Computer Locking up

[ReaperOfsouls]

I recently rebuilt my computer, and ever since I am having problems running CoD:WaW

System Specs

GTX 260 core 216
Core 2 Duo E8400 2.0GHZ
4 gigs of Corsair dominator RAM
Corsair 520 Watt PSU
Gigabyte EP45-UD3R mobo

I performed a fresh install of XP and installed all the latest drivers for my hardware.

About 40 minutes into gameplay the game locks up.

I monitored my GPU and CPU temp.

My GPU gets up to 60 cel (90 fps) and CPU 48 cel, very low temps.

Yet the game locks up.

I am unable to control alt delete to task manager, yet if I have music playing in the background it does not skip.

I looked in even viewer and found the following error.

Faulting application codwawmp.exe, version 1.5.1220.0, faulting module codwawmp.exe, version 1.5.1220.0, fault address 0x002bbef7.

Any ideas? Thanks

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Computer Locking up

Any other games have this issue as well?

When you did a new install, did you format the hard drive? How much hard drive space do you have free?

Can you get into windows at all or is the system froze until reboot?

Crunch

[=d][b=Ausden]

Re: Computer Locking up

This happened to me also. I turned my settings down, and it helped. Also, if your using Xfire, it might be wise to turn that off too. For some reason, COD has not been happy splitting time with Xfire.

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

I am having similar problems with other games.

When I installed windows I reformatted the drive.

I have 120 gigs free space.

I do not understand why turning the settings down would help, I would think that the game should run fine if I am getting 90 frames.

I never get an hiccups either, the game just locks up out of no where.

Thanks

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Computer Locking up

When you play, turn off everything but the game. Teamspeak/ventrillo, xfire, antivirus/spyware, etc...

The way it sounds now is that it is a driver problem. Did you install the latest chipset and audio drivers? I know you said you did, but I want to be sure those especially.

Crunch

[=d][b=Ausden]

Re: Computer Locking up

I thought the same thing, my FPS were pushing 100, yet my computer would lock up. I had to force reboot everytime.

Turn off all programs you absolutely do not need running when you play those games your having issues with. Also, just for the sack of it, turn down the settings a few notches. You'll be shocked at how much that helps.

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

Turns out they released new audio and LAN drivers a week ago, gonna download an install them.

Also, Nvidia released a new driver two days ago.

Chipset driver is/was latest version.

Installed all the drivers, have not had a chance to test, I hope it works.

Its funny, I literally built this rig 2 weeks ago, then right after a slew of driver releases, hopefully they will work.

UPDATE:

Just attempted to play again, same thing, 10 mins into play computer locks up.

UPDATE2:

Just saw your post Aus, what settings do you recommend I turn down.

I would like to keep AA on.

UPDATE 3:

I ran a quick test run.

Playing an hour with no problems, then I got artifacts on my screen.

Texture was set to auto, I set it to manual and choose High as opposed to Extra which is what I believe the auto was using.

Game was working like a champ, but as I said above I got artifacts on my screen, however, my PC did not lock up this time.

Artifacts are caused by heat or a bad card are they not? My card was running at 70 cel when this happened, EVGA said it should be fine up to 90 and forums say average is 83 cel.

[=d][b=Ausden]

Re: Computer Locking up

Tbh, I would actually turn off AA, shadows, water reflection, etc.

Go ahead and turn most of your settings down to medium, I know most pc gamers will call me crazy because they want the uber high settings so everything sparkles, but sometime you have to make sacrifices to get results.

Just try this out, tinker around with all of the settings and see what happens, it took me awhile to figure this out, but it beats uninstalling the game and then reinstalling both the game AND patches.

Goodluck!

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Computer Locking up

Artifacts means either your video card hardware or the driver they are using.

EVGA, by default, sets their cooling fans to run at 40% speed. You can go into the invidia tools and crank it up to 70%. I run mine at 80 just because I can. Also, check to make sure the airflow on your card is good and nothing blocking it.

