Screen freeze, graphics blur, followed by black out

[Seftonblake]

Hi

Please forgive my limited IT knowledge and skills.

2 days ago, my computer crashes when load/play an online game (I have played this online game for 4 years on this very machine), it doesnt crash when running simple tasks or searching internet etc.

It first seems to jam up, followed by pixels smearing on screen and few seconds later my screen goes black and to an off position although I can still here my hard drive and fans spinning.

I dont think the issue is with my screen, i think its either a Motherboard or Graphics Card overload or burn out.

I have tried loads of things so far i.e. re-update drivers, run virus checkers but nothing helps, so i am sure its a hardware issue.

Here is my spec

Dell D9150 Desktop

PSU: Dell L375P-00
375-Watt Power Supply

Operating System
MS Windows XP Home 32-bit SP3

CPU
Intel Pentium 4 630
Cores 1
Threads 2
Name Intel Pentium 4 630
Code Name Prescott
Package Socket 775 LGA
Technology 90nm
Specification Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Family F
Extended Family F
Model 4
Extended Model 4
Stepping 3
Revision N0
Instructions MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, EM64
Bus Speed 199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed 798.0 MHz
Stock Core Speed 3000 MHz
Stock Bus Speed 200 MHz

Caches
L1 Data Cache Size 16 KBytes
L1 trace cache 12 Kuops
L2 Unified Cache Size 2048 KBytes
Core 0
Core Speed 2793.1 MHz
Multiplier x 14.0
Bus Speed 199.5 MHz
Rated Bus Speed 798.0 MHz
Thread 1
APIC ID 0
Thread 2
APIC ID 1

RAM
2.0GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 266MHz (4-4-4-12)

Motherboard
Dell Inc. 0YC523 (Microprocessor)
Manufacturer Dell Inc.
Model 0YC523
Chipset Vendor Intel
Chipset Model i945P
Chipset Revision 00
Southbridge Vendor Intel
Southbridge Model 82801GB (ICH7/R)
Southbridge Revision A1
BIOS Brand Dell Inc.

Graphics
Monitor
Name SyncMaster on NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX
Current Resolution 1280x1024 pixels
Work Resolution 1280x994 pixels
State enabled, primary, output devices support
Monitor Width 1280
Monitor Height 1024
Monitor BPP 32 bits per pixel
Monitor Frequency 60 Hz
Device \\.\DISPLAY1\Monitor0

GeForce 7800 GTX
GPU G70
Device ID 10DE-0091
Revision A2
Subvendor nVidia (10DE)
Technology 110 nm
Die Size 334 nmІ
Transistors 302 M
Release Date 2005
DirectX Support 9.0c
DirectX Shader Model 3.0
OpenGL Support 2.0
Bus Interface PCI Express x16
Temperature 54 °C (running at present)
SLI Disabled
GPU Clock 430 MHz
Memory Clock 1200 MHz
Driver nv4_disp.dll (6.14.11.6371)
ForceWare version 163.71
BIOS Version 5.70.02.11.15
ROPs 16
Shaders Vertex 24/Pixel 24
Memory Type GDDR3
Memory 256 MB
Bus Width 256 Bit
Pixel Fillrate 6.9 GPixels/s
Texture Fillrate 6.9 GTexels/s
Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s

Hard Drives
244GB Maxtor Maxtor 7L250S0 (IDE) 42 °C

Optical Drives
HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GWA4164B
SONY CD-RW CRX320EE
Audio
SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC

GPU 54c
HD0 41c
Core 54c
Ambient 0c
CPU 46c
Local 46c


I downloaded a graphics card stress tester (from FurMark) and here are the results

FPS: min=11 - max= 1053 - avg=90 (and dropping) - Cur = 12
Stability Test - Frames=20,000+ - Time+5 mins+
Clocks Core 430MHz - Memory 1200Mhz - Temp=min-60c max 80c

Have now dusted inside unit and taken graphics card out and cleaned also. Side of unit off as i write this and no issues, can see main fan ticking and graphics card ticking (ticking=working).
Re-tested: Cloaks Core 430MHz - Memory 1200Mhz - Temp=min-52c max 70c

One little thing i have noticed is that my Word.doc (micrsoft setting) all changed when I open. The little graphic in corner not coloured and all fixed colours and fonts changed (not my settings, the Microsoft templates).

Did manage to bring up a Blue screen message with this report:

The problem seems to be caused by the following file: nv4_disp

I have found that nv4_disp.dll is my latest driver on my graphics card (dunno if this help to give resolution).

I have now un-installed nvidia drivers (and under safe mode), then re-installed good one. But i'm still getting graphics smear, freeze then lock after apx 1-2 mins (whilst I load my MMO game, called DDO Unlimted).

Sorry for the long windedness of this post, wanted to add everything i could think of to speed things up.

Once I can pin the problem down, I have no porblem buying whatever tech Ineed (just dont want to buy tech I don't).

Thanks in Advance

 

[EarthDog]

So it didnt freeze in furmark? Try running Furmark and Prime95 Stress test (small FFT) and see if it freezes. Im wondering if your PSU isnt crapping out on you...

Does it freeze in any other game?

 

[Seftonblake]

Thanks for quick reply Earthdog

No it did crash 1st and 2nd time i run it
1st time around 80's-c (GPU) then crash
2nd time (after dusting) somewhere around 70's-c

I can only set to see one of the tempartures, choosed GPU

Will run Prime95 in few mins and coem back to you

 

[EarthDog]

It may just be the PSU crapping out on you... the only way to test that though would be to get another PSU and find out though.... not a good idea since its just a guess but....

temps are ok, you have properly updated/changed drivers so.....

 

[Seftonblake]

Will run Prime95 in few mins and coem back to you

Sorry, not going to run prime95 as its account based and i dont want to log into other sites etc. if any other progrmans u can suggest, i will download them

Thanks

 

[Seftonblake]

Yes maybe the psu, think i best take it to the shop for repair, bahhh i was hoping to buy and install myself without paying for techi.

Thanks

 

[retrogreq]

you dont have to make an account to run p95

 

[redduc900]

Sorry, not going to run prime95 as its account based and i dont want to log into other sites etc. if any other progrmans u can suggest, i will download them

Thanks

Like retrogreg mentioned, you don't need to create an account to run Prime, nor do you need to "log into other sites". Just download the *.zip which corresponds to your OS's architecture, unzip it and run the executable. When the "Welcome to GIMP's" dialog appears and you're asked if you'd like to join GIMPs or use Prime just for stress testing, select Just Stress Testing.

 

[Seftonblake]

It may just be the PSU crapping out on you... the only way to test that though would be to get another PSU and find out though.... not a good idea since its just a guess but....

temps are ok, you have properly updated/changed drivers so.....

Ok run again the Furmark on full with everythign going, went 54-70 in apx 1.5-2 mins and from 2 mins to 5 mins went to 77 (didnt go higher and no issues)

I did see a slight graphics smear fro half second or so around 65-70, but didnt come back and didnt crash etc

 

[EarthDog]

Does 'everything going' mean you had P95 AND Furmark running at the same time?

 

[Seftonblake]

No on furmark i had the fur ring, flames on move and text up

Ihave the P95 up, what do i do, its a bit mroe complicated

Thanks

 

[Seftonblake]

.....sorry that was noob response

i delete now

Sorry but the p95 program isnt self explantory for a novice like me