PC problem

[matt1314]

Hi everyone.

I know that I've mentioned that question a lot of times, but I can't understand what the hell, why my PC is always restarting in each game I play. I'm starting to play Racer, after a while playing my PC restarts suddenly without any warnings, and the same thing with MM2 and Ford Street Racing and so on.

What happened? I hadn't this problem for years and a short time ago my PC started to reboot itself after a while playing (c. 15 min).

Thanks.

P.S.: Maybe it's a problem in each game. Here is the configuration of Ford Street Racing: What do these things meaning? Can you explain what thing is for what responsible? What is Environment Mapping, Heathaze, Dynamic Shadows, Depth of Field, Model detail and Visual Range? I'm using the graphic card RADEON 9600 SERIES and the sound driver YAMAHA AC-XG WDM Audio. I've 2,53 GHz (Pentium 4) and 1 GB RAM. I'm using Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 3.




What is Hardware Acceleration? Should I use it or not? Maybe you know what things I have to turn off to let the game work without any restarts of my PC. It's hard to play, when your PC is always rebooting.

HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM

Thanks again.

[Franch88]

The first thing that I council to do is to format and reinstall the OS and all the programs.
Before do this, you can try to make other things, like uninstall and then install your graphic drivers and upgrade the latest version of the DirectX 9 graphic libraries (found them in Microsoft website). You can do also an hardware check: happened to me that because of the graphic card fan, while playing a game, after the PC freezes displaying blue screens, or the monitor shuts down, or the PC suddenly restarts.
Check also the state of all the fans, and be sure that some cables let circulate the air inside the case.

[vw-tuner-oburg]

try to use TuneUp or somethimg like this

[matt1314]

What is a fan? And can you give a direct link to the graphic libraries from Microsoft? And how to do a hardware check?

[Franch88]

For hardware check I meant to shut down your PC, open the case panel and see if it's all ok, especially with the cooler fans. Try to switch on the PC with the opened case seeing if especially the graphic card cooler fan works properly.
The cooler fan is that component that dissipates the heat created by some PC components, like the CPU and the graphic card GPU.
Anyway hardware check aren't the first things to do. This problem sounds more like an OS problem, so format your HDD and install the OS.

I don't know the direct link to get the DirectX from the Microsoft website. Check this other one.

[matt1314]

Thanks to you all, I try it and I hope, it'll work properly.

I don't know the direct link to get the DirectX from the Microsoft website. Check this other one.

The DirectX .exe file is linked to Microsoft, so this is the direct link.

[Franch88]

I would like to know what you've done... I've told to you so many things.

The DirectX .exe file is linked to Microsoft, so this is the direct link.

Ah, ok. Was my link not linked to Microsoft website.

[matt1314]

I haven't done anything yet, I'll begin on Wednesday. Soon the results...

[Anthony]

in no particular order...
(thought i would do them in order of ease)



try also a system restore to a point where it was working fine

also do a full virus check

try re-installing drivers

do a windows update

go into add/remove and check there is nothing weird in there

re-install the games

if you have integrated graphics on your motherboard, take out the ATi card and try running games like that to see if the graphics card is broken

get onto technical support for your computer if they have one. But don't be surprised if they start treating you like an idiot.

[matt1314]

Hey, Franch was right, it was an OS problem! Thank you a lot for your help all together! The PC doesn't restart now all the games! Because I have Acronis TrueImage Home, I made and image of my whole hard disk, when I installed the OS first time and the all important programs. So this was the copy of my hard disk, and now I needed it, I made an image of the hard disk, that I had now (the most used version) and loaded the old one, that wasn't used a lot. I installed on this hard disk version the games and it works fine now!

I think you've understood me and what I've made.

BIG thanks again!

[Franch88]

Nice. Was my first concil to format and reinstall the OS. Good to know that you've done an image of the hard disk after installed the OS and the most important drivers and programs, so you've gained much time doing this.
I'm glad to have helped you.

[matt1314]

Yep. To make the complete image of my HD, Acronis needed nearly 1 hour.

[Franch88]

Yep. To make the complete image of my HD, Acronis needed nearly 1 hour.

Yeah, this operation takes time. Acronis TrueImage IMHO is the best program to do this.
I guess you've saved it in a DVD.