Ugh! I should never have decided to get back into computer gaming!! Help!

[JeeperMan]

Ok, so this is a bit of a long story (and an irritating one at that)...

I decided after seeing Half-Life I wanted to get back into computer gaming (hadn't done it in awhile)... So I went and got a Visiontek Geforce MX400 64 meg card to drop into my system and a new 52x Creative CDRom (old one was toast). Anyway--

I tried installing Half-Life and got a ton of input/output errors. I eventually just quit cause I figured I had a bad CD-Rom disc.

After that I tried installing Tropico and even though the installation wizard said it was at 100%, it eventually crashed (after sitting there for like 15 minutes) and said something about Program File error.

Well, I then thought 'hey maybe it's my HD' so I went out and bought a new Maxtor HD.

Once again- no luck. Anyway- I'm really frustrated and out of ideas. Could someone PLEASE help me?

Here's my system- Abit VA6 MB w/Celery 433 (soon to be P3 1Ghz), 128MB Kingston Ram, Maxtor HD, Creative 52x, HP CD Writer 9100, SB Awe 64, Generic NIC, Generic Modem, Belkin 4 port USB Hub, and I'm running 98SE.

Does anyone have any ideas? Should I upgrade to Win2K? If so, where can I get it CHEAP!? Thanks!!

 

[bevancoleman]

Is it a via board? if so update you drivers with their 4-in-1's

Check the memory using MemTest86.

 

[LoneWolf1]

I was having the same problem with Half-Life/Opps Force/Blue Shift. Constant I/O errors while doing installs and Bad Surface Extent errors during game play. After playing around for a couple days, I decided to drop the cpu back down to stock FSB, and that solved the problem. I guess it's time to start saving for a new mobo and cpu.

P.S. the mobo is a P3V4X with a EB733 slot 1 CPU

 

[JeeperMan]

Crap. I really don't want to buy a new Motherboard right now. Especially since the VA6 is supposed to be able to handle up to 1 Ghz. I'll look into the 4 in 1 tools, and see if they help any. I'm starting to think I should have bought a brand new computer...

 

[LoneWolf1]

I meant it was time for me to get a new mobo not you!! I just can't overclock my cpu if i want to play anything that has to do with Half-Life.

It might also help to know your system specs.