor 74GB
Biostar NF4 mobo
ATI X850XT PE
OCZ Powerstream 600W PSU

Cooling cannot be the issue because I've reseated the CPU and all other components, also I run a Lian Li case - fairly cool air comes out of the case even after several hours of HL2.
I don't understand why I can run 3DMark 2003/2005 and it will be perfectly stable and give good results then run BF2 online for 2 minutes and it will lock up - no error messages, just a complete lockup.

I'm tempted to accuse the RAM at this point because (apart from the CPU & HD) it's the only component I haven't replaced.

I might go out this afternoon and buy a quality motherboard instead of this MSI/Biostar crap, but it's such a waste of money.

I tend to get the same with any new card I get, whether it's ATI -> ATI or not. I normally uninstall the driver, DON'T reboot, run driver cleaner, remove all traces of the original drivers, then reboot, disable my internet connection so windows doesn't try installing any default driver files and then install the new drivers.

02-07-2005, 16:37

Could consider running prime95 for an hour on your cpu also,this would be an expensive fix so lets hope its not

heres some AMD blurb
http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=35679

Richard M · 02-07-2005, 19:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bifta

I tend to get the same with any new card I get, whether it's ATI -> ATI or not. I normally uninstall the driver, DON'T reboot, run driver cleaner, remove all traces of the original drivers, then reboot, disable my internet connection so windows doesn't try installing any default driver files and then install the new drivers.

I did that but still the same problem, which can always be reproduced by joining a server, selecting the weapon and spawn, then it will do a hard lock like type 3 in Zingle's link.
I've not had an issue in any other games (or BF2 offline) apart from CoD where the video freezes but I can still talk to people on Teamspeak.
HL2, Colin McCrae 4, CS:Source and Doom 3 all run fine at very high quality settings so it's not overheating.
It's unlikely to be a power issue either TBH - the rails on the PSU look stable as a rock, even when running HL2 at 1600x1200 4xAA 8xAF.

I also ran the CD version of Memtest for 1hr 20mins while out shopping and had no errors at all.
Personally I think it's the mobo again.

Quote:

Things can become even worse, if for some reason the video chips stops retrieving commands from the AGP pipeline. Then the temporary CPU stall becomes a permanent one. Since the CPU isn't allowed to execute new program instructions, it cannot respond to keystrokes, mouse clicks and the like. Even the sound card's interrupts won't be honored. That usually causes a sound card to repeat its most recently loaded sound fragment over and over again.

This describes it perfectly.

Richard M · 03-07-2005, 05:45

Interesting, after Googling for the BF2 problem it appears that other people are having this problem too (well one of the lockups).
What happens is that the system will lock up for 1-2 minutes but if the hard disk light is on, it'll recover because it's loading data.
This can't be solved by reducing the settings in my game although it does reduce the time spent in this state.

The other loclup I get is like the one I mentioned previously.

deadite66 · 03-07-2005, 05:57

i had similar lockups with a very similar spec.
i removed a sil0680a raid controller <- most likely this was the cause
and 2 old ide HD's
and changed to sata HD's

and not a problem since, though probably no help what so ever.

03-07-2005, 09:33

This is a baffling problem Richard.IMO the fact that graphics and cpu intensive apps run fine (apart from CoD and BF2) Would point away from a hardware fault at all . Are you still dual booting? do these faults run on 32 bit xp and 64 bit xp? Is there a common driver being used before and after your new mobo gfx install? Are you using the same catalyst driver? Maybe try an older version? Its a bit of a mare dude

Richard M · 03-07-2005, 10:23

No I'm running XP Pro 32-bit while I wait for ATI to release their Crossfire motherboards - I'll be properly dual-booting after that.
I've tried the latest ATI drivers and the newest Omega drivers (which are the same version AFAIK).
I might try downgrading a couple of steps to see what happens.

Just to elimate the CPU I'll run a 3-4 hour loop of Prime95 later - as long as I'm present at the time because I don't trust this board...
Why?
Capacitors on MSI mobos:
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:Y...l=en&client=ig

Note that MSI and Biostar are the same thing, Biostar owns the MSI brand.

03-07-2005, 10:26

worth a go at least, I can imagine your frustration

how often does that happen? I have a real fear of fire a couple of years ago My neighbour died in a house fire,I tried to rescue her and failed,I saw the body burning before I was beaten back,ever since then ive had a morbid fear of fire.
I run an MSI board and am now very nervous

Richard M · 03-07-2005, 10:36

Put it this way - I never left my old mobo on 24/7, and with this one I only leave it on when I'm sitting next to it.
With so much power going into the board I like to keep a close eye on things.

TBH it's probably a 1 in a million chance that something would catch fire but these things always happen when you least expect it.