Hi Myles,
We've rebuilt your Windows system, updated every
driver, updated DirectX, tweaked your settings, and
verified your hardware. The only possibility I could
suggest would be to go over the troubleshooter again
in case you missed a step, or only partially completed
it, otherwise since it's giving you errors in Dxdiag, you
could also ask the folks in the DirectX newsgroup.
I'm posting those complete steps again for you here: ..
I wish there was a simpler way, however troubleshooting
is the only way to go, and this list is pretty complete.
Since your situation seems more hardware/driver related, start
with Step 5, then go through Steps 6 to 8 before anything else.
I hope this helps Myles, I hope it's not a faulty power supply.
1. To see if it's a software conflict: Temporarily disable Startup
programs one at a time, starting with Firewall, Antivirus, and ad
blockers using:
http://new.jtsoft2001.com/windows/startup.php
You can lookup what a program does before you disable it here:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm
2. Run a virus scan at:
http://housecall.antivirus.com Afterwards
Download & Run Spybot from:
http://security.kolla.de to find any
Trojans, Adware, or Spyware which could clog up your system.
3. Click My Computer / Rightclick the Drive & Choose Properties
/ Run the "Disk Cleanup..." / Next Click the "Tools" Tab and run
the "Error-Checking" and "Defragmentation" utilities.
4. Go to the Windows Update site for everything under Critical and
Recommended:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
Except: Q811943 which reportedly may cause systems to slowdown.
5. Update DirectX and your Chipset, Sound, &Video Drivers:
For all Video / DirectX / Game and Hardware Issues, I have a
Checklist of Solutions at:
http://NibblesNbitsVideo.tk
6. Dust your fans, vents and components using a 1/4" paintbrush
and a hose vacuum. Use compressed air for hard to reach places.
Set a housefan to blow cold air into your case to expose an over-
heating issue.. If it works add more fans or replace defective ones.
Use this Mainboard Monitoring Utility:
http://mbm.livewiredev.com
7. A faulty power supply can cause STOP errors, random reboots,
and black screen lockups. One way to test for that is to remove all
extra devices, network cards, extra RAM sticks, modem, scussi,
sound card, unplug CD drives (if not needed to verify CD), and then
try the game again. If the problem is solved look into a 400 watt P/S.
My system used to freeze up due to leaking capacitors on my mother-
board. This shows what it looks like and how to replace them, although
I replaced my board instead:
http://www.overclockers.com/tips1081/
8. Test your RAM using:
http://www.memtest86.com/memt30.zip
after you extract that zip file, click on the README.txt file for the
instructions on how to create the boot floppy to test your RAM.
* Allow Windows to control your pagefile at a "system managed size".
Be sure there's enough space for the pagefile size to = 1.5 * your RAM
Bonus Tip: Set the pagefile to it's own partition or hard drive if possible.
References:
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpvm.php is a good site about this as is:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/mcfedries/03june16.asp
9. Click Start / Control Panel /Administrative Tools / Event Viewer /
Click the Applications listing on the left / in the right pane look for
yellow or red symbols and doubleclick them to identify any problems.
10. Click Start / Run / then type: sfc /scannow and press ENTER
to replace any damaged system files -or- Run Setup.exe on your
Windows 98/Me/XP/2000 CD to reinstall Windows over itself without
erasing your programs and data. Once everything works fine reinstall
updates one at a time from:
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com while
testing the game after each update, in case an update caused the problem.
11. If you have room on one of your partitions, use it to install another
clean installation of Windows which you can gradually update with the
appropriate chipset, video, and sound drivers, as well as Direct X, but
with no extras including themes, firewalls, antivirus, etc. You may have
to reinstall the game(s) for use with that partition, but it's well worth it.
12. If you don't have enough space for step 10 I suggest you at least
create a new administrators account with no themes, firewall, antivirus,
or any other software or startup programs installed for that account. If
this solves the problem, then you should switch over to the new account.
--
Cheers,
Jimmy S.
Additional Support Resources: My Zone.com Helpsite:
http://nibblesnbits.tk
Microsoft Online Tech Support:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=376
Game FAQ's:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
| I thank you for you help Jimmy S., I learnd a lot about
| programs i never realy looked in to. But my pc is still
| no working. I figure if I give you a better discription
| then it might help. I use Windows Media Player and the
| music is fine (on occasion it dose pulse with the game),
| I play a game and it is still fine, but when I used
| winamp3 when i played a game it would pulse with the
| game. I had DiretX 8.1 and installed DiretX 9 and ran the
| test in dxdiag and they all pulse as well. I dont have
| the port for a graphics card on my mother board, I belive
| is AGP port i put a new sound blaster card in though. I
| have run all the up dates on your the list you gave me.
| In advance I realy appreciate all the help.
|
| Myles...
