multiple crashes.

[teddeeh]

hey guys.

here is my system:

Akasa Ultra Quiet 650W PowerPlus Active PFC ATX2.0 PSU
dfi lanparty ut rdx200 cf-dr crossfire socket 939 motherboard
amd athlon 64 3200+ venice 90nm socket 939
geil one 1gb 2x512mb pc3200 bhs cas1.5
connect3d radeon x1800xl 256mb gddr3 avivo (pci express)
maxtor maxline III NCQ 300gb 7l300s0 SATA 16mb Cache OEM
Mitsumi FA 404M 7in1 ISB 2.0 floppy media drive
Sony dw-g120a dvdram drive

running Windows xp medcia centre 2005
i have updated motherboard + graphics card with the 7.1 drivers from ati and still the same problem.

heres my problem:

half the games i run work fine. half the games dont. the games freeze for around 10 seconds, then i get a vpu recoverer message that says it my grphics card stopped responding and had to be reset. i dont know what to do. i have contacted ATI/AMD time and time again and i get the same POS automated response that just tells me to install the latest drivers and hope for the best.
i contacted the place where i bought the parts (home/hand built machine) and they couldnt help me atall. but i didnt build it. there is no way for me to contact the builder (absolutely no way we parted on bad terms, he wouldnt even get off his lazy arse and help me try and sort it when we were friends!) and i am sick of the problems i have.

i dont want to spend £600+ on an upgrade that wont do a thing so i gotta try and sort this out myself but i am pretty much F'ED cos i know nothing really about any of it!!!

heres the wierd thing: list of games that work

neverwinter nights 2
oblivion
dark messiah
dark crusade
company of heroes and quite a few more

list of games that dont work:
boiling point
COD 2
stalker (beta build, a little cheeky hee hee)
guild wars
(this list goes on and on and on, but those games i really want to play, and just crash all the F'ing time!)

can anyone help me with suggestions or anything, from what i need to do or absolutely anything i can do to try and resolve this. i have crash reports for ATi on my desktop but i dont know what format they are or how to open them.

if worst comes to worst i will wipe everything and try to start again (bios, absolutely everything, like it was bought fromt he shop in parts, and EVERYTHING needs to be done and installed) but i dont know how, as i didnt build it. its a long post but i hope someone can help me.

well thats it, i dont mind emailing the error report to someone if they know how to open it, like i say its for ATI and i havent a clue how to open it or what format it is in.

 

[SYL\X/3K]

try installing the display driver that came with ur video card, if it didnt try downloading an older version like v.6.?
BTW how long have u had this video card ? Might be overheating

 

[teddeeh]

hi, update:

i used driver cleaner, followed instructions to a T and same problems. my graphics card currently has a temp of 68c and i havent played a game in a few hours.

i have had this card since nov 2005.

ive had this problem a long while, and i dont think updating to a new version or dated version of drivers will work. i remember the very early v.6.1 and stuff not working so i dont know what to do. i am posting on sharevirus aswell, and having help there. if anyone would like to check the status of this i am currently having a coupla dude help over at sharevirus, and my topic is in the lounge section. also any respnses here i will look at asap, but share virus has had more activity and i seem to be getting replys alot sooner, but i will keep checking here.

 

[OatesyX]

68 is pretty **** high ,, especialy while not playing games,,, there might be your problem,, get a better cooler for your graphics card

 

[SYL\X/3K]

thats ur problem there. wow 68C seem pretty high for a graphic card especially on idle. if u can take off the heatsink from ur GPU, replace the thermal paste on that bad boy and she'll run like new

 

[teddeeh]

cheers for the replys guys. i havent got a clue about how to do anything. im just considering using this pc for music production in my own recording studio and buying a custom alienware for around £2k.
i feel i am getting a little bit of sarcasm in other forums where i posted asking for help. everyone says drivers etc but ive done that. nothing. i even used drivercleaner, and that did nothing. ive been told possibly its a dud card and i should just upgrade. moneys not an option tho, i got 3 jobs and building guitars so i should have close to £2k at the end of te month not including wages from my actual jobs.

 

[SYL\X/3K]

well if i were in ur shoes i'd replace the paste but if u dont care about saving then buy a new card

Quality thermal paste= $5-10
New video card= $50-$1000
Do it urself project=priceless

sry i dont know anything about Pounds