SL locks mys system up.

First off, my basic specs.

Windows XP
AMD Sempron 2200+, 1.5GHz
Memory, about 1Gig
Graphics card, Geforce 6600 with 256MB visual memory

So here's what's going on, at seemingly random points while playing SL, my system will suddenly and inexplicably lock up (though sometimes this might be pre-empted by my sound disappearing). All that remains functional is my keyboard, mouse, and start menu. Everything else won't work, not even Ctrl Alt Del.

I don't have any idea what's causing this issue. Seemed to start two days prior to upgrading my graphics card. Beforehand I was dealing with 10 regular SL crashes a day to the update of SL to use the Windlight features, which is why I ordered the new graphics card.

I've tried reinstalling SL
I've tried reinstalling Windows
I've tried reinstalling my graphics drivers

I had a similar issue with locking up before I upgraded my memory from 512MB. Upgrading it seemed to solve the problem then, but I don't know how this issue started. I'm hoping I won't have to resort to upgrading memory again, as I already spent $150 upgrading my PC, more or less just for SL since I don't play any other games on it.

Have you only reinstalled the graphics drivers, or have you tried updating them to the version on the nVidia website?

A computer locking up instead of crashing (which is what you discribed) often signifies something more serious than some software causing a problem. Over heating is a major cause of lock ups like you are having. Take the sides off your computer and blow out all the dust. Pay attention to the fans........they should spin freely when you blow the compressed air on them.

You said you could play SL before but with lots of crashes per day. You may be dealing with the same issue as before but with a higher end graphics card. That's all I can think of right now withour further input from you.

In Windows XP and below, drivers tend to run in kernel mode, and a misbehaving driver can do all sorts of fun and wacky things, such as stop errors (kernel panics, BSOD's, depends on what you like to call them), to an inconsistant state, to just freezing altogether.

Standard software does not generally run anything in kernel mode, it usually all stays in user mode, which does not really have the ability to lock up the computer.

That said, you are correct in that heat can also do this, so it's worth checking out.

Well, I suppose I could check my fans. But a couple times I locked up within minutes of logging on, once being in a relatively empty sim. At the same time, I've been able to handle being in rather crowded clubs for a decent amount of time without anything happening. Would overheating still be the possible issue?

Yes, I updated my graphics drivers.

The problem didn't start with the graphics card upgrade. Two days before I upgraded, I locked up a lot. Oddly, the next day I had no issues at all, not even crashes. And then the problem came back after I installed the graphics card the day after.

And I have no idea what you're getting about in this "kernal mode". Is this something I should worry about and get fixed somehow?

Being in SL generates lots of heat, regardless of where you are.

Don't worry about the kernel mode user mode comment, that was directed at Peggy. It's out of the scope of this thread, although if you're curious you can look up "kernel mode user mode" on Google. "Kernel land user land" will also get relevant hits.

EDIT: http://freestone-group.com/video-card-stability-test.htm
Try running that for a while and tell me if your system crashes.

http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=103
Run this after, if you don't get any crashes.

Dust isn't the issue. The vent fan is practically clean, the graphics card is new so its fan is still clean, and the processor fan, while containing some dust, is still plenty vented.

I'll try those links you gave me.

This maybe a totally useless suggestion, but does it unlock when you let it go idle for a few? I have a crap card, its an ATI, which is so not Windlight compatable. And since the 1.19 I lock up now, and would just get frustrated and power down my tower. Then I decided to let it go idle and see what happens. It did unlock in a minute or so. Sometimes it would crash, but sometimes not. As someone said this maybe totally different. But i would rather a client crash over a system failure.

1.19 is when I started having issues. Many many crashes a day. And then eventually upgrading to a lot of lockups. I would've hoped that upgrading my graphics card would've solved that. Anyway, yes, I tried that. Usually if it's just stalled, it just says "No Response" at the top of the window. But when it locks up, it doesn't matter how long I sit on the screen.

