Increasing issues w/ new PC

[Overkast]

I've had this new PC for about 2 months now. I had some issues with it in the beginning, but troubleshooting usually led to RAM timings. I believe I slowed my RAM timings down to stable operating speeds (2-3-2-7).

But now I'm having some wierd video issues:

1) Once in a while my screen will lose the picture and turn black for 4 seconds, then the picture of my desktop reappears.

2) Also, WinXP is starting to lag like a 1st-person shooter game on 56K dialup. A few times it lagged so bad that everything froze and I had to restart the PC manually.

Is this a video card issue?

Here's my system specs:

P4 2.4c
Intel D875PBZ mobo
Mushkin 1GB PC3500 Level 2
2 SATA Raptors
NVIDIA (PNY) GeoForce 4 Ti 4400 128MB
Soundblaster Audigy LS
Allied TRUEPOWER 550w PSU
WinXP Pro

 

[Overkast]

bump

 

[Johnbear007]

Originally posted by: Overkast
bump

Thats an older vid card. Try swapping and see if it may be failing.

 

[sniperruff]

there is a chinese saying that says "if you don't know how to walk, don't try to run"

seems like you are not very familiar with hardware so why not leave everything at default? adjusting memory settings? you'd be bound to blow something one of these days no offense

and yes it might be a video driver issue. try the one that came with the video card first, amd if it works, i'd leave it

 

[Overkast]

I'm not UNfamiliar with hardware, but I'm not a Computer Science major either. I know more than the average Joe however.

My RAM is a little too fast for the Intel mobo. Setting everything to default made the mobo detect the RAM at 2-2-2-6 timings (advertised speed by Mushkin). But my mobo can't handle this RAM at those aggressive timings. The actual RATED speed of the RAM is 2-3-2-6... and I seem to have achieved stability at 2-3-2-7, which is close enough. Also, "default" settings enable CPC Override, and that also contributes to instability with my system... So I definitely need to do this regardless of what the Chinese say.

But back on topic... I bought this video card about 2 years ago. Isn't that a little too short of a lifespan for a vid card to be dying already???

 

[Slammy1]

Originally posted by: Overkast


But back on topic... I bought this video card about 2 years ago. Isn't that a little too short of a lifespan for a vid card to be dying already???

LOL. You are a nOOb. But, seriously, try the Motherboards section here and search for your MoBo. IIRC, there are some BIOS issues you should concern yourself with. Also, check your video driver install. Other than that I hust wanted to point out the humor in your statement in light of how many here upgraded from a 9700Pro to a 9800Pro...

 

[Overkast]

I'm glad you find me humorous. I wasn't inferring that my video card was of latest technology, I meant actual LIFE SPAN... just in case you misunderstood me.

I'm quite aware my video card is obsolete... but I don't think a vid card should be dying only after 2 years of use.

But anyway, thanks for the advice. The n00b insults I could have done without... I thought this was a friendlier place than that.

 

[Slammy1]

I wasn't insulting you, I was just pointingout that many here have a much shorter lifespan on their components. Meh, take it as you want it does not confront me. When I upgraded to Win2k, I found my video card, sound card, and printer had limited or no functionality, all of which were purchased in the prior 18 months.

 

[foofoo]

to be back more or less on topic....
have you checked the event viewer logs for errors? if so, what errors do you see?
do you get an ide disk access light during the slowdowns?
this definitely sounds like it could be video card related. and unfortunately, i've had video cards go bad in less than two years.
try taking the video card out and examining the capacitors on the card. there was a time while the 4400 and other gf4 cards were being manufactured that some bad capacitors were being used and they usually failed after some months-year. if any of the capacitors are bulging or even have cracked open, this is probably the problem. (this happened to two cards that i had).

good luck

 

[Matthias99]

I take it you've already checked for viruses/spyware? That's usually my first suspicion when system performance suddenly tanks, or is slowly degrading over time.

I would try another video card, though. I know they *should* last more than 2 years (many new cards come with a 3-year warranty), but hardware *does* go bad occasionally. I have a Ti4600 that's about a year and a half old and I haven't had a problem with it (other than that it's too slow for new games now )

 

[Overkast]

Yeah, I checked for virus/spyware right away and didn't find anything wrong... most likely it is the video card causing the problem. I haven't looked at the event log though... I'll have to check that out (as well as the capacitors) tonight.

I think I'll also try re-installing the original (old) drivers that came with the card as well. Even though NVIDIA "claims" that their drivers are all backwards compatible, its possible that the new 52.16 driver is just too new for my card.

If I do end up having to buy a new vid card tho, I can't drop too much money to get a "latest and greatest" one unfortunately. I may have to settle for a Radeon 9600 Pro; It's like $172 at newegg right now. Not a bad price for that particular card, right?

Thanks for the feedback... much appreciated as always.

 

[waylman]

u run memtest yet?

 

[Overkast]

Nope. I'll try that too.

