I think my video card is on it's last legs

[CrazeD]

While playing BF2, my game will sometimes freeze at random. Sometimes the screen just goes grey, but my TS is still active, however I have to hit the reset on my comp. Othertimes, it will just freeze and reboot itself.

Then, sometimes while booting, my monitor never turns on (could be the monitor, but I doubt it) and I have to restart the computer again.

Are these signs of a video card that's about to eat sh*t, or is there something else wrong?

I'm using the current Omega drivers.

Also, after my computer freezes, once it comes back on theres an error report saying my graphics card drivers are at fault. Well that can't be, because it did that when I had Catalyst 6.3 and it also does it with the Omega drivers.

??

It's an ATi Radeon 9600 128mb by the way.

 

[Apokalipse]

try installing new video card drivers

also, try removing dust from the inside of the PC

 

[CrazeD]

It's a new PC, I doubt there's any dust yet. I'll blow it out anyway, though.

It was doing this when I had Catalyst 6.3 drivers and also with Omega drivers, which are tweaked Catalyst 6.3 drivers. Maybe I'll download the Catalyst 6.2 drivers, maybe that will fix it.

EDIT: Sweet Catalyst 6.4 is out, I'll try that. I'll update tonight or tomorrow and see if the problem persists.

So far, I still can't reboot...

EDIT 2: After I rebooted the hardway and the drivers finished installing, it seems I can reboot again.

Is there any programs I can use to monitor the temps of the card? ATi Tool doesn't read temps on this card. Is there any others I can use?

 

[Apokalipse]

what card do you have?

apparently, ATI Tool does have temperature monitoring, but you won't see it unless your card supports it.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=725

Main Features

* No limits overclocking.
* Finding maximum core and memory overclock by rendering into a Direct3D window and scanning the output for visual artifacts.
* Temperature monitoring and fan speed control (on supported cards)
* Removal of Catalyst overclocking lock for 9000/9200/9550/9600 series.
* Artifact scanning mode for non-ATI cards - use together with a 3rd party overclocking utility.
* Loading a predefined clock profile on Application/Windows startup.
* Hotkeys that can be used any time to load clocks from a profile.
* 3D application detection (Direct3D 8, Direct3D 9, OpenGL) to overclock your video card only when required.
* Gamma control

I'm not sure what ATI cards have or haven't got a temperature monitor, as I'm a lot more farmiliar with Nvidia cards. but I found a site which you can use to check if your card does:
http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/94

 

[CrazeD]

I had a Radeon 9600. The temps don't work in ATi tool, so I guess they aren't going to work then huh?

 

[Apokalipse]

yeah, I doubt the 9600's have temperature monitors, I think it may be only some 9800's from the Radeon 9000 generation...

 

[gazvenn]

if your having problems with bf2 still i'd recommend checking out a bf2 specific forum eg www.totalbf2.com

 

[CrazeD]

It's not BF2, it's my computer.

 

[CrazeD]

I tried the new drivers (Catalyst 6.4) and it still freezes up on me. It is definitly not my CPU overheating. I have my CPU OC'ed to 2.1GHz. I am positive that it is not that, because it was doing this at stock CPU speeds aswell, and everything else on my computer runs fine.

What are the chances it is my PSU? I did a torture test with Prime95 for about 20 minutes and my 12v voltage remained about 12.45 - 12.55. CPU temps didn't make it passed 40*C on that test.

What are the chances that maybe my video card is overheating? Would a video card that is overheating cause complete lock-up?

One more thing. I never disabled my on-board sound in BIOS, and I am currently using a Santa Cruz sound card. It was causing a driver conflict, so tonight I disabled the on-board sound in BIOS. Think maybe that would have caused it?

I have fried pathways on a videocard before, and it was much different than this. When I fried my old card, games would run very slow, so slow they would lock up for a second or two and then run fine for about 30 seconds and then lock up. Same thing for using windows media player or anything.

With this, it's just a solid lock-up, and I get 50 - 60FPS when it is running smooth. Also, everything else runs fine and I get 350 - 400FPS in Medal of Honor. I really don't think it's my video card anymore.

Possibly just the game, so I installed it on my 80GB back-up HDD tonight.

I'll post back results tonight or tomorrow. I'd appreciate some suggestions as to what else might be causing it though. This is getting really old.

 

[magouster]

I'm pretty sure you would see artifacts a long time before the card would cause a lock-up or BSOD. It could be the soundcard driver, tell us if it works! You only mention BF2, have you tried other games?