Having problems with updated computer in SL

(1) week ago I had my computer updated. since then being in sl is worse then before, the game freezes up even in a empty sim but when the game is frozen so is my computer I cannot log out of sl or even do anything on the computer and have to turn it off manually. Can someone please give me some ideas as to what is going on. I have no clue as to what you need to see about my computer specs..so I left this, Thank you

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: M61PME-S2P
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor LE-1660, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.8GHz
Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 433MB used, 9637MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

Card name: ATI Radeon HD 4600 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x949
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9498&SUBSYS_22691787&REV_00
Display Memory: 1024.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6983 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 7/14/2009 19:27:52, 336896 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 7/14/2009 21:20:10, 4407808 bytes

What do you mean "freeze up"?

Is it temporary freezes, and then you can move again? Or are you talking a full machine lock up requiring a force restart?

If it is just temporary pauses (some of the time at least), can you go into your task manager and look at the memory SL is using? It just may be down around 200-300megs of ram use which will for sure cause freezes, even in an empty sim.

If the machine is fully locking up - freezing. Maybe you have a heating issue?

What did you just upgrade on the computer? Your video card? I think that CPU is from 2005 or 2006 just before that 2-core chips came out. Maybe you need to redo the Arctic Silver stuff between the CPU and heat sink because the system is overheating.

Why don't you go to CNET and download a CPU temp monitor and have it on screen with SL going to see how high your temp goes - that could very well be the cause of your freezing.

But honestly, i am usually wrong when it comes to all this. I am sure, Viktoria, or the Empress of the Universe, or Jesse, or Osgeld (dont mention Dell to him), or Argent, or Dante, or one of the other many legitimately technically adept people will come along and help you - they are really good for that.

I am just screen filler in the mean time.

Hi Briana,

Yes the machine fully locks up, I have downloaded the cpu temp monitor and will see what that shows. I believe the guy who installed my parts did a heat test already

Well see, that could be the problem. I think on a single CPU like yours - SL is one of the best "burn in" heat test there is for the CPU and GPU. SL really does turn the heat to max on a CPU/GPU without breaking a sweat in its code.

Also check the fan on your video card - maybe it is not spinning up fully or maybe not at all. Are you having any screen artifacts appear when it freezes?

I feel like such the cool techno-geek girl!

Really i am just regurgitating stuff people have said here over my 6 years, and it sometimes helps!

lol.... Im happy to have you give me some ideas about what is going on

There are no screen artifacts when it freezes just normal screen, the fans also got replaced and are working..the cpu is reading from 47-49 for temp atm

What is your power supply rated at?

Im not sure, but that was brand new 2 days ago..how do I check?

It will probably say on the power supply.

If it was just installed I would think there would be something in writing describing what power supply was installed.

If you open the box to look at the power supply you could check to see if the fans are all spinning.

What all was installed a week ago?

I havent looked to see who made the power supply but it is brand new this was added 2 days ago because of all the freezing up Im having, "thinking this would help" the one we replaced was about 4 yrs old.... So altogether I have replaced..

video card
processor
motherboard
added more memory
..and power supply
2 fans....(all fans are working)

You might try getting a more current driver for you video adaptor. I looked up the driver for the ATI HD 4600 series chipset:

http://www.atidriver.org/?gclid=CJyDwuah5pwCFShRagod8lVJGQ

Also in your preferrences go to your graphics tab, custom, and uncheck VBO (if checked).

I'm a little unclear on what you are calling a full system lock up. Can you "alt/contro/delete" to bring up your task manager? If so check to see what's "not responding". Or if some program or process is gobbling up all your memory. And use the task manager to shut your system down.

The heat issue mentioned is a valid one.............but with the temps you gave for your CPU seem to be normal. I'm not overly familar with ATI graphics but I'm pretty sure that your graphics is onboard so I'm not sure the temps for that device can be monitored..........if it can then what are those temps? Anything above about 85 to 90 celsius is getting in the hot range and could be the problem.

Another common cause of system lock ups is bad memory. Check to make sure your memory cards are firmly and properly seated in the slots.

While your in there look at the power supply. On the side there is a label giving all the specs.............look for the wattage. That will tell Suezeanne what she asked.

