System hangs when playing intensive 3d Games or DVD playback

 The symptoms you describe are typical when you have a video card that is overheating.  Since you suggest that this only happens when you're playing 3D games or other "graphic" intensive software, I would look there first.
  I've had this happen with several computers which was cleared up with minimal cooling effort.  I believe your video card has an on-board fan but it may not be enough to overcome the heat inside the case.

-Rerun

You sure it is not game problem?
Have you try install the game to another system for testing?

I have recently read many questions about Windows oddities with 512 DDR systems.

I don't know if this may be a generalized problem but I would advise you to remove one of your RAM chips and try to operate with 256 RAM. If one doesn't work, please try the other one.

By trying this you may help us in generalizing the problem, if this is the case. Thank you in advance.

Note: Please disconnect the power cord before opening your case. Also please discharge any static electric you may have on you by touching a large metal object before touching any hardware in your box.

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

I've tried with 256 DDR without success
I've tried 3D Mark and the SE version without success, so don't think it is a gaming issue. (patched every game)

Will try more fans in PC.

Cheers

Thanks for trying.
In addition to rerunsbuns' comment, you may single out the Gra Card by leaving one empty PCI slot after the AGP. This may help to cool out the card.

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

I have a strange question. Have you measured the voltages of the power supply? I have read that you have a 300W PSU, but I have seen a powersupply that on the label has 300W, but when I looked on the PCB of the power supply it was 250W.

So if your system hangs again, please measure all the voltages of the powersupply. I mean the 5V, 12V, 3.3V, -5V and -12V.
All these voltages must b in range within +/- 10%.

If the voltages are correct than you have indeed a cooling problem of the videocard.

Brigth12

Hi bright12,
Maybe he can check out these voltages from BIOS setup screen isn't it? (by clicking on delete key during boot up and browsing to appropriate section in BIOS setup)

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

Hi monspot

Yes your right about it. But it depend of the BIOS if the motherboard support it. But he can give it a try. But if you read further I suggest to check the voltages when the system actually hangs. This to get the right values of the voltages at that time.

If you reset the computer and go into the bios there will be a change that the PSU voltages are recoverd.

Regards
Bright12

Hi bright12,
Thank you for your kind explanation.

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

O.K. I'm getting somewhere, I've added a larger case fan, then moved the PCI boards further away from the AGP slot, added a twin fan in this gap.

After initial testing the CPU temp was 42C and system tempp 30C. However, after about twenty minutes of using 3d MArk 2002 SE,  locked up again.

I increased the VCORE and the I/O Voltage and this seemed to solve the problem (though I have only had limited amount of time to test this).

COuld someone tell me if this was the right thing to do and what is VCORE and I/O for.

Thanks for everyones help.

The Snowman

Oh oh...

I don't know much about the Voltage requirements of PC parts, maybe Bright12 or another Expert can explain these in detail.

But I don't think that adjusting these values manually is a good idea, at least without consulting the manual of your motherboard or an experienced person.

You may have a chance to fry your cards, RAM and/or CPU.

Please wait for Experts' comments about it before continuing with the tests.

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

Mmmmh,

Let's see. Oke, the VCORE is for the processor the main voltage. This voltage is around the 1.5 Volts. This voltage is very important for the CPU, but if you increase this voltage the CPU get's hotter, so you must use a larger fan to cool it. But the negative side of this is that livetime of the CPU is getting shorter. So the conclusion is DO NOT USE THIS.

I/O stands for Input/Ouput, thus the I/O voltage is the voltage for the Input/Output. But the damage risk for the CPU is the same as I has descibed above.

You said that the system also hangs. I think that you have a cooling problem with the CPU. Is the fan on the cooler of the CPU running smoothly? If not, than I suggest that you replace the CPU cooling asap.

When you have the same problem after replacing the cooler than it could be a CPU problem.

You can also try to replace the CPU and cooler from a different system. Then you run the same application again.
If the system is not hanging than you hav to replace the CPU and the COOLING.

If the system hangs with the other CPU and cooler than it can be indeed a card, ram or MB.

I hope that I can you help further with this.

Regards

Bright12

I have another suggestion. Have you tried to install a new/other videocard?

It could be that the videocard is not working properly and the problem is than maybe solved by a simple swap of the grap card.

I suggest that you first try this before we go any further.

Regards

Brigth12

I've replaced the Heat sink and CPU - same problem

Put the Graphics card in someone elses machine - no problem

Changed the RAM - Same problem

Could it be some BIOS settings?

Regards

Snowman

I don't think that it will be the BIOS settings.

Have you trie to swap the PowerSupply from the computer where you put the Graphics card in, with your own Powersupply of your original system?

It could be a power problem.

Yes - Changed from 300 to 400 Watt - same problem.

You can try to set the Bios settings to default and save it.
Then test the PC again.

If this not works than it could be your motherboard that is faulty. Try to swap the motherboard from a different system and place the rest of yoyr own PC components on it. Like your graphics card, CPU, RAM and the Powersupply.

Test it again and see what happens.

If your PC is running fine than it is your Mainboard.

It could also be the windows that causes the problem. But trie this is last. Just keep posted and do the suggestion step by step.

If you still got the problem than I don't know what the problem could be.

Finally, I've changed the AGP Driving value to OD as well as changing a couple of fans and this seemed to fix the problem.

However, I now have Win 2000 and after playing SOF2 it did crash once. But nothing like before

So I would consider this fixed.

Thanks everyone

Who gets the points?

Hi,
rerunsbuns has suggested the fans but this may have been a partial solution. So it seems logical to give a B to rerunsbuns.

But I would do the following:

-Write a zero-points question to Community Support demanding a 50-and-25 split (of the 75 points) between rerunsbuns and bright12 and give an A to both.
(Because Reruns solution may be the correct one, and Bright has tried to help a lot)

:o)

Sincerely,
MoNsPoT

xxx

You asked to split points between Rerunsbun (50p) and Bright12 (25p)
 
I have reduced the points on this question from 75 to 50 as indicated by your request at Community Support. Please copy the URL and create a new question in this topic area for the other Experts to whom you wish to award points. The title of the question should read "Points for", followed by the Expert's name. In the question itself, you should paste the link to the original question and perhaps a comment stating that the points are for their help with that question. Once you have created the new questions, you can go back to the original, and accept the comment from the Expert for whom you did not create a new question. The Experts will  comment in your new "Points for" question(s), which you then accept and grade to close.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Thank you.

** Mindphaser - Community Support Moderator **

Force-accepted

Bright12 there is a question for you at https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20569027/Points-for-Bright12.html