3d windows crashing, detailed info given

[lintphishx]

3d applications crashing, AGP on mobo dying?

I'm working with a fairly old computer that was built about 4 years ago. I didn't build it myself but I have changed the heatsink and swapped cases about 2 years ago. The problems I'm having are crashes or very bad behavior in 3d graphics windows... games in particular. 2d apps/games seem to work normally and I'm getting no noticable 2d acceleration problems from the cards that support it.

I have gone though the following video cards and I've provided the results ( from many games and other 3d window generating aps ):

• nVidia Geforce 4, nVidia MX400 - Some games will play well with some flickers of garbage then the graphics get quite full of artifacts. The game/app will crash or get so garbled that they are unusable. The crash will sometimes be recoverable othertimes the system locks up and sound loops until you reset.
• Radeon 9800 pro, Radeon X700 pro - the only difference in the radeons is that I don't get any garbage. I'll get some gameplay or 3d graphics then the application will crash. It does seem to trigger what sounds like the monitor changing resolutions, what I suspect is the VPU recovery system, and in one test Grand Theft Auto III did it several times and was playable but did eventually cause a lock up. If I turn the VPU off the system usually locks up but sometimes can be recovered or the application (GTA III) will pause and be usable for a time but it always crashes eventually.

This is a link to a cpu-z generated page of the components. http://members.cox.net/lintphishx/cpuz.htm

I've done the following... and probably more that I can't remember I've tried over the past month:

*Cleaning the AGP slot with air and inspecting closely for dust.
*Making sure the cards work in another computer and they do.
*Trying a new clean installation of windows on a new partition.
*All the versions of official and omega drivers I could get my hands on... I think about 3 versions worth including the ones that came with the video cards.
*Trying an Antec 400w power supply and a 550w power supply.
*Changing Apeture size and turning off/on Fastwrite and various other AGP options in many combinations.
*Updating the bios and chipset AGP drivers
*Screaming
*Pulling everything out but the CPU and putting it all back inside.

I'm sure I did something else but don't remember... I suggested it was the mobo but I was told I'd get a beep code if that was the case. I replied, "Boulderdash!"... because that didn't sound right. Before I break down and get a new mobo, and processor for the **** of it, I hope someone can give me a miracle cure of any number of money saving steps... Thank you in advance for any guidance. I may have left something out so ask me whatever you need to ask to get this right!

 

[sPlAtOiD]

Have you tried to set your bios to default.And also do you have the CoreCell tec on this mobo? Also after the crash have you checked your temps.

 

[lintphishx]

The default settings was done, but I forgot to mention it... nothing is too trivial I suppose. I do not think it has CoreCell, the specs in the manual don't say and I think it was manufacture before the technology was introduced. I did check the temperatures I didn't notice abnormally high temperatures (<54*c) but after a crash that didn't require a reboot, the cards fan would not throttle up on the radeon X700 causing me to reboot out of fear. Thank you for the quick response!

Still no ideas today. I'm stumped and I'm sure it's something simple. I'll double check to see if there are any conflicts or if I'm using new hardware that I didn't factor in before... or something.

 

[lintphishx]

Bumping with another question. Is there an app that can check the mobo's components for possible errors or damage? I've checked msi and they have just the standard temperature/over clocking types of applications and nothing that checks certain parts for problems.