Well, I tried both of those links. Neither of them locked my computer. Except for when I forgot to turn off my screensaver for that second one. Saving screens is the only thing screen savers help with...

I'm wondering if I should turn the VBO option off in SL. It helps improve my framerate, but people keep telling me that it can be problematic. Indeed, having it on for certain caused me problems when I was still using the ATI card. But I would've hoped I wouldn't have any trouble once I switched to Nvidia. Well, at least I'm not dealing with texture meshes shooting across my screen anymore.

Tried VBO off. Didn't help.

This thread was started two weeks ago and if you are still having the problem with your computer locking up it's time to look beyond software causing your problem and start looking at hardware......actually, it's past time for that in my opinion. As I stated on another post in this thread, lock ups, crashes that reboot your computer, etc are not normally caused by software problems.

For my resident supervisor here: I know drivers can sometimes cause those problem.......but drivers causing such problems is relatively rare. Virus's can also cause it, as malware can too. Also a corrupted (or damaged) operating system can be guilty too.

You've told us you've done everything suggested and still have the problem. Assuming you've done that correctly (which I have no reason to doubt you did), you have just about exhausted all the causes of your system locking up on you if it were software related. Heat is a very common cause for lock ups. If you've cleaned your case and checked your fans then that sort of points to something else (though not completely illiminate it). Try opening your case once again and checking to make sure your graphics card and all plug in type components are securely seated in their sockets. It might be best to pull them out and physicially check them for evidence of corrosion and then reseat them. Make sure all power connectors are securely in place. Take a look at your CPU and it's fan.....make sure it tightly locked down.

Then try SL again.....hopefully something that you did will solve your problem. If it doesn't then it's going to look like something is on the verge of failing. In my opinion, your graphics card is hightly suspect (your earlier mention of having this problem before updating your drivers which was more severe than now is my basis for that belief).

Good luck.

Actually, it wasn't a driver update. It was a complete graphics card upgrade. I went from an ATI Radeon 9550 to a Nvidia Geforce 6600, which did not solve my problem.

I'll check how secure my cards and stuff are, though. Come to think of it, I noticed a couple plugs left unused. Dunno if they need to be connected to something or not. I know there was supposed to be a few spares in there. I'll have to ask my uncle. My memory is certainly locked firmly in place. It'd have to be, considering how tight it snaps in there. But when I last looked to see how much dust I had, when I tried putting the cover back on my computer and reconnected stuff, my graphics card did seem to be loose. I'll have to check how firmly connected it is. Though I'm not sure that'd be the issue, considering that it started before I even got the card.

By the way, what would a corroded component look like? How would I tell if it's damaged or not?

Corroded connections will usually have white or green residue on the contacts. Maybe darkening like points of excessive heating. A regular pencil eraser is a good way to clean them............denatured alcohol works too. But be carefull with it..........a q-tip is good for applying..

I just had a thought. You say you put a new and different graphics card in you computer and it sort of lessened the problem but did not clear it. I'm thinking if you used the same slot on your motherboard it may be the female connections that are the problem. Hopefully your card is PCI and you have another available to try.

Fingers are crossed for you

sounds like ram to me, but what do i know (acc to robot all the years ive spent in school and decades of trouble shooting computers is worthless becuase i know more than him)

"about 1gb" to me sounds like you have more than one stick installed

512 + 256?? = 768 = about 1gb

run the ms memory diag found @ http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

let us know the results plz

Bad, Osgeld, bad!!!


LOL

geez your just now figuring this out

osgeld = rant
osgeld = rave
osgeld = bad
osgeld = bah hiss poo!
osgeld = nice as sex in a pot of fresh honey in person

sheesh

oh just for sh**s n giggles im currently running SL on a 866mhz P3 pizzabox with 448 mb of ram, an pci ati video card (128mb) and with basicly everything turned down still hitting 23 fps average, if anyone cared

going back to a year old thread "what the F***K is your problem" on some dead forum

where i did the same on a 500mhz p3 and a severly overclocked agp geforce 2 and a gig of ram, screwed to a piece of plywood

Two peas in a pod

Man I hope one of us figures out this problem.........LOL.

