Hi David,
The causes for game's freezing are different than for crashes...
Hardware issues can cause freezing, black screens and other
errors. Also, your drivers should always be kept up to date.
Try the following steps one at a time to try and resolve the issue.
I hope this helps. Please post back if you have any questions!
1. 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
2. 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
3. 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 card,
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.
4. 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.
--
Cheers, Windows XP MVP Shell / User
Jimmy S.
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
Game FAQs:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=FH;[LN];gms
Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
MS Support at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=sz;en-us;top
My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I confer any rights.
_________________________________________________________
| Well i'm glad i've found this post. I seem to be having
| the same problem. Installed a new Mother Board and
| Processor..well lets just say upgraded to a P4
| 2.6ghz,512mb, ATI ALL IN WONDER 9600PRO. A nice jump up
| from P3 800, anyways. Games I played on old system will
| play for about 30sec to "OMG" atleast five mins. When
| this damn thing happens, whole system freezes which can
| only be fixed by pushing the magic reset button. Ctrl
| Alt Del dosent even work. Everything is updated, patched.
| Not so sure whats going on. I used the same video card
| on the old system as well and had no problems. No
| conflicts detected.
| >-----Original Message-----
| >Hi Chris,
| >
| >The most common causes for that problem can be solved
| with
| >these five steps. If the problem persists after you've
| tried these,
| >please post back and we'll try some more solutions. Good
| luck!
| >
| >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
| >
| >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
| >
| >--
| >Cheers, Windows XP MVP
| Shell / User
| >Jimmy S.
|
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
| >
| >Game FAQs:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=FH;[LN];gms
| >Visit my Zone.com / Gaming Helpsite:
|
http://nibblesnbits.tk or Call / Contact
| >MS Support at:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?
| scid=sz;en-us;top
| >My advice is donated "AS IS" without warranty; nor do I
| confer any rights.
| >_________________________________________________________
| >
| >
| > | (e-mail address removed)...
| >| Good morning!
| >|
| >| I have a P4 2.6GHz 512MB RAM system running XP Pro,
| and I cannot run RollerCoaster Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon,
| Icewind Dale, Dungeon
| >Keeper, Desperadoes, or basically any other game I
| install (with the exception of Deus Ex I) without errors
| or abrupt program
| >termination. Play is fine for five, maybe ten minutes,
| then boom! Either a system-wide lockup or I drop to the
| desktop (program
| >terminated). I ran a Belarc scan and found that my RAM
| is slotted in positions 2 and 3 of 3. I have a Creative
| Labs Audigy card
| >and an ATI Radeon 7000 PCI board with 64 MB (all of the
| newest drivers installed), but I can't run a game my
| mom's P2 400MHz 128MB
| >RAM system will run! I am going crazy!!!
| >|
| >| Please help???
| >
| >
| >.
| >
