My PC freeze... and work again !

[Thomas Olivaux]

Hello !

During this really hot summer (40°C in the shadow where I live), I've a strange problem with my main computer. It's working really well under Windows, but when I play a game (Midnight Club II, Quake III...) the PC freeze somtimes, for about 30s, and comme back to game again !! During the "shadow", the music continue. I wish to know if there is a special protection on my CPU, GeForce or even my mobo who tell the system to pause a few seconds in case of overtemp. Any idea ?

My system is :

P4 2.4B @ 3.06 GHz (170 FSB, 1.55v) on a IT7-MAX2 (i845E) mobo. The GC is a GeForce4 Ti4600 320/700. I tried to come back to my original speeds... but the problem continues. I don't know for the card, but U saw that my CPU is around 60°C (63/64 max) under eavy load, but even at 2.4 GHz it's around 50/55°C. I have an Alpha 8092 with artic silver III ans a powerfull Delta fan.

It's really boring, thanks a lot for any input...

See U !

[cherryp00t]

thats just your computer lagging.. doing too much stuff at once you might be running too many programs in teh background.. check what you're running and go close some of it.. make sur eyou dont have too much adware and what not running..

[Thomas Olivaux]

I don't think so... I use to have EasyPHP running (it mean Apache Server, SQL Server...) but I removed it. The problem is exactly the same if I play just after a reboot. And I don't have any anti-virus software to slow me down (lol... maybe it's a damn virus...).

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[Thomas Olivaux]

No more idea for my problem ? I don't know what to do :(

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[L337 M33P]

Welcome to the forums!

I have heard that it's really hot in France at the moment, as it is in England, so it is no wonder that your PC is hot. If it's stable then I wouldnt worry, but as you are getting freezes I think it is not stable.

My computer does this from time to time, randomly stops in a game and then picks itself up again. I don't think it is computer failure but it might be a memory write or read error. What brand of RAM are you using?

To test for memory stability run Memtest86 - www.memtest86.com. It runs off a floppy so put it in when you turn your computer on.

[Thomas Olivaux]

Hello !

Very good idea, I didn't try to check my mermory. I have in this PC :

- 512 MB PC3200 Samsung
- 256 MB PC2700 "no name" x2

Cause I did not want to spend many time to find the right timings for those sticks, I use the "By SPD" setting in the BIOS.

I'll try to test with only the 512 MB, and also to run memtest86, goog idea.

Thanxs again, I'll tell U if you where right :) Good luck for the high temperatures ! (damn summer !)

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[L337 M33P]

Quite impressive that you managed to get noname PC2700 to above 200MHz LOL - testing with one stick is a good idea.

[Thomas Olivaux]

I don't run my PC2700 à 200 or more ! I used to run at 190 FSB (3.46 GHz) and never tried more because of my chipset (i845E !!!). With current temperatures, I can't get "stable" more than 170 FSB (3.06 GHz) so it's not a record for those PC2700 sticks :)

I just ran memtest-86 3.0 for 1 pass... and no error :( I removed my 3 sticks and installed 2x Corsair 256 MB PC3200 Twinx from my test setup to be sure it's not the memory. The 3 sticks coming from my main PC were really hot, I shouls install a fan or something to cool them I think...

Well, I'll go to play a bit, to see if I've got the pb with Corsair memory :) Thanxs again, and see you !

[Thomas Olivaux]

Still have the problem with the Corsair (just 170 MHz instead of 200 or more for this memory...) :( But the sticks are hot... I'll try to cool them, or to desync to 133 MHz to have a try.

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[tyshy]

you might also try just clocking it down a bit...how often does the problem happen?...you can have a fun day of gaming and testing all at the same time :)

[Thomas Olivaux]

"you might also try just clocking it down a bit"

lol :) You'r right :) In fact, I tried to come back to 2.4 GHz and to clock down my GeForce to the original specs (300/650), but it still freeze some times during games ! In fact, when I boot my PC "cold", I take about 3 or 5 minutes to hang, then the game work again so I continue playing... and it hang every 2 or 3 minutes. It's a pain to win anything like this lol ! I have the problem with Quake III Arena, Medal Of Honour (same graphic engine) and Midnight Club II. And, really strange, no problem at all with GTA : Vice City. I have a little idea, but I can't trust it's that. Eveytime I have the problem (a freeze), I quit the game and open a temp monitor : my CPU is between 60 and 65°C. When I wait, the temp drop to around 55° and I can play without freezing for a few minutes. I used several Pentium 4 processors, and never eard or experienced any 60° C protection limit ! In my BIOS, the alarm is set to 75...

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[th3n3w5up3rh3r0]

don't pentiums slow themselves down when they heat up? I think its part of their overheating protection.

[Thomas Olivaux]

They slow, just like speed step... but they don't stop ! I don't understand...

About cooling, I just flip my cpu fan (now blowing air to the heatsink) and it seems like I've won 2 or 3 degrees. Good knew ;o

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[tyshy]

well if you're getting those temps...(quite high)....you might try getting a different hsf or if your hsf is a good one...try getting better airflow to it....some cable ties and about an hour or 2 of work can get those cables outa the way and your case lookin tip top shape. What type of airflow do u have?...i would suggest getting the temps as low as possible....once you achieve that...you probably won't run into that problem.