And one more thing. If you forced a shut down when the problem first occured by turning off your computer with power or reatart button (or unplugged it) there is the possibility that your operating system has been damaged due to improper shut down. A few times will probably not harm anything (though each time the risk is there) but repeated shutting down by doing that very likely will. If that's the case then you can try a system restore but it probably won't do any good. Usually that means a complete reinstallation of your Windows.

Hi Peggy, I will have to look for the items you have asked tomorrow as Im getting ready for sleep...but


You asked.............(I'm a little unclear on what you are calling a full system lock up. Can you "alt/contro/delete" to bring up your task manager? If so check to see what's "not responding". Or if some program or process is gobbling up all your memory. And use the task manager to shut your system down.)

No I cannot do anything or run any program...the computer is frozen I cannot even use my mouse, so only way to shut everything down is manually using the power button on the tower. this only happens when I have sl running

If it is reporting as a 4600 series with 1024 MB memory, it is either a 4650 or a 4670 card. These require a minimum 400 watt power supply. There should be a sticker either on the back of the power supply or on the top with its rating.

You can also run a GPU stress test. Download Furmark at http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/ (it is designed to test OpenGL performance, so it is a good indicator of how well your card can run SL).

Update the driver and then open SL, but do not log on. Open the preferences from the top menu, and make sure the VBO is unchecked as mentioned above.

If it still freezes after that, try opening SL and going to the preferences (again, before you enter your password). Check the "custom" option for graphics and turn all graphics sliders to their lowest level, and uncheck the options. If this works, you can then raise your settings a little bit at a time until SL is stable.

As far as concerns about problematic system memory you can download a test from Microsoft

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

you burn this to a cd and reboot the computer off of that cd, it will scan tru every bit of memory and perform a check

Sometimes this really does not matter i think... At least not in my case.

My Dell only has a 375w power supply, but yet it can run a 9800GT, and those are rated for a higher wattage than that.

I have in mine a quad core + 9500gt, 1024mb.

The Dell forum techs made an official post about that since apparently my machine came in 2 power supply models...A first model with less power, and the second, better thought out model, with a 425...go figure.

I bet mine is probably pushing it.

-living on the edge-

My VBO, is and has been unchecked.

Thank you to everyone who has responded and I hope to get this problem fixed.. If you have any other feed back please let me know. I did get a response today from the person who changed out the entire insides of my computer, his response was.....


We checked your temps, we weren't seeing anything above 48C.

No, you don't have onboard video, that is what the video card is for. We can take it out and run you on onboard video, but usually video doesn't lock things in this manner- normally you have colorful blocks, stripes, or regions that have little to do with what you are doing at the time, and then the system locks.

Your graphics temps were only in the 40s.

The PSU wattage, you have very efficient parts, which is why your temperatures are so low, as such, you do not need as beefy of a power supply. Besides, I changed that out already, and the reason I opened your old one, was I was wondering if it was due to bad capacitors inside. It wasn't due to caps. Your current system only draws half the power your old system did, and your system cooling is quite overkill.

At the moment, I am figuring it is your main memory (the graphics card also has memory), but the memory you have is made by Crucial, which is a division of Mircon, an American company, and they usually make good memory- however, things do happen.

We can eliminate the graphics memory by removing your video card and running you on the onboard graphics. This will be a bit slower, but it will tell us useful information, and tell us if it is the video card. Finally, if that doesn't work, the mainboard is the last item.

Unfortunately, troubleshooting is a systematic process, unless something sticks out. And, unfortunately it takes patience, and I feel bad about your frustration.

Re-installing Windows, this works sometimes, usually it is due to some drivers or other "programs" not liking each other.

Try the memtest mentioned above. Or as a quick-and-dirty memory test, take out one memory module and try again. If it works, switch it and try the other one.

You can also run Furmark to see if this is just an SL problem, or if it happens under GPU stress from other applications.

http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/

You might also try uninstalling your video driver and then running Driver Sweeper to clean up old files before reinstalling the latest version.

http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/

Update.....

The computer guy switched my memory cards around, and everything works as normal, I'm wondering if maybe the cards weren't in all the way to begin with or if switching them does make the difference and if one is bad wouldn't I know by now? He hasn't ran any tests on this either, I think he going to leave things alone unless I have any other issues. Nevertheless I'm happy my computer is working as it should..thank you to everyone who has replied to this post

Sometimes they just need to be reseated. You can run memtest to confirm this, but I think you would have seen the problem again if you had a bad card.