weird problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter john
  • Start date Start date
J

john

i have a leadtek fx5950 installed and it appears to work fine until i try to
play
games.
ie c&c generals,x2,perimeter etc
the game loads fine then the pc shuts down
no warning messages or temperature warnings
have replaced the psu (400w)
have reloaded xp and used the latest drivers
specs.
p4 2.4 ghz
1gb pc2700 ram
dvd drive
dvd writer
2x120gb hdd
windowxp

any thoughts?
tia john
 
john said:
i have a leadtek fx5950 installed and it appears to work fine until i try to
play
games.
ie c&c generals,x2,perimeter etc
the game loads fine then the pc shuts down
no warning messages or temperature warnings
Click to expand...

Check the system even logs (admin tools in control panel).
 
john said:
i have a leadtek fx5950 installed and it appears to work fine until i try to
play
games.
ie c&c generals,x2,perimeter etc
the game loads fine then the pc shuts down
no warning messages or temperature warnings
Click to expand...

Check the system event logs (admin tools in control panel).
 
David Maynard said:
Check the system even logs (admin tools in control panel).
Click to expand...
nothing of note in the event logs, the shutdown is almost as if i have
pulled out the power cable

tia john
 
john said:
try to

nothing of note in the event logs, the shutdown is almost as if i have
pulled out the power cable

tia john
Click to expand...

Well, what distinguishes a 'game' is AGP use by the graphics card, which
could be a driver issue or memory timing in BIOS.

Put your memory timings at the slowest and see if that makes a difference.

Your AGP port drivers show okay in device manager?
 
i have a leadtek fx5950 installed and it appears to work fine until i try to
play
games.
ie c&c generals,x2,perimeter etc
the game loads fine then the pc shuts down
no warning messages or temperature warnings
have replaced the psu (400w)
have reloaded xp and used the latest drivers
specs.
p4 2.4 ghz
1gb pc2700 ram
dvd drive
dvd writer
2x120gb hdd
windowxp

any thoughts?
tia john
Click to expand...

I would ask in the nvidia newsgroup. I don't know how much power this
card consumes, but as I recall the newest cards pull more power in 3d
mode. Could be that the 400w supply just isn't able to supply enough
current at the proper voltage, overloading, and shutting itself down.
Could also be a duff card I suppose.

MT
 
i have a leadtek fx5950 installed and it appears to work fine until i try to
play
games.
ie c&c generals,x2,perimeter etc
the game loads fine then the pc shuts down
no warning messages or temperature warnings
have replaced the psu (400w)
have reloaded xp and used the latest drivers
specs.
p4 2.4 ghz
1gb pc2700 ram
dvd drive
dvd writer
2x120gb hdd
windowxp

any thoughts?
tia john
Click to expand...

By "shuts down", you mean that it completely powers OFF, not a crash or
reset, correct?

A system shutting off would not be a driver or WinXP issue, at least no
issues that come to mind at the moment, it would be a rare thing. You
write that there were no warning messages but have you checked temps?

How about the video card fan, is it confirmed working?

Are these power supply(s) known adequate, name-brand or generic?

Have you checked voltage readings with software monitor program or
preferribly with a multimeter, particularly when loading up these games
that crash?

I suppose it is implied that you are not overclocking at the moment,
especially not the video card.

How long has the system exhibited this problem, and how long since built,
how new is it?
Had it ever ran without this problem, and if so, what has changed?

Does it ever shut down or exhibit other (potentially related) problems
other than in games?
 
kony said:
By "shuts down", you mean that it completely powers OFF, not a crash or
reset, correct?

A system shutting off would not be a driver or WinXP issue, at least no
issues that come to mind at the moment, it would be a rare thing. You
write that there were no warning messages but have you checked temps?

How about the video card fan, is it confirmed working?

Are these power supply(s) known adequate, name-brand or generic?

Have you checked voltage readings with software monitor program or
preferribly with a multimeter, particularly when loading up these games
that crash?

I suppose it is implied that you are not overclocking at the moment,
especially not the video card.

How long has the system exhibited this problem, and how long since built,
how new is it?
Had it ever ran without this problem, and if so, what has changed?

Does it ever shut down or exhibit other (potentially related) problems
other than in games?
Click to expand...
yes shuts down like a power failure
power supply replaced as i thought the original 350w may have been the cause
never overclocked
exhibited for approx the last week
system built approx 8months vid card replaced when purchased x2 the threat
around 6months ago
never happened before only change was newest drivers reverting to original
drivers has had no effect
have no other problems
all fans checked and working and free from dust(first thing i checked)
hope this helps more
have already posted in nvidia group and so far had little help and contacted
support at nvidia but so far no reply

tia john
 
yes shuts down like a power failure
Click to expand...

Then it probably IS a power failure...
power supply replaced as i thought the original 350w may have been the cause
Click to expand...

But you didn't address the question I asked, is it a decent name-brand
power supply? What brand/make/model?
never overclocked
exhibited for approx the last week
system built approx 8months vid card replaced when purchased x2 the threat
around 6months ago
never happened before only change was newest drivers reverting to original
drivers has had no effect
Click to expand...

You could set WinXP to not restart on errors, but that does not seem to be
the problem but here's how to disable that if you hadn't already:


Open System Properties (right-click My Computer), select "Properties"

Click "Advanced" tab, then "Startup and Recovery".

