Computer Randomly Freezing

mushyboy — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 14:49:02 +0800

Hi all!

I have a problem with my computer freezing randomly. Often in games, but also sometimes while watching films, or even in sleep-mode.

My setup:

AMD 64 3200+ CPU
Gigabyte K8T890 Series mobo
1024 MB NCP DDR RAM (2xPC3200)
Palit 7600GT Graphics Card
80G Seagate HD
400W Stock PSU

The problem is something that I've never experienced before, so I wanted to try to find a solution here.

I've installed Windows (XP Pro) with all updates, and runned antivirus (Norton Antivirus) plus spyware removers (Ad-Aware), so the chance that the problem is software related is slim.

I've checked that RAM-modules and cpu-fan are attatched, so it's probably not one of those. I'm using Motherboard Monitor, and at one of the freezes, it showed 29 degrees CPU and 30 degrees System (Celsius that is). So it does not seem to be a cooling problem either. Also the GPU-fan runs as it should.

The way it freezes is sometimes odd. I play World of Warcraft a lot, and one time I came back to the computer with WoW running, and the computer had frozen. The thing was that the graphical effects were still running. A few seconds later it all froze totally.

Sometimes the computer runs for a fairly long time before freezing, sometimes it freezes right away. And the only way to fix it, is by pushing the reset button.

Other games also freeze as well, albeit less common. BF2 also freezes as well as CS:S.

Also, during the times 6pm-12pm, the freezes seem to be more common especially when I play WoW more often during this time. The computer will also freeze when using applications.

I used the memtest x86 today for possible deficiency in RAM. No errors were detected after the first pass.

I highly doubt its the CPU as if it were, I don't think I'd be able to type this all up without freezing.

However I would like to note that after playing roughly 2 hours of BF2 last night, without restarting the computer whatsoever and then turning on WoW to play. I saw "rainbow artefacts" in some parts of the animation. I was surprised as I never saw this before. Bear in mind however, not the entire screen was full of these artefacts.

The temperature of the GPU with no load is 45 degrees and 59 degrees maxed out with load. So I don't suspect it is overheating, especially overhere (Australia) where it is winter.

I can try provide more details if people need, but that's as much as I can tell so far. I have updated the drivers to the latest version from the "Palit" graphics card manufacturer. It still happens to freeze.

I really am stoked on this problem, if someone could please help me out before I have to drag the entire computer off to the store where even the computer person would have a hard time finding out what's wrong!

Thanks so much in advance, and I'll try to keep everyone up to date.

Also, I have installed Norton Goback 4.0 and a variety of games and of course Microsoft Office 2003.

Oh just to note, those "rainbow arterfacts" haven't been seen since, it looks like it was a one off thing *I hope*.

Thanks all!

p.s. Visited Lowyat when I came over during the holidays <3 it!

edit: just to add I ran the program rthdribl to test the GPU @ 16x Multisample. This went on for 3 hours and the computer did not freeze. This was between the times 11am - 2pm

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Computer Randomly Freezing