Help: New rig, games keep crashing...

[TheApprentice]

Hey all, Recently upgraded my system...

Specs under user name...

Problem is, many games keep crashing...
UT2004, won't even start a game...I get to the menu...prepare to start..and it freezes...got to hold down power button to shut down...

Star Wars Empire at War.....a second before the main menu loads it just exits the game....

Transformers... Plays well...max settings... then freezes in game...just like that....



>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bioshock Demo... Running max settings....Plays perfect...no probs 

I loaded up the latest drivers on the ATI X1950 prior....
Since these problems...I uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled them....

Same problem... 

Any advice???

[Spazosaurus]

Try an older driver set, perhaps the version just before the latest, install all your patches etc, XP dual core optomiser especially. If all else fails, a fresh OS install should do the trick.

[UltimateGamer]

What about your chipset drivers,
sometimes that causes your games to crash,
I know that happened to me.

Since I am not an Ati fan i cannot speak about the drivers but since nvidia always have driver issues, don't go for the latest, go for what works

[TheApprentice]

Try an older driver set, perhaps the version just before the latest, install all your patches etc, XP dual core optomiser especially. If all else fails, a fresh OS install should do the trick.

Fresh OS option already tried as games crashed from the beginning on old drivers, as well as updated ones...

And what patches are you suggesting exactly?

if referring to game patches...all patches/updates are installed for them...


Update on working games: FEAR, COD2...both running perfect on max settings...

Going to install that AMD Dual-Core optimizer patch and see if that helps...

[Arcmanov]

Did you interfere with any BIOS settings at all?

[TheApprentice]

interfere?

no sir....

what do you mean by interfere?

Edit - AMD patch did no good


Edit 2 - Searched Around...found a similar problem here : http://techreport.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=52878

The fix was to increase some voltage setting in bios...I've never messed with voltage settings before...

So....... 

[Arcmanov]

Make sure the memory timings and voltages are set correctly in the BIOS for that RAM.  I can't remember the settings.
You may have to do a little research.  Incorrect settings here can lead to instability during memory-intensive operations (like gaming).

[Spazosaurus]

My first thought was that power supply...but why would it work with some games and not others. Your problem could be memory related as well...How long did you run those working games for. It i possible that there is some problem that manifets itself more seriously in some games than in others. In other words, FEAR, COD2, may run, but it is possible that after a certain period of time they stick as well (read after about 1-2 hrs of constant play).

To check general system stability run a blend option in Orthos overnight or a few hours. Check your system temp (cpu/m/b) closely. Also, if possible, monitor your gpu temp.

[TheApprentice]

Changed around the RAM slots in the board....

And increased CPU voltage from 1.35 to 1.4

Seems to be working....games running without crashes...


Will run orthos anyways tonight...Will update if any problems later


(Thanks Arc...)

[Arcmanov]

Yes, those high-end boards actually need quite a bit of 'tweaking' in the BIOS to have them running properly.  Even more so with the newer LGA775 boards.
A n00b can actually wreck one if they don't know what they're doing.

I finally figured out which RAM it is (I should know eh, it was mine before).  Thank you Newegg.

So the correct RAM timings for this dual-channel kit at 200 MHz (400 MHz effective) should be 2-3-3-6 @ 2.75 Volts.