Inexplainable crashing.

[McCartney]

Hey guys

When I'm playing a graphically intensive game for a long time(Lets say 3-4 hours) the game freezes and the sound that I hear right before is consistently looped. Then the monitor goes dark as if it's off. I'm pretty certain this is a video card crash and I'm just looking to see if it's true.

It does not hit a bsod at all it just crashes with that sound loops and I have to hit the power button and hold it to do a hard shutdown and turn it on again.


Any suggestions?

thansk.

 

[thegorx]

are we talking XP ? then only one

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/920872

the audio make me think this might help as far as the video it might just be a result
it sounds like similar freezes I've dealt with.

you can use the msconfig Boot options to create a log
C:\WINDOWS\ntbtlog.txt

run msconfig goto Boot.ini highlight your xp listing in the boot.ini and check /Bootlog
hit ok then reboot goto the ntbtlog.txt select all and empty the contents
play games until it freezes - restart check the first thing on the log
if it's Kmixer.sys I'd say give the tip on the bottom of the KB page a try

"Note The drivers may not be updated during the installation on a Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer when the drivers are unsigned. In this case, Windows Update continually offers the package. To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. Download the update for Windows XP (KB920872). To do this, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://www.microsoft.com/downl...aylang=en&Hash=7LFJN64 (http://www.microsoft.com/downl...ylang=en&Hash=7LFJN64)
2. Save the package to a local drive. For example, save the package to drive C.
3. Click Start, click Run, type C:\WindowsXP-KB920872-x86-ENU.exe /o, and then click OK. "

 

[McCartney]

It did it on both my Soundmax drivers and my X Fi drivers.

I am certain it wasn't that wasn't it. I'm trying to remember if this happened when I had my X Fi or AFTER when I started using HD audio.
This is the first time i've experienced this and it's been happening for a while

 

[thegorx]

It happen to me the last time on onboard and a creative live card
it only stopped when I had onboard audio only and it was disabled and after at least so far reinstalling the patch.
although you might not be able to play games without a sound card enabled

do the bootlog and check it out
or just give it a try it's a standard patch that is already installed, my thinking is it gets messed up possibly when changing devices or drivers then the patch may need to be reinstalled. This may not be your problem but it has worked for me in similar type freezes with looping audio where there is no a error or dump to check. Any way it doesn't hurt to make sure the files and setting are what patch or rather the OS wants.

don't forget to use the /o switch when applying the patch

C:\WindowsXP-KB920872-x86-ENU.exe /o

If it doesn't work, I'll shut up, that surely is worth it right there.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And it really doesn't matter if I'm wrong, I'm right
Where I belong I'm right, where I belong
See the people standing there who disagree and never win
And wonder why they don't get in my door

 

[Roguestar]

http://forums.anandtech.com/categories.aspx?catid=32

 

[mpilchfamily]

To properly diagnose the problem you need to list you full system specs. Otherwise we are just spitting into the wind here.

 

[McCartney]

Running a Striker Extreme
Corsair TWINX2048-8500C5
WD Raptor 74 GB
Core 2 Duo E6600
Plextor 716SA DVDRW

 

[Roguestar]

Your graphics card is overheating. Used to happen to me all the time with my previous card. Improve case airflow, clean dust off the heatsink on the card and the fans in the case. Consider adding more fans or replacing the heatsink. You haven't told us what graphics card you are using. If it's an ATi card use ATI Tuner to turn the fan speed up to cool the card more.

 

[betasub]

Graphics card?