[Archived] Help Required

[ihateburnley]

Right my basic problem is that my computer is continually crashing on certain programmes. It all started about 12 months ago when I was happily playing Footie Manager when my computer suddenly froze. From then on, every time I played the game it froze. I then started getting these 'blue-screens' which told me basically that my computer was knackered and to contact my system administator! I was still able to use the Internet for as long as I wanted and it never froze on me - just on Footie Manager.

I don't use the computer for much. Footie Manager, Internet, word-processing and a couple of spreadsheets - that's about it. However, the missus is learning to drive and she had one of those theory test DVDs but it started crashing on that as well. In addition, whenever I tried to play a music CD or run a spyware scan etc it froze again. The Internet was still fine.

Anyway, I took it to the local computer shop and the guy had it three times back and forward. The first time he did a full computer service which he said didn't show up a single problem. The second time he tried a new graphics card to see if that worked. It didn't. The final time he tried a better graphics card but that didn't work either, at which point he told me that he didn't know what was wrong and we agreed to call it a draw.

Very frustrated now. The computer isn't that old either maybe 18 months or so. Every time I try to play my beloved Footie Manager is just crashes on me about two minutes into the game. The blue-screen is very rare but has happened about 8/9 times now.

Please, please, can anybody out there help me?

Edited May 29, 2006 by ihateburnley

[modes98]

Easiest solution buy a new PC, XP has been great for me i think it has frozen once in a couple of years. If your getting the blue screen of death i would assume your on 98 for which they don't do updates anymore which is a problem safety wise.

If the guy at the shop can't fix it then go to a better shop or give up! :ph34r:

[ihateburnley]

Easiest solution buy a new PC, XP has been great for me i think it has frozen once in a couple of years. If your getting the blue screen of death i would assume your on 98 for which they don't do updates anymore which is a problem safety wise.

If the guy at the shop can't fix it then go to a better shop or give up! :ph34r:

I'm on XP. Blue screen of death? That doesn't sound very healthy at all!

I've considered purchasing a new computer, but I'm rather skint and wondered if it was worth while/possible to repair my current computer. Can you recommend any computer deals at the cheaper end of the market?

[AndyH16]

So, does the game freeze as in the system completely halts and you can't do a single thing or do you get blue screens? If you get blue screens does the PC reboot if you press a key or just not respond?

FM is a very processor intensive game it might well be overheating, although if it's happening on a simple driving test program that would seem weird.

Which is what makes me lean towards a memory problem. My sister's PC recently had problems of constant blue screens.

I got a copy of http://www.memtest86.com/ which is free, as long as you have a spare floppy disk to install it on. http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip is a direct link to the program, extract it somewhere and then double click the install.bat file which creates the bootable disk. Reboot the PC and boot to the floppy disk it'll then go straight into the tests (there's about 8 test, usually takes about 30 mins depending on PC spec). If you have any RAM problems this will show them up, the odd 1 or 2 errors is ok but my sister's had 1000's.

The test will just keep repeating itself until you quit the program (pressing Esc).

[Biddy]

Yep, I would go for checking the memory first and foremost. Plus it's now quite cheap to replace.

If you don't get any errors on the memory, you might want to think about re-installing XP. Sometimes Blue Screen's of Death can be caused by a driver problem. A simple re-install could fix this.

If your PC stops on the BSOD (XP's default is to reboot straight away) then there should be an error code (usually looks like 0x000000a) and possibly the name of a dll or program that has caused the error. These are quite useful for googling on to find out what may be causing the prolem.

[ihateburnley]

So, does the game freeze as in the system completely halts and you can't do a single thing or do you get blue screens? If you get blue screens does the PC reboot if you press a key or just not respond?

Most of the time it just totally freezes - as in the whole system. The only thing I can do is reset the computer. However, occasionally I get the Blue Screen Of Death and again the only thing I can do is reset. When I am up and running again I get an error message saying, "Your system has recovered from a serious problem" or something like that.

BIDDY - Yes the PC does stop on the Blue Screen and yes there is an error code. I noted it down a while a go and tried to do a bit of research on it, but the best advice I could find was that it was a memory-related problem. I told this to the computer shop guy and he tested the memory himself. Alas he said everything was fine on that front.

Do you think my best option is to try a different computer repair shop, or just give up???

So, does the game freeze as in the system completely halts and you can't do a single thing or do you get blue screens? If you get blue screens does the PC reboot if you press a key or just not respond?

FM is a very processor intensive game it might well be overheating, although if it's happening on a simple driving test program that would seem weird.

Which is what makes me lean towards a memory problem. My sister's PC recently had problems of constant blue screens.

