System Help

[HakimChavez]

I bought a 6600 GT Geforce awhile back and I have continually had problems. Whenever I run games such as Halflife 2 with high level graphics my computer either crashes in which the monitor goes black and the keyboard is unresponsive or the screen freezes and the sound begins to replay whatever just happened over and over again. I have 758 MB of RAM, an Antec Truepower 430, but only an AMD Athlon XP 1800+ and the ASUS motherboard that came with the computer when we bought it (non custom). I have Windows 2000 and all of the latest drivers, but the problem persists in all such games (Farcry, Battlefield 2). What do you think is the problem; it is really getting to me.

 

[flippe]

Ok first thing, turn of any overlcokcing you are doing with your computer weather it be with the video card, cpu, or ram, and revert back the original settings. If that don't help reply back and we can go from there.

 

[HakimChavez]

I never overclocked anything on my machine. Everything is functioning at its normal level. I personally don't even know how to overclock correctly.

 

[flippe]

Doubt you did this, but are you sure connect the molex connector to the card?

 

[HakimChavez]

I am a bit computer illiterate. Molex connector?

 

[flippe]

The white large power conector that comes out of your power supply, you should have a couple of em in there, you have to have one of those hoocked up to your 6600gt for any stable operation.

 

[HakimChavez]

Yes, that is plugged in and everything. The computer just seems to die after some time with graphics up. I assumed it was overheating, but the video card never seemed too hot. I placed a fan on the side to get some seroius current running through and yet it still crashed. I think something is still overheating, but I don't know what.

 

[flippe]

Perhaps the CPU? The Athlon XP's unlike the 64's tend to run a bit hot, and may need additioonal cooling other than the regular hsf that comes with it, make sure that your heatsink and attatched to your cpu firmlys and that it actually has something in between it and the cpu, something like arctic silver 5 cooling paste or a thermal pad. Aside from that go into your BIOS at boot and check your cpu voltage, reply with that voltage and we can go from there.

 

[HakimChavez]

Yeah, I checked the CPU about a month ago and the thermal paste had literally bubbled off and was gone, so my friend put on some cooling paste in between the CPU and the heat sink. The heat sink is in place and should be working. Which line does the CPU power run through and where exactly can I just check the CPU voltage? I noticed the temperatures were pretty high for having both sides of the case off (35 C for the motherboard, and 50 C for the CPU), but this may be because I disconnected the only fan in the case in the back so a current wouldn't have to run straight through the motherboard. I usually have a fan on directly in the side pushing tons of cold air through when gaming, but this could still be a problem.

I am almost positive it is my CPU overheating. I know that it gets to ridiculous heat since it boiled the paste off before but when I touch it after a system crash it is amazingly hot.

 

[flippe]

Well simply touching it with your finger even after normal operation would be considered hot, cause 38C is 100F which is really hot to the touch anyway. But if you are certain to an extent that your CPU is overheating I suggest RMA'ing it back to to AMD, or whereever you bought it. But make sure you go into your BIOS at startup and check its voltage first. I can't tell you exactly where in your BIOS the cpu voltage setting is located cause ever board make has different BIOS.

 

[Blain]

I've seen this problem before :roll:

 

[flippe]

Hmm, thats some useful post there blain, care to go on and explain?