For us as well as for the OP.

As we've been over, nobody has a supervisor : )

Also, as we've been over, I've found in the past several years of forum use that in technical communities, everybody should police everybody else. This is the only technical community I've found where the concept is unknown to the residents.

But anyways, if you don't like it, I'm sorry. Nothing I can do.

As for drivers rarely causing problems...drivers tend to be the #1 cause of crashes, especially video drivers. Yes, though, malware (viruses are considered malware. Malware is just a word used to refer to adware, spyware, viruses, trojans, and to a lesser degree, worms) and OS issues can also be guilty, as well as hardware problems (such as RAM issues, which Osgeld suggested. The OCA site he linked to is good, as well is memtest86+ (which displays much more feedback...the quality of the testing is pretty much the same though))

Where are the plugs? On the video card?

You know, I did not mention who was acting as my "suppervisor" here on this forum......you are the one who let the cat out of the bag. I'm well aware that you (nor anyone else) here in this forum is my supervisor.........that is why I make fun of you. And belive me I do laugh at you a lot.......that's AT, not WITH.

I never said drivers rarely cause crashing. Here is what I said:

"For my resident supervisor here: I know drivers can sometimes cause those problem.......but drivers causing such problems is relatively rare. Virus's can also cause it, as malware can too. Also a corrupted (or damaged) operating system can be guilty too."

We are not talking about what most call a crash. The OP is experiencing a total system lock up..........very much different than a simple crashing of a program or even an operating system. Something is happening that makes his computer totally uncontrolable by the user and the only way out is a shutting down of the power. And drivers can do that.......but IT IS FAIRLY RARE that they do cause such a problem.

You need to focus more on helping than critiquing everyone elses posts. In other works stop trying to be the resident supervisor of the technical issues section. Dispite what you continue to spout about your knowledge I know you are a part time computer technician doing work on the side (probably out of your garage). You admitted to that........plus I happen to know just how much you do know an issue I had (it was not a problem......only a question, remember that?). You never answered my question (which is not a reflection on you since no one else could either) but you insisted what I was experiencing was something that was impossible and I was doing one of two things.....lying or imagining. And when I mentioned what I found in my research later you still pointed to my changing my BIOS and underclocking my CPU. I did not do that........I told you I did not do that. But you "know it all" and still maintain I did.

As far as I'm concerned you are what they call in the construction industry........."a hack". That is not a good term either.

Please direct any other posts in any thread in all the forums you and I happen the post on to the OP or someone else. Leave me out of anything you say.

Thank you.

You called me your supervisor in another thread, therefore it was obvious who the comment was directed at.

If it makes you happy, then laugh your heart out.

In fact, it makes me feel a bit better about this whole thing, as your statement just showed how mature you are.

Years of working with and around children has taught me to not take offense to things that less mature people say.


Not everything I say is directed at you. You are free to assume whatever you want, however.

You are free to think whatever you like about my time sharing.

Everybody polices everybody else in order to ensure a high quality of information. Whether you choose to participate or whether you dislike, or whether you ignore it, is up to you.

You know this for a fact?

I'll have you know that I was in fact a part time computer technician doing work on the side...for a period of two months in 2007. For the other four years I have worked as a full time IT supervisor at a small non-profit organization that you don't need to know the name of.

Of course, you'll just call me a "part time computer technician" again in a week, but it doesn't bother me.

I did....after I was acused of it, but I did make it known that it was a secondary thing I did for fun and some pocket money, and not my main job (and I did make my main job known at the time, you just chose to ignore it as it didn't fit into your already existing profile of me). Oh, and no, it wasn't out of my garage, I'd never host a computer repair firm out of my garage. It was with a fairly large repair company. I had a van and such. We had federal contracts. It was interesting work, but I didn't have time for it.