I got a copy of http://www.memtest86.com/ which is free, as long as you have a spare floppy disk to install it on. http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip is a direct link to the program, extract it somewhere and then double click the install.bat file which creates the bootable disk. Reboot the PC and boot to the floppy disk it'll then go straight into the tests (there's about 8 test, usually takes about 30 mins depending on PC spec). If you have any RAM problems this will show them up, the odd 1 or 2 errors is ok but my sister's had 1000's.

The test will just keep repeating itself until you quit the program (pressing Esc).

I'm afraid I lost you when you mentioned the word 'extract'. :ph34r:

[AndyH16]

Most of the time it just totally freezes - as in the whole system. The only thing I can do is reset the computer. However, occasionally I get the Blue Screen Of Death and again the only thing I can do is reset. When I am up and running again I get an error message saying, "Your system has recovered from a serious problem" or something like that.

BIDDY - Yes the PC does stop on the Blue Screen and yes there is an error code. I noted it down a while a go and tried to do a bit of research on it, but the best advice I could find was that it was a memory-related problem. I told this to the computer shop guy and he tested the memory himself. Alas he said everything was fine on that front.

Do you think my best option is to try a different computer repair shop, or just give up???

I'm afraid I lost you when you mentioned the word 'extract'. :ph34r:

Hehe no worries, as you're running XP it's slightly easier - unless you've installed WinZip it should use the one included with XP to view zip files.

Download the file, double click it and in the window that pops up it should show the files inside, click File > Extract All, it'll then come up with a wizard asking where you want them saving - ignore the Password button, click Next once you've chosen somewhere to save it. Then leave the tick in the box that says Show Extracted Files and click Next, the window will pop up with the file you've just extracted. Pop the floppy disk in the drive and double click on the install.bat file.

[Parasyte]

I've known soundcards throw up the BSOD with IRQL messages and memory problems. If they are old parts or bad drivers, certain memory access points and hardware commands basically conflict with Windows. No damagae is ever done, as far as I am aware, its just an annoyance. If Hainsey's tips dont work, I suggest checking all driver updates, and if you have the newest, downgrading your soundcard driver. If your soundcard has integrated gameports or 56k modems, it usually adds to the misery of it occuring regularly, even if you dont use them. Simply having a joystick plugged in caused the problem on my old PC, as it kept being recognised mid-way through other tasks and just causing havoc.

[Flopsy]

1) Youre overheating - get some monitorering software to see what temperature your stuff is at

2) dust your machine - a vacuum or Compressed air is the best. DONT JUST BLOW ON IT

3) Defrag and Checkdisk, also make sure you ahve more than 25% space on your hard drive

4) What happened with mine - keeping crashing, going back to desktop etc was my hard drive was failing - so make sure your porn is backed up somewhere safe

4) Im guessing you have virus and spyware tested your machine

[ihateburnley]

1) Youre overheating - get some monitorering software to see what temperature your stuff is at

2) dust your machine - a vacuum or Compressed air is the best. DONT JUST BLOW ON IT

3) Defrag and Checkdisk, also make sure you ahve more than 25% space on your hard drive

4) What happened with mine - keeping crashing, going back to desktop etc was my hard drive was failing - so make sure your porn is backed up somewhere safe

4) Im guessing you have virus and spyware tested your machine

Right Flopsy, but why would my problem only happen on certain appications if was a case of dust/defrag/virus etc? It happens EVERY time on Football Manager but very rarely anywhere else.

[Flopsy]

Because its the first sign of a sick computer.

Also, im guessing youve reinstalled CM

I don't use the computer for much. Footie Manager, Internet, word-processing and a couple of spreadsheets - that's about it. However, the missus is learning to drive and she had one of those theory test DVDs but it started crashing on that as well. In addition, whenever I tried to play a music CD or run a spyware scan etc it froze again. The Internet was still fine.

Id say you're overheating or your hard drives failing. Its what happened to me with BF2

[snatchymcsnatch]

I had the same problem a year ago with old PC and I would put my money on dodgy RAM - run a memtest as someone has mentioned. Failing that if you can afford to remove any of your RAM sticks from your PC (if you have more than one - then you could try running it with half the RAM - if it works with just one of your sticks then thats the problem.

[ihateburnley]

1) Youre overheating - get some monitorering software to see what temperature your stuff is at

Does anybody have an idea what sort of temperature my computer should be running at? I have a display on the front of the tower, and I've noticed it is steadily rising whilst in use. Shouldn't the fan prevent this from happening???

[Biddy]

The running temperature depends on on the processor you are using and which part of your computer you are monitoring.

You can monitor the general temperature within the center of the case, the Processor itself, the Hard Disks, Graphics Card or the memory. All of these run at different temperatures with different thresholds.

Temperatures will rise during use and will rise and fall depending on what you are doing. Depending on the age of the machine, your fans will either be going at full pelt all the time or they will increase in speed as the temperature rises. You will know if this is happening as the fans noise will increase.

