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8-second freezing every 2.5 minutes in BF1942

R

rof3

Member
A64 3000+
AOpen AK89 Max
MSI Radeon 9800 Pro (the one with the r360 core)
XP Home SP1
1GB Corsair PC3200 RAM


I went a few months without playing Battlefield, and ever since I started again I've been getting random freezing for about 8 seconds roughly every two and a half minutes, although both of those values vary. I have tried uninstalling software and closing processes and even went back to the drivers that came with my card (with which I didn't used to have this problem), but I am still having the problem. If anyone can suggest something I would greatly appreciate it. Incidentally, I didn't get the problem with HL2, but then again I haven't played HL2 since a week or two before I started playing BF again. I am wondering if it could be my Radeon overheating since sometimes (maybe about 1/2 the time) when this happens, I hear a whir for a second or two and then a faint click from my case right before it unfreezes. However, I find it hard to believe since my CPU loads at 47 and idles at about 38, and my case temp as I write this is 32. Also, I installed WindowBlinds, ObjectDock, and Samurize after I beat HL2 but before I picked up BF again, but I get the problem whether or not they're running. I also had a process call wmiprvse that had shown up, which is apparently sometimes an innocent WMI service and sometimes malware, but I've gotten rid of it and still have the problem in BF. So if anyone can give me some advice that would be much appreciated.

Oh, I have also tried updating to the latest ATI drivers, but that introduced a slew of new problems (basically that the drivers didn't work), which is why I reinstalled the ones on my MSI CD. I would rather get BF working than the new drivers, although if I could do both of those things at once that would be fine.

Thanks for any help.
 
This motherboard has a fan-speed utility called SilenTek, apparently. That might be what you're hearing, and it might just be taking cycles away from your game by throttling up or down. You might want to experiment by turning it off altogether.
 
Ah, fascinating. I presume I'd disable that in my BIOS...I'm not going to interrupt my download by closing Windows right now but I'll try it as soon as it's done. Thanks for the help.
 
I believe the bios controlls the SilenTek until the operating system boots. So, disabling it there might not be all you need to do. You'd have to see if it was being activated as a program/application in XP. I know there's a Silentek control panel for it.
 
In that case I'm inclined to believe I don't have it installed. I've never seen a control panel before and I've never seen a process running with a similar name...in fact I just looked through my running processes and I know what they all are, so maybe Silentek isn't the problem. Could there be a way to check the temp of my video card? I also happen to have some tiny blue Thermaltake heatsinks (about 2cmx1cm) that I never put anywhere, if the problem is my Radeon then could sticking them somewhere on it work? And where would be the best place to put them...the heatsink?
Thanks again for all the help.
 
Those heatsinks are probably for mosfet chips, but I guess you could apply them on any chip.

However, to your point of monitoring the temperature, the "ATI Overdrive" component of the Catalyst software is supposed to provide that functionality. I am an Nvidia person, so I can't speak to that, but that's what I've read.
 
They're actually intended for RAM sticks, but yes they can be put anywhere.

I'll have to go and reinstall the ATI stuff then, I removed everything except the display driver in my frustration. I have class now but I'll do it later.


Edit: Just installed the latest drivers on the MSI site (8.05 I think) rather than the ones from ATI's site...had some slowdown and crappy display (icons had grey stuff around them, etc) but it's fine after switching to 32-bit color from 16.

I get an annoying error trying to install Catalyst stuff, it's just an error code, 0x80040707. Couldn't find anything useful about it on Google...
 
Sure you aren't encountering the "Punkbuster freeze" issue? It sounds like it to me. Especially if the "freeze" occurs on a regular periodic cycle like that. Does this occur also when you are just at your desktop, or only when gaming and/or online gaming? To rule out temps/overheating/throttling, try running some looping 3DMark and possibly also Prime95 in the background to load the CPU.

I hear a whir for a second or two and then a faint click from my case right before it unfreezes
Click to expand...
That could be a sign that your HD is having trouble, as if the HD needs to re-read a sector, sometimes the entire computer will seemingly "freeze", as Windows' tries to read from the non-responsive HD.

You don't say who made your HD, but you can download a bootable floppy diagnostic disk from the mfg's web site, "Data Lifeguard" for WD, and "PowerMax" (not "MaxBlast") for Maxtor, and SeaTools for Seagate. Do a full read-only surface-scan of the HD and see if it detects any bad sectors.

I would also evaluate whether your current power-supply (PSU) is good enough. With your rig running at full-tilt, it's remotely possible that a dip in available power might cause the HD to have issues too, although generally if that happens, the HD will effectively reboot itself, and you can hear it making the same sort of spin-up and re-calibration noises that it makes when first powering-up. Those noises are slightly different than the noises that it would make if there is a bad sector on the HD trying to re-read - in that case, it's generally a few repeated clicks, and not usually a spin-up noise, unless Windows' resets the IDE ports due to unresponsiveness, which it usually takes several minutes before it does that.
 
Sure you aren't encountering the "Punkbuster freeze" issue?
Click to expand...

This probelms sounds alot like what virtuallarry suggested. I assume this freezing occurs when your playing online. You should try playing single player and see if it freezes, that way you can tell if its your internet and punkbuster causing the problem or your computer.
 
All good advice, thanks guys. Here's a little more info:


HD problems: I've heard the repeated clicking caused by a damaged HDD and it's not the same noise...My HDD is a Samsung 160GB 7200RPM, not sure of the model.

Punkbuster: Maybe. I've never heard of this issue before, so I don't know, the only thing that makes me question that is the noise in my case...but then if Punkbuster is causing my PC to freeze for a few seconds, maybe something in there slows down and has to start back up six seconds later. Does that sound reasonable?

PSU: I have an Antec SOHO file server that came with a 420 (maybe 400) watt Antec PSU. Should be cutting the mustard, no? I just took a look and my fans are powered by one long chain of Molexes and my two HDD's seem to have their own, straight out of the PSU. I didn't pay that much attention to it when I put my PC together though...

Also, in relation, I heard the whirrrrrrr...click thing logging onto Windows earlier, so maybe I just have something in my case that does that when it's working hard. Windows didn't freeze at all though... 😕
 
Never heard of Punkbuster myself, but since I only do Quake2, that might account for that. Anyway, ATI has a FAQ about this:

http://www.ati.com/support/infobase/4701.html, which says:

Games hang using PunkBuster Online Gaming Servers
The information in this article applies to the following configurations:
RADEON 9500 or Higher
PunkBuster Online Gaming Servers
Windows XP, Windows 2000
Random hanging has been observed with certain games on certain systems when using the PunkBuster server.

To resolve this issue, download and install CATALYST 4.12 display drivers or higher.

INFO-BASE# 4701

KEYWORDS: RADEON PC Games hang PunkBuster Online Gaming Servers Server

 
Originally posted by: rof3
Also, in relation, I heard the whirrrrrrr...click thing logging onto Windows earlier, so maybe I just have something in my case that does that when it's working hard. Windows didn't freeze at all though... 😕
Click to expand...
That sounds like the HD then, definately you will want to download and run the mfg's diag boot disk on that HD.

Do you have more than one HD?
 
Yeah, I have an old HDD I ripped out of a five year old Dell PC that I run Linux on...shouldn't mount when I boot Window though.

When I try and install the latest Catalyst drivers (full package) I get an error (0x80040707) at the beginning of the installation. I can install all the parts seperately but then the Catalyst Control Center doesn't work. And - I am still having this problem. I'm going to check playing offline right now and see what happens.
 
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