Why do I just keep freezing?

[xsivforce]

I have been watching these forums for a while. I have seen other people with similar problems. My computer will just freeze up usually with a screeching sound loop if sound is playing. Mostly when playing a game like quake 3 or watching a DVD. Sometimes while screensaver is on sometimes when just surfing. I have assumed that it is my radeon. I have tried to install the new driver from ATI but I get a message like "could not locate required INF file" or something like that when installing. I have downloaded it more than once and installed multiple times. Had to revert back every time because once windows starts I get no signal to monitor.

 

[Lonman]

Try installing the new drivers in safe mode... that way none of the ATI drivers will be loaded during boot-up, I think. But, I don't think ATI has worked all the bugs out yet. My advise is to just take note of the lethel combos and avoid them until ATI finally gets it right. I have to admit though... they've done a KILLER job on their new dvd player... better then PowerDVD XP... that's saying a lot 😱

 

[Lactic.Acid]

Your video card is overheating. Try installing another case fan and see if that helps. Or try playing a game for awhile with the cover off of your case.
/Lactic

 

[xsivforce]

Thanks for all the help. I have kinda wondered if it was overheating. I will check that out and I will try to re-install the new driver in safe mode. Otherwise I will keep checking the posts on the XP-erience forums.

 

[wired_lain15]

same here.. except my computer just freezes and xp automatically reboots and have a system freeze after a few hours, it saids my video card is at fault, an S3 savage 4 video card.. i think it could be an overheating problem but this never happened before? what can i do to fix/prevent this? it has been happening allot lately. 🙁

 

[XPletive]

Regarding your "Could not locate setup.exe" error. The path
that the ATI drivers extract to is incorrect. Mistake on their
part. Create a folder named ATI and copy the files and subfolders
to it, that will solve your problem. I've had to do that for the last
three driver updates, I wish they'd fix that.

 

[xsivforce]

Will check into folder situation, too.... Update:I installed a slot fan next to my video card and started up quake3. Didn't stay on long ,although a lot longer than i used to before i had a freeze. Guess what? No freeze yet...may have done the trick.

EDIT: still not there.🙁

 

[melon]

Ohhh...I had this problem too. In fact, we have much of the same hardware.

How I fixed it was by reformatting everything and doing a clean install. Yes, that might not be very comforting, but I have a feeling that you have device driver conflictions. I had 4 of them, but Windows always said that there were no problems.

Also, go into your BIOS. Check to make sure that "Fast Write" is disabled, make sure that your AGP Aperture Size is equal to half of your RAM (i.e., if you have 256 MB RAM, your aperture size should be 128 MB), and you should be good at 4x for the speed. In fact, I had troubles running at 2x (I have the same exact ATI Radeon card). Also, I would suggest turning off "Plug and Play OS," because you likely have IRQ conflictions. If you can underclock your CPU (A7A266 boards will let you), I would try that as well. Also try flashing your BIOS to the latest version (currently 10/2001). I had to do a lot to my BIOS to get everything working correctly. 😛

Then, I would slowly reinstall everything. After the fresh reinstallation, go to Windows Update immediately. A lot of the third party drivers from ASUS directly suck. Make regular System Restore points, make sure you have downloaded the latest ATI Radeon driver (check my topic on it in "Hardware"), and make a lot of tests. If you find that the problem has started again, uninstall the driver and make a System Restore afterwards. Uninstalling, unfortunately, leaves a mess, which is exactly what you are seeing now. System Restore points eliminate that mess.

Melon

 

[xsivforce]

Melon The InfoManiac!!! Again with lots of helpful info. Thanks for the great advice.🙂

 

[Lep]

Well, it doesn't look like your motherboard is VIA - but I can't use my SBLive in my PC because of the motherboard. SBLive and Via do not get along, and I get the same repeating sound or high pitched screech and have to restart.

Via nor Creative have yet to come up with a solution. 🙁

 

[xsivforce]

I have seen a lot of other people here and elsewhere posting almost exact problem (lock-up with sound loop,etc.). What's funny is that everyone seems to be looking at a different cause. I don't think anyone REALLY knows what the problem is. I installed the extra case (slot) fan in the slot right next to my radeon thinking it was a heat problem in my vid card. Seemed to work at first but....still having the same problem. I tried re installing drivers...same prob. I have had great advice here @ xp-erience but no fix yet.😕

 

[xsivforce]

Update... seems to be a possible heat issue. I had previously installed a slot fan next to my radeon in addition to the already installed case fans (1 intake, 1 exhaust) plus the volcano 6 for my athlon. Still kept freezing. Installed CPUcool to monitor temps, I was running about 50*C at rest and around 60* at load. So I got real technical and removed my case cover. Now running at 44*C at rest and about 50* at load. No freezing ...yet. 😎

*Edit* DAMMIT...freeze again and at only 46*C...still don't know what prob is.😕

EDIT AGAIN: Cleaned off thermal compound...reapplied Arctic Silver thermal compound. 44* at rest with cover on. Update drivers...still occasional freeze.

 

[Bytes Back]

Now, Everyone is going to say I'm barking mad here but,

How far away from your soundcard is your graphics card ? If there is no slot between the two, then your graphics card could be cooking your sound card. Hence the lockup.

 

[xsivforce]

First slot is Vid card
Next slot is an exhaust slot fan(cooling the vid card)
Next slot USB ports
Next slot open
Next slot Sound Card
Next slot NIC

Cant get much further away than that. Thanks for your reply anyway Bytes back.

 

[Bytes Back]

Damn, so much for theories 😀

 

[xsivforce]

I will entertain most theories. Hey, you never know what will work or how simple it could be.🙂

 

[Kirrie2001]

Why do I keep freezing.

Hi xsivforce.
Sadly, I cant offer a solution, other than, get a crap pc like mine.
ie, amd athlon 1ghz, 512mb ram, nvidia riva tnt2 32mb 64 pro. via tech. asus jet 663as pro socket, 20gb ata100hd. little known maker in uk, with lousy support.
But I seem to be getting on OK with it so far.😉

 

[xsivforce]

I still have a Pentium 133 with 64megs of ram 4 Gig HD and windows 98se that I let my kids use. They can't even hurt that one.😀 😛

 

[Kirrie2001]

Keep freezing.

Ya see what I mean 😀 anyway, best of luck with your problem, I`m sure you`ll get to the root of it soon. 🙂