Windows freezes randomly, games don't. Change video resolution?

[nebula]

Several months ago, my system started freezing at random times. While surfing, screensaver running, monitor off but system on... The only changes that I have made were software related, updated to latest Kazaa Lite, installed eMule and that's about it. So I'm thinking it's a hardware problem. After some research, I starting suspecting the RAM or the video card. I tried a different stick or RAM and still get freezes. Now I was going to start looking at the vid card, but I have a question. It seems that I never have freezes while playing Jedi Outcast at 1024x768. My desktop is running at 1152x864. Could the video card have a problem at that resolution only? I was going to change this tonight, but I wanted to get opinions if this is even worth my time.

So should I:
1) try another video card
2) adjust the resolution
3) update drivers - seems improbable that this will do anything because the system has been stable for quite some time on current drivers

I initially suspected Kazaa Lite, but eMule causes issues too, but seemingly less frequent. But it does seem to occur mostly when I'm clicking, which I've read points to video. I don't think it's a heat problem, fans still all running, and never had heat problems while gaming.

Duron 800 @ 900 <-- jumper change
Win2K
256MB PC133
Geforce2 GTS - drivers fairly current
IBM 40GB 7200RPM

 

[nebula]

update:

I bumped the res. down to 1024x768, still froze up. Next I tried changing the setting to not power off the monitor and I left it like that overnight. In the morning, I moved the mouse to wake up the system like I usually do and nothing came up... Silly me, I forgot I had turned off the monitor, don't know why I did since I still had the screensaver running. So I turned off the system and put in an old Vanta that I had laying around, and luckily it froze up without having to wait a day.!! So I got to thinking it was mobo. I also started thinking that I may have updated my VIA 4-in-1s sometime back and maybe that's when the problem started, not sure though. I guess I forgot to mention what mobo I have, FIC AZ11E.

Anyway, I think I'll update 4-in-1s, see what happens, then maybe Detonators if still problems, then try a BIOS upgrade as a last resort.

Anyone have any other suggestions?

 

[GlassGhost]

To be honest, it could be ANYTHING.

Its hard to track down a problem like this without not actually being at the computer, but let me give a few *generic* suggestions.


Make sure all drivers are current.

-sound card
-vid card
-MB drivers (VIA 4-in-1 in your case)
-NIC/modem
-any other devices


Next, make sure your CPU temps are not too hot. Try not overclocking. Make sure all memory/bus timings are factory default.

If you still can't track down the problem, start replacing componants 1 at a time (yeah its time consuming, but it works.)

-vid card 1st
-memory
-CPU (if you can)
-everything else 1 at a time


Last resort, reinstall the OS. This is the worst case, but may be needed. Windows (even the relatively stable win2k) get funked up sometimes.

Good luck my man....

 

[nebula]

update: I changed the multiplier jumpers back to defaults, so no overclocking. The system ran all night and was still gonig this morning, thought I had it licked. My wife just called me and it had locked up. :| I did think it was a little weird that this was the problem, because heat has never been an issue before, but I talked myself into the fact that maybe the CPU couldn't handle the overclocking anymore. Anyway, back to the drawing board as they say.

Thanks GlassGhost for the suggestions. I'm going to start down the list... I just picked up another HD, maybe I'll install XP on it and run with that for awhile and see what happens, after I try the easy driver updates. Grrrr...

 

[nebula]

solved:

I installed XP on the other hard drive and my system has been up since Sat. morning. So it looks like something is gunked up on my Win2K installation. Oh well, probably will just move my data off of it, format, and use for data. I don't think I'll go bac kto Win2K anyway.

Whew, I'm glad that's over!