No Games Will Play - Ever - They all freeze on start-up

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

Okay Guys - I have posted this on another forum - several
months back, and generally got the answer that it was
overheating or a virus - it's neither. I actually went
shopping last night for a new computer - but got sticker
shock so wanted to give it one last shot before I trashed
my computer.
By the way, I called ANOTHER reputable computer shop in
this area and he said he has seen this several times
before and don't bother bringing it in - he can't fix it!
Here goes:

Guys, I am almost out of my mind with this! I haven't been
able to play a PC game in months! They freeze on start-up
or just seconds later. All of them. This started with ME;
I hesitantly upgraded to XP. No help. I resinstalled XP
from scratch. Same thing. I have added a relatively high-
end sound card, a video card, I have run every diagnostic
tool, I have updated every driver; I have reconfigured; I
have tried every setting. I have searched the net; I have
reinstalled just about everything. Virus checker is good
and so is spyware. The computer has even been to the shop -
$75 - and they had no clue. He said he tried everything
(I tried to negotiate the price - since the computer was
in the same state it was when I took it to him - but
that's another story....) I realize this isn't enough
information, and I can't even remember now what I had been
doing on the computer about the time all this started
happening. I have recently dreamed of trashing my very
decent (except for this) Compaq Presario 5001, but I
thought I might put out a line and see if any techies out
there would take pity on me and take on a challenge and
see if they could help me figure out just what the problem
is. Everything else on the PC works fine - but my main
source of pleasure in life is playing PC games! I am
tempted to say "REWARD" and I WILL reward somebody who
helps - if only through my extreme admiration and awe of
your problem-solving abilities (we can talk money if you
actually help me fix it :-) Thanks! - Mike
 
Hi Mike,

Since your situation seems more hardware/driver related, start
with Step 5, then go through Steps 6 to 8 before anything else.
I hope this helps. Please post back if you have any questions! :-)

1. To see if it's a software conflict: Temporarily disable Startup
programs one at a time, starting with Firewall, Antivirus, and ad
blockers using: http://new.jtsoft2001.com/windows/startup.php

You can lookup what a program does before you disable it here:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm

2. Run a virus scan at: http://housecall.antivirus.com Afterwards
Download & Run Spybot from: http://security.kolla.de to find any
Trojans, Adware, or Spyware which could clog up your system.

3. Click My Computer / Rightclick the Drive & Choose Properties
/ Run the "Disk Cleanup..." / Next Click the "Tools" Tab and run
the "Error-Checking" and "Defragmentation" utilities.

4. Go to the Windows Update site for everything under Critical and
Recommended: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
Except: Q811943 which reportedly may cause systems to slowdown.

5. Update DirectX and your Chipset, Sound, &Video Drivers:
For all Video / DirectX / Game and Hardware Issues, I have a
Checklist of Solutions at: http://NibblesNbitsVideo.tk

6. Dust your fans, vents and components using a 1/4" paintbrush
and a hose vacuum. Use compressed air for hard to reach places.
Set a housefan to blow cold air into your case to expose an over-
heating issue.. If it works add more fans or replace defective ones.
Use this Mainboard Monitoring Utility: http://mbm.livewiredev.com

7. A faulty power supply can cause STOP errors, random reboots,
and black screen lockups. One way to test for that is to remove all
extra devices, network cards, extra RAM sticks, modem, scussi,
sound card, unplug CD drives (if not needed to verify CD), and then
try the game again. If the problem is solved look into a 400 watt P/S.

8. Test your RAM using: http://www.memtest86.com/memt30.zip
after you extract that zip file, click on the README.txt file for the
instructions on how to create the boot floppy to test your RAM.
* Allow Windows to control your pagefile at a "system managed size".
Be sure there's enough space for the pagefile size to = 1.5 * your RAM
Bonus Tip: Set the pagefile to it's own partition or hard drive if possible.

9. Click Start / Control Panel /Administrative Tools / Event Viewer /
Click the Applications listing on the left / in the right pane look for
yellow or red symbols and doubleclick them to identify any problems.

10. Run Setup.exe on your Windows 98/Me/XP/2000 CD to reinstall
Windows over itself without erasing your programs and data. Once
everything works fine reinstall updates one at a time from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com test the game after each update.

11. If you have room on one of your partitions, use it to install another
clean installation of Windows which you can gradually update with the
appropriate chipset, video, and sound drivers, as well as Direct X, but
with no extras including themes, firewalls, antivirus, etc. You may have
to reinstall the game(s) for use with that partition, but it's well worth it.

12. If you don't have enough space for step 10 I suggest you at least
create a new administrators account with no themes, firewall, antivirus,
or any other software or startup programs installed for that account. If
this solves the problem, then you should switch over to the new account.

