Problem playing games

[synth7]

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3000+ @ 2.00GHz (stock 1.8GHz)
RAM: 2x512 Corsair XMS DDR400 PC3200
Mobo: MSI K8T Neo2-FIR (MS-6702E)
Video: ATi Radeon 9800 Pro w/ latest drivers (Everest reports the core as R360 but ATITool says R350 but it has no Temp sensor so it's R350 I assume)

The RAM is very new (just installed it 2 days ago), and I overclocked for the first time (with help from an experienced friend) the next day.

Before the new RAM (I had 1GB of crappy Kingston value stuff), I couldn't play games like UT2k4 or Counter-Strike: Source because after a few minutes, the video would freeze and the sound from the last second it worked would loop over and over. The only solution would be to hold the power button and restart. I could still Counter-Strike 1.6 though, which I prefer over Source anyways. I had no idea what was causing the problem, and I was always trying to figure out what it was.

Now, however, I cannot even play 1.6 for more than 5-10 minutes without it doing the same thing. My system runs stable (ran Prime95 all day while I was out), so I don't know what could be causing the problem? Insufficient cooling somewhere? The overclocking?

Also, sort of related, running 3DMark06 video tests gives me (on average) 3-4 fps. Something HAS to be wrong here.

 

[evnp85]

Have you tried running memtest? I am guessing that the overclock, although you may be able to boot windows normaly, might be too much for your setup to handle. This would explain why your games are locking up. Try using it at stock speed to check if you are experiencing any lockups.

Before you put it back to stock speed, run memtest and check for errors. If there are no errors, overclocking is likely not giving you the problems.

 

[synth7]

I figured Prime95 was the overclockers choice of seeing if an overclock is stable or not, and it ran for ~10 hours with no hiccups whatsoever. But I got memtest86+ and I'll test this afternoon I guess.

 

[Nitestick]

prime95 is better at testing for an unstable cpu overclock. memtest86 is better at testing for stuffed memory or unstable overclocked memory.

 

[synth7]

My memory isn't overclocked at all, but I guess I can give it a try later.

I have my doubts that it's my overclock though, and I still suspect the video card. But thanks guys.

 

[Nitestick]

so your using a divider on the memory? you do understand that without a divider the memory speed rises in proportion to the rise in FSB. nonetheless run memtest, always good to run memtest on brand new memory. just for future reference, you shouldn't overclock components until they have had maybe 100 hours up time.

 

[synth7]

Memtest ran fine, no errors.

I asked for help on another forum, and I did some of what he said (mainly video card stuff), such as Fast Write off, VPU Recover off, Write-Combining off, and now I can play CS 1.6 without the error anymore. However, I tried to play Counter-Strike: Source and it froze like 5 seconds into the Video Stress Test. It's even frozen in the game MENU, before I ever actually play.

Could it be something like a DirectX glitch somewhere? I set the Hardware DirectX level to 8.1 but the Software is still at 9.0.

Edit: I don't know if this has anything to do with anything, but I've always wondered what it is. In Device Manager, under Display Adapters, I have to video cards listed: RADEON 9800 PRO and RADEON 9800 PRO - Secondary, and it's been like that forever. What is causing this?

 

[evnp85]

Honestly, I still think its a memory related issue. CSS is the only game I play and I used to have this same exact problem you had. Everything I tried did not work. Its weird, but I eventually underclocked my FSB by 1mhz and the problem never occured again. Try running your ram at stock speed and see if the problem happens.

 

[synth7]

My motherboard is gay. If I increase the FSB of the CPU, people say it increases the speed of the video card and RAM also, something I'm sure my sub-par card (these days) doesn't like. And my motherboard is low-end and won't allow me to increase the multiplier past 9x.

 

[Nitestick]

no motherboard will unless you have an FX series processor. other than that they're all multiplier locked on the PROCESSOR.