Trying to find the problem component...

[190proof]

Alright, so six months, no problems.... this was eventually gonna happen, right?

System has been shutting down beginning last Wednesday, 11/22 after downloading a patch for a game. Every time the game is now booted, shutdown. Try a different game, shutdown. Open ATI catalyst control panel... everything looks fine, go to 3d options (antialiasing controls, etc.)... shutdown.

Sometimes computer restarts, sometimes not. On the restarts, sometimes powers down again, upon windows load screen. Sometimes, the cpu fan stops, sometimes not..... a few times the cpu fan stops, yet windows loads, and I am able to access internet, and normal windows work... shuts down when I attempt the game again. Also, upon every restart, windows runs chkdsk on F drive... it passes, but why is this necessary every time?

Ideas:
--Corrupt file on F drive (1 drive, 3 partitions...F only holds games), affecting all programs in that partition.
--Drivers and possibly bios need updating.
--Psu not supplying necessary power for all components.
--Video card
--Motherboard
--Bad Karma

So far::
--Run Norton Anti-Virus, Spybot S&D, Ad-aware SE... everything clean. No insane program problems, or speed issues, but I will run a Hijack This Log, if someone needs it.
--Checked bios readings, and Gigabyte onboard "Easytune" program.... temps are lower than normal... 31 deg. C... usually at 37. All voltage readings are normal, and stable.
-- Tried to clean and defragment F drive, nochanges... so I formatted. I still have the programs, so... whatever, that doesn't matter to me, I just want stability back. After formatting, windows no longer runs chkdsk on F.. but the crashes still occur.

I will do my backups, format, and re-installWinXP if I must..... but I'm wondering if it is a hardware problem, rather than software. The cpu fan is never supposed to stop, correct? If th graphics card was bad, it wouldn't let me into, and access other graphics programs, correct? If I could save 70 bucks, to get a diagnostic run... only to find out that I have to buy new stuff, when I could do it on my own... that'd be sweet.

Any ideas??

Btw...running WinXP pro sp2, for quite some time before any problems.

 

[LiLithTecH]

Have you checked the EVENT LOG for any clues?

Did you try Reinstalling the GAME?

 

[kuljc]

are you sure you installed a legit patch? I would suggested doing a clean start.... and maybe if you still have problems do hardware checks.. like memtest(you can even do that now).

But why is your cpu fan stoping?
if that's the problem your cpu might just be your cpu is overheating and your computer is shutting down to prevent it from damaging it more. Might want to check some temps and maybe get a new fan if that's the problem.

 

[kuljc]

oh yeah forgot to say... how about uninstalling the game.