HELP!!! My Monitor Shuts off During game Play

[Paveslave]

I have a weird problem that just started a couple days ago. First it started with my games freezing up during play. I would have to press escape and get out of them (this is during online play). Now after about 30 minutes of play my monitor shuts off but I can still hear my game playing in the background. I can't do anything to fix it except restart my computer using the main power button. I have defragged, reloaded every driver, ran every benchmark thinkable, and I am coming up with nothing. I am running Cat 3.7 Drivers and I only play with everything in my start menu disabled. What is going on, is my video card shot?

 

[Dustswirl]

it sounds like a refresh rate problem, try finding out what's your monitor's capabilities then fix your refresh rates depending on your resolution (in-game resolution) using "monitor's attributes"
[Diplay properties>>Advanced>>Displays>>Monitor>>Monitor Proprieties>>Monitor Attributes]

i hope this helps

cheers

 

[Paveslave]

I have my monitor settings on the max my video card supports which is a refresh rate of 100 mhz. This is the same setting that I've had for a long time. My deskto is at 800x600 while during gameplay I am at 1024x768. I can't think this would be the problem now since it's been that way for 6 months with no problem.

 

[NYHoustonman]

Power supply?

 

[Tab]

I have the same problem with my 8500 (I think its going defective with the arifacts I am getting ) Are you sure the game is still playing or it frooze? Trying played the game at 800x600.

 

[Ravenit]

Maybe you need more ram
LOL

 

[Paveslave]

Originally posted by: Ravenit
Maybe you need more ram
LOL

HaHa,
No, maybe not more but I was thinking it might have something to do with a defective stick or somehting like that. The only thing is that I've run ram tests and utilities and everything shows up fine.
I have a truepower 550 PS, so I don't think that is the problem. Well, I am removing everything I can including games I don't play that much until I figure this thing out.

 

[tenoc]

What monitor? Does it support the 100mhz refresh rate?

 

[Paveslave]

Originally posted by: tenoc
What monitor? Does it support the 100mhz refresh rate?

MAG... and it does support 100 mhz at 800x600. It supports 85 mhz at 1024 x 768.

 

[NEVERwinter]

then set it to 85Hz @ 1024x768 when you play games...

 

[Paveslave]

Originally posted by: NEVERwinter
then set it to 85Hz @ 1024x768 when you play games...

I would but that wouldn't solve my problem since it's been fine up till now. This problem just started and I'm trying to figure out the culprit. I have since then reconfigured some drivers and reloaded bios so i will see what happens there.

 

[tenoc]

I'm trying to figure out the culprit

The culprit may be the monitor! It may be tired of running at 100.

 

[tenoc]

Seriously, try another (newer, known-good) monitor to isolate possible causes. Monitors can fail after a while.

 

[NEVERwinter]

well my reply was based on your words >> "MAG... and it does support 100 mhz at 800x600. It supports 85 mhz at 1024 x 768."
see? it only supports 85Hz @ 1024x768.

it's the same as my monitor, officially supports 85Hz @ 1152x864. I can run it on 100Hz but it will say something like "might damage your monitor" so I never set it to 100Hz @ 1152x864.

 

[cockeyed]

I had the same problem. I was running a Ti4200 at the time. I solved it, but was never sure of the exact cause. I would put your system back into specification and turn off (or default) everything that has to do with power saving, either in the BIOS or video properties. If the problem goes away, then you know it is caused by one of them. Go back to the previous settings one at a time until it acts up again; the process of elimination. In my case, I think it might have been caused by a Videocard cooling fan that was slowing down, but I was never sure of this.

 

[Paveslave]

Originally posted by: NEVERwinter
well my reply was based on your words >> "MAG... and it does support 100 mhz at 800x600. It supports 85 mhz at 1024 x 768."
see? it only supports 85Hz @ 1024x768.

it's the same as my monitor, officially supports 85Hz @ 1152x864. I can run it on 100Hz but it will say something like "might damage your monitor" so I never set it to 100Hz @ 1152x864.

I understand what you are getting at, but when my monitor switches to 1024X768 during gameplay it goes down to 85 mhz. That's why my monitor flickers and changes size when I get into a game because I am running my desktop at 800X600.
If I change the setting in desktop it automatically changes my setting to 85mhz as well. Besides that I always keep that box checked that says to show only modes that my monitor supports.

Besides all this though, I fixed the problem. I am embarrassed to say that for a while now I have been accidentaly playing UT2003 with Norton Firewall and antivirus running in the background. I forgot to change the settings when I reinstalled them. I am just happy that it was nothing serious. Oops on me, huh? Thanks for all the input though.