With the artifacts, its video. Good job on further testing. If you want the high settings and AA on, try raising the card fan speed and see what happens.

Crunch

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

I will try the fan speed increase next time I can test.

Also, I made a post on another forums and they had me run memtest which I had done a few weeks ago before I RMAed my board for another issue.

A few weeks ago when I ran it the RAM passed with flying colors, however this time the ram failed.

I tested each stick individually and they passed, then I tested the sticks it pairs, and they passed.

Then I tried each pair in a different set (IE both yellow or both red) of slots to see if it was a problem with the colored pairs, and everything passed.

I then put all four sticks back in and they once again failed horribly.

Checked the BIOS and the setting for the RAM are correct, and all four sticks of RAM are the same, only difference on them is their serial numbers.

I pulled two sticks out and am now running only two gigs of ram, have not had change to test.

Correct me if I am wrong, but the ram could explain the complete locking up of my computer, but not the artifacts?

I emailed support and this is what they had to say:

I emailed support for the motherboard and this is what they had to say

Hello,
RMAed board need to passed two technician before send back to customer shoundn't be problem on it. Mother board bios memory voltage setting is base on 1.8v (default voltage), please check current model memory label for voltage spec information, if it's higher then 1.8v, go in bios under M/B intelligent tweaker memory voltage control item adjust memory voltage to match. For example: current memory spec is 2.1v go in bios M/B intelligent tweaker on DDR2 voltage control item change to2.1v, this will match the current model memory voltage spec, system will work stable. Suggest redo windows to hard driver to make sysetm run stable, could be system files has been damaged by former issue.

Could what they are saying about system files be true? The voltage on my memory is set to 2.1v in the BIOS so that should not be the issue.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Computer Locking up

Right, bad RAM could cause the system instability but I have never seen it cause artifacts in game.

memtest is OK, but it is a little outdated and I dont know if I would trust it 100% anymore. Dont get me wrong, I use it a lot, but by testing your pairs like the way you did you should have had two failures, with all 4 and with a pair that has a bad one in it. Since it did not fail that second time, I do not think its memory.

Now this is crazy, but it could be the motherboard. With all 4 sticks in and a failure, it could be a bridge problem or something with a memory slot, but thats pretty far fetched and I dont know if I would really think that.

Just to test RAM slots as well as RAM is I would run 2 gig in one set of slots and if nothing happens and everything is good, take them out and run the other 2 gig in the other two slots. If nothing still happens, then your RAM and board are probably fine.

Or, I would just put all the RAM back and up my fan to 70+ percent and try it out

Crunch

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

I did what you had suggested with the RAM and the the same pair of ram tested fine in both sets of slots.

If I have time to test tonight I will put four sticks in, and crank up the fan and see what happens.

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

I just tested again with the fan speed up and 4 gigs in and I got another hard lock.

So apparently last night was just luck, I am going to try two gigs and the fan speed up now and see what happens.

Could what the tech support guy said about the problem being with windows be true?

UPDATE:

Played for an hour with no issues what so ever. So the lock issue was the RAM and the artifacts must of been the heat on the card.

Now I just have to argue with gigabyte tech support for another RMA.

[CptainCrunch]

Re: Computer Locking up

The tech support guys are correct about the memory needing to be proper voltages. He is also correct that the hard freezes may have hurt the installation of XP. If everything runs fine with 2GB RAM for hours at a time, then XP is probably OK.

Do you have the latest BIOS version? Also, is the RAM fully compatible with your system board? I use ASUS boards and they have a list of RAM that is tested specifically for their boards, so that is what I get. I don't know if gigabyte has anything like that.

Ausden mentioned turning a number of things down. If you have 4 gigs in and you turned those things down, do you still lock up?

Crunch

[ReaperOfsouls]

Re: Computer Locking up

Everything is running like a champ with two gigs.

My voltage and timings for the ram are correct.

I dont know if gigabyte has such a list but I am kinda past that point since I already bought the ram.

Its Corsair Dominator ram so its supposed to be pretty good stuff.