I personally don't think you have a temperature problem as you are only experiencing problems during not very intensive applications. The way to really stress your machine and see if it shuts down under other circumstances is to try a newer graphically intensive 3D game. These cause the CPU, memory and graphics cards to be used extensively and therefore increase the temperature. For example, in my machine, when I play Half Life 2, the CPU fan goes from a bearable whir to a rattle that vibrates the case.

You can always run the computer with the case off to get more air flow through which will keep the computer cool. If FM still crashes then I would seriously be looking at memory problems. You will probably find that you have one particular problem area in memory and the game is referening it causing the crash.

Another thing to try is to make sure you have the newest patch available for FM. There might have been a problem that has been fixed by a patch. Long shot but anything is worth trying.

Personally, I would re-install the machine and try FM without installing anything else. If it still crashes then there is a hardware problem. If it is fine then it is likely another driver or program is causing the problem.

[AndyH16]

Did you ever manage to try the Memtest program, it's definately worth trying.

[Flopsy]

hard drive problems im guessing.

Doomed your doomed (better make sure your porn's been transferred to an external hard drive)

[snatchymcsnatch]

Does anybody have an idea what sort of temperature my computer should be running at? I have a display on the front of the tower, and I've noticed it is steadily rising whilst in use. Shouldn't the fan prevent this from happening???

In broad terms mines at 44 degrees - i think if its starts to say anything above 47 its too high - Im no expert but thought it might help if you knew what someones working PC is running at

[AndyH16]

AMD processors tend to sit warmer than the Intel's, sometimes around 10 degrees more.

[Flopsy]

you can get something called motherboard monitor which will work out what temps you're at and what you should be at

[ihateburnley]

Well thanks a lot guys.

I took it to a different shop this time and he said he would have a look at it. I went back three days later and he said that the guy who deals with computers has been away so I took it home. Anyway, I set the computer up in a different location and without using any extension leads or anything (I thought it may be a power problem some how). Low and behold everything started working fine! I couldn't believe it and I had a three hour FM session the other night without a single problem.

Yesterday morning I was playing it and it froze on me after an hour or so, but I thought it might be a one off. At tea time I went back on and it did the same but only after quite a while on the game. Hmmmmm..........

[roverroll]

If you have XP,

Some Programs are known to experience a loss of functionality when they run on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computers.

Is this any help:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...b;en-us;Q307107

Get more fans to keep comp cooler temps, Have a look in cpu to see how warm the comp is. I can try find out more by sending an e-mail to a friend for you.

Do we know the OS?

Is the graphic card shared, or onboard - Try new card:

Did you ask, or see what the system requirements are for the game?:

Memory may need updating:

What settings are you using for the game:

HTH

Edited June 26, 2006 by roverroll

[mode_m]

Windows XP blue screen is usually a page dump. There is a temperary file located on the C drive which stores information while programs are running, this file allows the computer to run faster, this file essentially acts as RAM. My old P3 did this all the time when I tried to play Halo on it, the only solution I found was to get a new computer. Basically my processor and ram were too slow, video card was fine and everything else was fine. Footie manager isn't that intense of a game (at least i don't think, i dont' really play it). What kind of computer do you have exactly?

CPU, RAM, Hard Drive capacity and free space, last time you formatted the drive, and type of Video Card. You might be able to get away with upgrading the ram and possibly the hard drive. I would check to see that you have at least a gig free on your C: drive.

Check this page out if you want more info on the page dump error.

http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php

[roverroll]

Still waiting to see if the member has a problem or not as I have some more questions for him,

I have two guys who knows comps inside out, upside down and waiting to help.

Till we hear if its been sorted nothing more I can do. I would'nt have thought you need a new computer for blue screen especially as he had it for only 18months..strange..

[ihateburnley]

Still waiting to see if the member has a problem or not as I have some more questions for him,

I have two guys who knows comps inside out, upside down and waiting to help.

Till we hear if its been sorted nothing more I can do. I would'nt have thought you need a new computer for blue screen especially as he had it for only 18months..strange..

Sent you a PM now Roverroll. At the moment everything is fine. I ditched the cruddy four-plug extension lead and have put the computer on the dining room table, instead of on a desk in the bedroom.

Strangely enough this seems to have solved the problem. Not counting my chickens just yet though....

[mode_m]

Still waiting to see if the member has a problem or not as I have some more questions for him,

I have two guys who knows comps inside out, upside down and waiting to help.

Till we hear if its been sorted nothing more I can do. I would'nt have thought you need a new computer for blue screen especially as he had it for only 18months..strange..

I didn't know how old the computer was, nor the specs of it. When I said new computer I didn't mean that his old computer was broken, simply not good enough to play the game. From my experience when a computer over heats it doesn't go to a blue screen it simply locks up and freezes, but computers can be strange some times.