Computer freezing in the middle of games

[jc1918]

After gaming for about 1 hr straight my computer just freezes there. I cant go back to the desktop or anything.
Is this a hardware problem or software conflict?
Im using Windows xp sp2
with radeon 9700

 

[TheMajor]

Check the CPU and videocard temps.

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

Sounds like an overheating issue to me. What kind of cooling do you have in the system?

 

[AND_YOU_ARE]

What game is it, or is it all of your games?

One thing to try is taking off the side of your case when playing games. If it freezes up than you most likely have a cooling issue. If not then you have a different problem.

 

[jc1918]

It happens in all my games. It started to do this like a week ago.
I checked the temps during startup and they were good.
I have fans as my cooling system.
Also, my comp started freezing up randomly at startup too.

Well, the computer was stuffed up in a box in one of those storage centers for 3 weeks...that mightve affected it.

 

[AND_YOU_ARE]

What version of the catalyst drivers are you running?

 

[Harper]

Well, the computer was stuffed up in a box in one of those storage centers for 3 weeks...that mightve affected it.

I have seen storage containers mess up pcs. But this is when they have been stored away for a few months to a year.

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

Catalyst version 4.11 came out on ATI's site not long ago. I got a performance increase when I upgraded to them. It also fixes a memory allocation error with ALL 256mn ATI cards..

If your system is having all those problems you should run some tests.

For one, put memtest86 on a floppy and let it run:
www.memtest86.com

That will run a full check on your system memory.

 

[jc1918]

hmm...I have 4.10, I'll update those drivers and see how it works.
I'll try the memtest too.
Thx for all the suggestions

 

[sPlAtOiD]

You said you checked your temp at startup you should run play the games till it freezes up and re boot and then check your temp.Pull the side off and see how much dust is in your fans.Look at the fan on the back of your computer on the power supply and see how durty it is.