 

[thunderhorse]

Overkast, you don't have to spend all that kind of money if it will put you in a cash shortage. I'm mainly a gamer and I built a new system. Amd XP 2700, PC 2700 memory and a Radon 9000, and I haven't had any problems. I play graphic intense games such Unreal 2, MOHAA, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, etc. The 9000 only cost me $89 + tax. It's only a suggestion but sometimes they help. Good luck on your endevor.

 

[Overkast]

Thanks thunderhorse. Out of curiosity, does a 9000 beat out my Ti 4400 in performance?

 

[Amorphus]

Originally posted by: Slammy1

Originally posted by: Overkast


But back on topic... I bought this video card about 2 years ago. Isn't that a little too short of a lifespan for a vid card to be dying already???

LOL. You are a nOOb. But, seriously, try the Motherboards section here and search for your MoBo. IIRC, there are some BIOS issues you should concern yourself with. Also, check your video driver install. Other than that I hust wanted to point out the humor in your statement in light of how many here upgraded from a 9700Pro to a 9800Pro...

don't be a jerk.


Overkast - might be a cpu overheat issue, and it does sound like your video card is starting to die. the rated lifespan of a video card is just the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures), so your video card may arrive dead, and it may live for 100 years.

 

[Slammy1]

I really don't understand this knee jerk reaction, but I am starting to be bothered. Have you guys read some of the topics here and seen what flaming is, or are you just trying to cast my statements in such a light so as you can insult me? I'm curious, and starting to be bothered as I already mentioned.

 

[BIGHOGJEEPatYAHOO]

If your going to try a new video card try the radeon 9800se its around 150 bucks. This is how i got my bios configured you can try it. The card is about the same as a 9700 <---------which is overpriced.

Leave ram at default

Dram Ratio (cpuram) 5/4

agp ratio fixed

fixed agp 66/33 <----------- very important

250/66/33 -- fsb of 250 at 5/4 ratio is really 200 fsb but cpu is overclocked to 3 gig. 3 gig is a good start.
you can leave your volts all at default except for your ram start at 2.7 and a retail heatsink and fan that comes with the cpu cools it just fine.

 

[thunderhorse]

Yes. Remember you are the one that has to live and play in front of that machine, not someone else. I could have built anything I wanted to and I'm not just saying that. My brother and I build a new machine about every 2 or 3 years, and the one thing we do is start from scratch. Nothing in the old machine is moved to the new one, and this method stops problems.
Build a machine that meets your needs on paper, period..... Then look at the equiptment available and go with the best you can afford. There is only one thing worse than going hungry,,,,,,,, it's your children going hungry. Ask me, I'll tell you. I gave up a motorcycle and 2 computers to bring us back to living within our means. Man am I long winded. It's your call.
Remember keep the shiny side up and the dirty side down.

 

[DrPizza]

Also, check to see if others have had the same types of problems with your motherboard and video card. I went through hell and back a couple weeks ago when doing a "simple" reformat and reinstall of windows... It was about the 5th time I did it, but I ran into horrible problems with an incompatibility between my motherboard and soundcard. (and, requests for help led to a general attitude of posters that I was doing it for the first time) I was almost convinced that I did something to the soundcard when I was cleaning dust out of the inside of the case; it had all the symptoms of being shot. It took me a week before I figured out the problem and got it to work.

 

[OverVolt]

My vote goes to Powersupply <- check this out, test your computer with another one, and i bet it'll help your problems, it's a pain but it's always good to check. I've had lots of rigs act really weird for no reason (the lag like 56k FPS sounds familiar )

Nice Rig BTW i was mad when my rig had problems at first, it because of faulty Asus SATA RAID Drivers

 

[Overkast]

Originally posted by: OverVolt
My vote goes to Powersupply <- check this out, test your computer with another one, and i bet it'll help your problems, it's a pain but it's always good to check. I've had lots of rigs act really weird for no reason (the lag like 56k FPS sounds familiar )

Nice Rig BTW i was mad when my rig had problems at first, it because of faulty Asus SATA RAID Drivers

Thanks OverVolt... it's a great rig when it's actually working properly :-/

It sounds strange to me though... how would a bad power supply make WinXP lag? Also, the video flickering problem doesn't seem like it would be the PSU because it's not like the machine physically shuts down.... it just black screens for 4 seconds and comes right back to WinXP.

The more I think about it, its' gotta be a vid card problem.

 

[Overkast]

Well guys, it turned out to be my video card afterall. I just figured I'd reply and put some closure (for once) on this thread.

Turns out that I ordered my Radeon 9600 just in the nick of time... 1 day after I ordered it on newegg, my Ti 4400 was so shot that I couldn't even get WinXP to stay on my monitor for more than 5 seconds after boot.

I got the 9600 installed last night, and I can already see a difference in clarity & crispness. I'm a happy camper now.

Thanks for all yer feedback on this one.