I gave you an answer, but you didn't like it, so you've been saying that I didn't give you an answer.

Without having access to the computer in before and after states, nobody can know what really occured. At least some of the effects were imagined. Maybe others weren't. As I said, nobody will know unless you provide the machine for testing (which you won't, I imagine).

You keep saying that I told you that you were lying...I didn't. I'd tell you to stop putting words into my mouth, but it's useless, since you'll keep doing it anyways. I could put words into your mouth, but I'm not that kind of person.

It's good that you did research.

Like I said above, it's impossible to know what occured in your computer during the switch without having access to your machine before and after. I told you how PSU's and computers work, you and Osgeld flamed me.

No, it's not a good term. I really don't care if you think that, but if you do choose to slander me, I will respond.

I don't slander you, but you're being malicious and slandering me for no reason other than you not liking the answer I gave you.

Please refrain from slandering me.

Thank you.

i only flamed you because your a hobbiest who fancies himself as a pro, telling someone that they are a total fraud and lier

just because you dont understand basic computer electronics and refuse to try and comprehend

you almost did once, then some other hobbiest came in and called foul now your right back on track

please forgive us god

thou shalt not ever question your infinite (less than 6 years) wisdom on the subject

Only part time : )

My job implies the word "Professional" but the word professional implies someone who knows the in and outs of things on a very detailed level, so I don't consider myself to be a professional, rather, I consider myself to be someone who has a lot of experience. What I know I know, and if I don't know something I don't speak up on it.

I don't need to call anyone a fraud and a liar, you people do it for me.

I provided sources to back up what I said, you didn't.

It's easy to "win" a debate when put down anyone who might know better than you. Put the competition below yourself, in other words, make yourself sound more credible. It's a very good strategy, I do admit, but it's rather dirty, and it doesn't help anyone but you.

Again with the putting me below you to make yourself sound more credible.

just as much as refusing to accept reality

your the one who calls bullshit, then provides generic 3rd party, non related, vaguely related info

good luck with that, it will eventually bite you in the ass, it did me, almost 10 years ago and i lost everything i owned, cept for my knowledge and my computer, the thing that feeds me knowledge

Please note that low-prim environments, like a nearly empty sim, are not necessarily easier on your computer. In fact, depending on whether your system's CPU or video card is the bottleneck, and how much power each draws, it may well be the reverse. That is, a low-detail environment may cause your system to work harder. This is, in fact, what I found to be the case with my system.

SL does not work to achieve a certain performance level, and then give the rest to other programs. It uses all the resources it can get. In a low-detail environment you will get higher frame rates, and this may well stress your system more than drawing a high-detail scene at lower frame rates.

In a very busy environment, like say Sanctuary Rock, I only get twenty something frames per second. The total system power usage is about 125W. In my skybox, where I get 90 frames per second, power usage is 145W. I can't explain this except with a guess, and that'd be that at Sanctuary Rock my video card, the most power-instensive component in my machine, isn't being fully utilized, so it's sucking less juice. Something else is the bottleneck under that circumstance. My video card likely draws more power when it is drawing more frames than it does when it's drawing more polygons.

This is a long-winded way of saying that system lock-ups can be caused by the darndest things. Say, for example, that you add more memory and update your video card drivers. Now you're getting higher frame rates. Yay! But now your system is drawing more power. If you have a marginal power supply (or a heat problem) you may have pushed it over the edge.

There are programs available to stress-test your system. Someone has probably already pointed you to a memory tester. To test the CPU, look for a program called prime95 and run each of the three torture tests for at least twenty minutes. You aren't really looking to see if the CPU is faulty (it probably isn't); you're looking to see if your system is stable while it is running full-tilt. If it passes that test you then want to test your video card. I'm not aware of any free programs to do that, but I'm sure there is something.