Games Constantly Crash My Brand New System

[zedkhov]

So...I've been looking for ages all over tech forums and vista forums trying to work out this issue...you guys are my last hope!

Now the issue is, whenever I am playing games on my vista machine....90% of the time they hard crash to a black screen with lines going vertical through. I can't make rhyme or reason out of it, but what i do know is the list of games that Don't crash is easier to work out then the list of games that do...so far Half life 2 based games are fine including mods...everything else crashes.

Please note this is a brand new system and was checked for ram issues for a couple days straight (i don't recall the name of the program the guy used, but i understood it puts an increasingly large amount of stress on the system until it crashes, after 2 days it did not crash...guess he didnt play any games...

I also wanted to mention that through my investigating online I discovered vista may have a problem with large amounts of ram...but i found nothing on microsofts website helping me with this issue

Without further ado, here is a summary of my dxdiag

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 8/5/2009, 17:29:06
Machine name: ZACHS
Operating System: Windows Vistaâ„¢ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.090302-1506)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 08/20/08 13:38:55 Ver: 08.00.14
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q8300 @ 2.50GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
Memory: 8190MB RAM
Page File: 1506MB used, 14924MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 10
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 6.00.6001.18000 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Sound Tab 3: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 4850
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x9442)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9442&SUBSYS_24701682&REV_00
Display Memory: 3571 MB
Dedicated Memory: 503 MB
Shared Memory: 3067 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx64.dll,atiumdva,atiumd64.dll,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver Version: 8.14.0010.0671 (English)
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 5/16/2009 03:08:34, 3064832 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:

please please help me...this rig cost me 1600 bucks and i can play maybe 1 out of 10 new or old games...it sucks! im not a novice at this stuff, but im by no means an expert. I've updated all my drivers and looked everywhere but dunno what else to do!

Thanks for looking,

Z

 

[Lexluethar]

Have you tried playing these games in compatibility mode? Right click on the .exe and click properties, then compatibility, then select an older OS. See if that works.

SEcond would be the crash files that Vista should be creating. Every time an application crashes you should have the option of seeing a text file of what was happening when the application crashed. If not check the event logs when this happens. Thermal events? Application errors? Hardware errors? You can also create a 'log' which will monitor your system and anything you want within it (found within performance and maintenance) which you can 'record' while playing a game, then when it crashes go back and check this log to see what what happening.

 

[Baez]

Is this 32-Bit or 64-Bit Vista? Did you get your video drivers from here: Drivers & Tools | GAME.AMD.COM

If you did and they are the newest drivers try using an earlier version to see if it makes a difference. It is very likely a video problem.

 

[zedkhov]

Thanks for the quick reply Lex

I've tried compatability mode on all the games yes.

The text file thing wont work because the system hard crashes, the only way to get it working again is to reboot the entire system, I don't ever see any errors once it reboots into vista, but It does ask how to startup whenever this happens.

after looking into the log thing you spoke of I came up with this when i typed the error id into microsoft technet

Windows Operating System; Version: 6.0.6000.16386; Event ID: 100; Event Source: Microsoft-Windows-Diagnostics-Performance;
No results were found for your query.

this is really bumming me out

hey baez,

I thought so too, but I get my drivers direct from ati and yes they are 64 bit.

Though i noticed 9.7 is out so im downloading that right now. I should point out i've had these problems for about 4 months or so now. the system was bought mid April of this year.

 

[Baez]

Please don't double post zedkhov, use the edit button.

If the drivers don't fix it the next thing I would suggest is trying a different card. Preferably another 4800 series so you don't have to worry about drivers.

Have you tried disabling the paging file? With 8GB of RAM you dont need it anyway.

 

[zedkhov]

Hi baez,

Sorry about the double post,

I have not tried disabling the page file, I will do that now. I would try another card but I do not have access to another one unfortunately. I will keep it in mind as a lost resort issue if this does not work itself out then I may have to take it in for it to be fixed in which case I will ask them to try another card.

 

[Baez]

You said no games except those made with the Source engine ever worked right? Not even the day you built the system?

Try DriverCleaner Pro. Used to be free but now it has a small pricetag. Works absolute wonders though. If you use that, it'll rule out drivers being the problem.

 

[veg1992]

Driver Cleaner Pro v1.5 (freeware)

Afterdawn still has it as a free download, the rest don't sadly.

 

[zedkhov]

Thanks to both of you I have downloaded the free version and am running the cleanup for ati stuff right now. will finish and try a game and update shortly.

 

[patonb]

have you checked all your temps?