--
Cheers,
Jimmy S.

Additional Support Resources: My Zone.com Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk
Microsoft Online Tech Support: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=376
Game FAQ's: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| Okay Guys - I have posted this on another forum - several
| months back, and generally got the answer that it was
| overheating or a virus - it's neither. I actually went
| shopping last night for a new computer - but got sticker
| shock so wanted to give it one last shot before I trashed
| my computer.
| By the way, I called ANOTHER reputable computer shop in
| this area and he said he has seen this several times
| before and don't bother bringing it in - he can't fix it!
| Here goes:
|
| Guys, I am almost out of my mind with this! I haven't been
| able to play a PC game in months! They freeze on start-up
| or just seconds later. All of them. This started with ME;
| I hesitantly upgraded to XP. No help. I resinstalled XP
| from scratch. Same thing. I have added a relatively high-
| end sound card, a video card, I have run every diagnostic
| tool, I have updated every driver; I have reconfigured; I
| have tried every setting. I have searched the net; I have
| reinstalled just about everything. Virus checker is good
| and so is spyware. The computer has even been to the shop -
| $75 - and they had no clue. He said he tried everything
| (I tried to negotiate the price - since the computer was
| in the same state it was when I took it to him - but
| that's another story....) I realize this isn't enough
| information, and I can't even remember now what I had been
| doing on the computer about the time all this started
| happening. I have recently dreamed of trashing my very
| decent (except for this) Compaq Presario 5001, but I
| thought I might put out a line and see if any techies out
| there would take pity on me and take on a challenge and
| see if they could help me figure out just what the problem
| is. Everything else on the PC works fine - but my main
| source of pleasure in life is playing PC games! I am
| tempted to say "REWARD" and I WILL reward somebody who
| helps - if only through my extreme admiration and awe of
| your problem-solving abilities (we can talk money if you
| actually help me fix it :-) Thanks! - Mike
|
|
|
 
Please reply if you find a solution because I am having
the exact same problem. Have tried just about everything
and nothing seems to work, just some mysterious driver
error but all drivers are updated and all manufacturers
have been notified but no replys as yet. Good Luck to ya
BD
 
Hi BnD,

His solution might not be the same solution as your need for
your system, even though the problem is similar. Try the
troubleshooting steps I posted to see if you can isolate it.

--
Cheers,
Jimmy S.

Additional Support Resources: My Zone.com Helpsite: http://nibblesnbits.tk
Microsoft Online Tech Support: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=376
Game FAQ's: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________

| Please reply if you find a solution because I am having
| the exact same problem. Have tried just about everything
| and nothing seems to work, just some mysterious driver
| error but all drivers are updated and all manufacturers
| have been notified but no replys as yet. Good Luck to ya
| BD
| >-----Original Message-----
| >Okay Guys - I have posted this on another forum -
| several
| >months back, and generally got the answer that it was
| >overheating or a virus - it's neither. I actually went
| >shopping last night for a new computer - but got sticker
| >shock so wanted to give it one last shot before I
| trashed
| >my computer.
| >By the way, I called ANOTHER reputable computer shop in
| >this area and he said he has seen this several times
| >before and don't bother bringing it in - he can't fix
| it!
| >Here goes:
| >
| >Guys, I am almost out of my mind with this! I haven't
| been
| >able to play a PC game in months! They freeze on start-
| up
| >or just seconds later. All of them. This started with
| ME;
| >I hesitantly upgraded to XP. No help. I resinstalled XP
| >from scratch. Same thing. I have added a relatively high-
| >end sound card, a video card, I have run every
| diagnostic
| >tool, I have updated every driver; I have reconfigured;
| I
| >have tried every setting. I have searched the net; I
| have
| >reinstalled just about everything. Virus checker is good
| >and so is spyware. The computer has even been to the
| shop -
| > $75 - and they had no clue. He said he tried everything
| >(I tried to negotiate the price - since the computer was
| >in the same state it was when I took it to him - but
| >that's another story....) I realize this isn't enough
| >information, and I can't even remember now what I had
| been
| >doing on the computer about the time all this started
| >happening. I have recently dreamed of trashing my very
| >decent (except for this) Compaq Presario 5001, but I
| >thought I might put out a line and see if any techies
| out
| >there would take pity on me and take on a challenge and
| >see if they could help me figure out just what the
| problem
| >is. Everything else on the PC works fine - but my main
| >source of pleasure in life is playing PC games! I am
| >tempted to say "REWARD" and I WILL reward somebody who
| >helps - if only through my extreme admiration and awe of
| >your problem-solving abilities (we can talk money if you
| >actually help me fix it :-) Thanks! - Mike
| >
| >
| >
| >.
| >
 
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