windows crash when game in full screen?

[bellatrix]

Hi all,

I have been having a problem with my computer for some time now & I think I have just twigged what the problem is but not how to cure it.

The problem is that every game I play that is in full screen mode, crashes or locks up windows within about 10 mins. If the game is played in a window it seems to be ok. I've just realised that my screensaver is set to start after 10 mins, so i'm thinking this is what's causing the problem.

The games I have played and caused problems are: Half Life 2, Prison Tycoon, Earth 2160. I definately think it's a windows problem & not a games problem.

Bar turning my screensaver off(which i'm loath to do as I have had screen burn before) does anyone know a workaround or a fix?

cheers, Bellatrix :)

Windows XP Pro with service pack 2,

Duel SLI Nvidia GForce 6800 Graphics cards.

[Lukus]

I wouldn't have thought it would be the screen saver... As the computer is still active whilst you are playing the game, unless windows isn't picking up these movements for some reason! Have you tried disabling it just to test?

The only time i've had problems similar has been with cpu/gfx malfunction, try timing how long it takes for a crash. If its bang on 10mins everytime, its probably your screen saver and we'll have a look at that, if its random and just does every now and then after running a game, might be time to consider changing the fan's on those 6800's ;)

Let us know how you get on :)

[bellatrix]

I wouldn't have thought it would be the screen saver... As the computer is still active whilst you are playing the game, unless windows isn't picking up these movements for some reason! Have you tried disabling it just to test?

The only time i've had problems similar has been with cpu/gfx malfunction, try timing how long it takes for a crash. If its bang on 10mins everytime, its probably your screen saver and we'll have a look at that, if its random and just does every now and then after running a game, might be time to consider changing the fan's on those 6800's ;)

Let us know how you get on :)

Hi Lukus, thanks for the reply :)

I have done a few experiments & found out that it isn't just in fullscreen as I first thought :( it happens when I try to run the games in a window aswell!

I also tried turning off the screensaver and it still happens, the computer either restarts by itself or it locks completely and loops a bit of music again & again!

It crashes after a few minutes, onetime even after a few seconds of starting a game!

But the weird thing is it only happens with games, I am baffled

Does windows only run a certain bit of code when it plays games & not apps?

any clues?

Cheers, Bellatrix

[Lukus]

I'd still be inclined to think its a gfx fault. Maybe one that the games pick up on as they are of course more graphics intense than most desktop applications. Is there anyway you could try another gfx card, or updating the drivers, changing the settings in the game perhaps?

Just generally when there are random crashes, it can be overheating problems, especially with summer nearly here now, how old are the heatsinks/fans on the cards / cpu ? Might be worth looking at.

Good Luck.

[-pops-]

Agree with Lukus' last post, especially the overheating suggestion.

[Shirley Crabtree]

Could be sound orientated too....Sound looping indicates a corrupt or out of date driver.

[bellatrix]

I think the computer is about a year old, so heatsinks & fans on gfx cards would be the same.

I'm not sure if it's about graphics intense games though as one of the games was Sukoku one which would hardly need any gfx resource & another was an old dos game that was very blocky!

Is there a way you can test the effectiveness of your graphics cards? something like the 'Doom' & 'Quake' demo's I used to run to test framerate a while back?

By the way my CPU is an AMD athlon 3800+ 64 processor & I've got 1 gb of RAM.

not sure what my sound card is, Audigy rings a bell but not sure what spec!? EDIT:(it's a Creative SB Audigy 2 Zs WDM)

Cheers, Bellatrix :)

[Lukus]

It may just be the fact that when you run a game, or full screen application, that because its using more CPU power and gfx that they're overheating. There are plenty of benchmark programs out there that'll give your gfx cards / cpu a good run through. Do you notice any change in run time when the computer has been off for a while? ie. time to cool down. Although its only been a year, thats still more than enough time for a fan to deteriate (spelling :/) - Do any of them make any odd noises at all? I'd still be inclined to think that they were the problem.

PS - Nice setup you've got there ;)

[bellatrix]

It may just be the fact that when you run a game, or full screen application, that because its using more CPU power and gfx that they're overheating. There are plenty of benchmark programs out there that'll give your gfx cards / cpu a good run through. Do you notice any change in run time when the computer has been off for a while? ie. time to cool down. Although its only been a year, thats still more than enough time for a fan to deteriate (spelling :/) - Do any of them make any odd noises at all? I'd still be inclined to think that they were the problem.

Thing was I used to get this when I first bought the computer but though it was a bug in the game so never said anything. So that's what makes me think it isn't an overheating problem. Also The Sudoku game I played is just text really, no graphics at all. This is what makes me think it is something to do with Windows XP and the way it handles games

PS - Nice setup you've got there ;)

Thanks :D I originally bought it as a serious games machine but alas, not so :(

Cheers, Bellatrix.