Uncheck "Automatic Reboot"
have no other problems
all fans checked and working and free from dust(first thing i checked)
hope this helps more
have already posted in nvidia group and so far had little help and contacted
support at nvidia but so far no reply
Click to expand...

nVidia driver should not cause this, so the fact that it's an nVidia card
has no bearing, though IF there were a defect or failure on the card then
"Maybe" it'd cause this, but a similar problem with any brand of card
would do so, not just an nVidia card. My initial impression is that your
power supply is inadequate else the AGP power circuit on your motherboard
is dying.... more likely the power supply.
 
kony said:
Then it probably IS a power failure...
cause

But you didn't address the question I asked, is it a decent name-brand
power supply? What brand/make/model?


You could set WinXP to not restart on errors, but that does not seem to be
the problem but here's how to disable that if you hadn't already:


Open System Properties (right-click My Computer), select "Properties"

Click "Advanced" tab, then "Startup and Recovery".

Uncheck "Automatic Reboot"


nVidia driver should not cause this, so the fact that it's an nVidia card
has no bearing, though IF there were a defect or failure on the card then
"Maybe" it'd cause this, but a similar problem with any brand of card
would do so, not just an nVidia card. My initial impression is that your
power supply is inadequate else the AGP power circuit on your motherboard
is dying.... more likely the power supply.
Click to expand...

sorry about that.
the psu is a q-tec 400w twin fan
the original was a 350w unknown brand already fitted in the case on purchase
and oops that was support at leadtek
tia
 
During hot weather the tupe expands thuus making the picture
look smaller.
Don't worry it is the same size in real life.
 
It's probably what I'd call an inexpensive (cheap) '400 Watt' power supply
unit which puts out nowhere near 400 watts into a real world load. I would
invest in a high quality 430 Watt Antec Tru Power power supply that is VERY
conservatively rated for your system.
 
sorry about that.
the psu is a q-tec 400w twin fan
the original was a 350w unknown brand already fitted in the case on purchase
and oops that was support at leadtek
tia
Click to expand...

Relatively speaking, Q-tec are junk. It wouldn't even be surprising if
the Q-tec was the same design, in a different fancier casing for sale as a
retail unit.

Maybe I'm wrong, it happens... I'd hate to have you buy another PSU if
that isn't the cause, so it'd be better to borrow one if possible, but buy
a name-brand, that is, the name of a power supply manufacturer, not a
relabel for some assurance of accurate wattage rating. PC Power &
Cooling, Antec, Sparkle, Fortron, Delta, are names to look at. Enermax is
not, they're better than generics but overrated, undercapacity compared
to the other aforementioned brands.
 
kony said:
Relatively speaking, Q-tec are junk. It wouldn't even be surprising if
the Q-tec was the same design, in a different fancier casing for sale as a
retail unit.

Maybe I'm wrong, it happens... I'd hate to have you buy another PSU if
that isn't the cause, so it'd be better to borrow one if possible, but buy
a name-brand, that is, the name of a power supply manufacturer, not a
relabel for some assurance of accurate wattage rating. PC Power &
Cooling, Antec, Sparkle, Fortron, Delta, are names to look at. Enermax is
not, they're better than generics but overrated, undercapacity compared
to the other aforementioned brands.
Click to expand...

thanks to all for the help and advice
have plumped for an antec 480w psu even leadtek advised checking the psu

john
 
john said:
never happened before only change was newest drivers reverting to original
drivers has had no effect
have no other problems
all fans checked and working and free from dust(first thing i checked)
hope this helps more
have already posted in nvidia group and so far had little help and contacted
support at nvidia but so far no reply >tia john
Click to expand...

I had a problem like that for a period of about 3 weeks. It wouldn't
shut down every day or even every two days, until the last time it
shut down one day & then the next. No clue.

So I did a couple of things. I made sure the computer had a nice
thick & plugged all the way in solid power cord all to itself. &
someone told me to reset my cable modem - sounds silly, but I did it
(shut it off, along with shutting off my computer, let it sit, then
turned it back on again). I also went into all of my media players
(WinAmp. WMP, & RealPlayer) & made sure nothing was cross selected as
to what played what kind of file.

All desperate stuff. But I never have had that type of crash or
shut-down since. When it happened, I'd hear a "click" from the
computer & it was off).

Big Mac
 
Big said:
I had a problem like that for a period of about 3 weeks. It wouldn't
shut down every day or even every two days, until the last time it
shut down one day & then the next. No clue.

So I did a couple of things. I made sure the computer had a nice
thick & plugged all the way in solid power cord all to itself. &
someone told me to reset my cable modem - sounds silly, but I did it
(shut it off, along with shutting off my computer, let it sit, then
turned it back on again). I also went into all of my media players
(WinAmp. WMP, & RealPlayer) & made sure nothing was cross selected as
to what played what kind of file.

All desperate stuff. But I never have had that type of crash or
shut-down since. When it happened, I'd hear a "click" from the
computer & it was off).

Big Mac
Click to expand...

Interesting and it reminds me of a harrowing experience I had quite a while
back. The machine I was using suddenly locked up and things went from bad
to worse till it finally responded with "what hard drive?" on a boot
attempt. Couldn't do an install either, on that OR a new hard drive. I am
not kidding when I say I eventuality went to the extreme of building
another box (partly because I never did much trust that motherboard) only
to have it do the same kinds of bizarre things.

Turned out to be a faulty power strip which, in full compliance with
Murphy's law, was the best one I had at the time, complete with EMI and
surge protection. My 'protector' had become the 'destroyer'.

(Btw, I HAD 'checked' power up front but it's dern hard to find a 'glitch'
that occurs with a random frequency of, say, one per 10-30 minutes, without
a power line recorder.)
 
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