PC Needs Medical Attention My computer is dying? Hardware probs?

[cyborgxxi 0]

Some of you might know about the situation about my computer. You know, the guy with the 4-year old computer who talked about the BIOS upgrades, etc. Well, you will know.Anyway, my computer needs urgent medical / hardware attention!! You guys all know how it feels when you get a brand new computer, right? Well, right now, it feels really old. I have never formatted my disk until 3 years ago, I installed Windows XP Professional on my computer.Since then, I have been upgrading my hardware, like getting better memory sticks, graphic driver cards, a new sound card. I have installed and uninstalled many and plenty of applications, movies, songs, games, programs, software, etc. Yes, 3~4 years without a format. Can you believe that? I always though formatting was for solving problems like messed up files.Anyway, I need your help. But first, listen to the situation:1. My computer specifications are as follows:A motherboard that might have hyper-threading capabilitiesIntel Pentium 4 2.0 GHzWinFast GeForce FX 5700 256mb DDR RAM (freshly updated, but shows a problem that it didn't pass some logo test, but ignored it)SiS #### (don't know the numbers) Built-in-to-the-motherboard sound card (maybe not a card) or driver... or audio driver2x Memory sticks, both from Samsung : 1 giga + 256 mega2. My computer has a good cooling system. It has a 500W power supply, air duct fan, etc etc. Enough fans... I think three of them with one on the side.3. When I'm playing graphic / memory-intense-hogging games, like Battlefield 2, my keyboard / computer "freezes" but the game is still going on. I can still move my mouse or look around in the game (FPS) but cannot interact with my keyboard. For example, you're driving a car, forward, by pressing W. When you attempt to turn left, you press A but before you can do that, your keyboard / computer "freezes" or "hangs". You keep going forward no matter what, no matter how many times or how hard you press 'A'. Thus, you crash into the crowds and kill a handful of people and a big, red "ROADKILL!!" sign flashes on your screen... but that's not the point and that didn't happen.I hope you understood what just happend. The computer froze!! During that freeze session, if you scroll your mouse scroller, your computer makes repeated internal 'beep' sounds. Weird...4. My computer has decent specifications. I mean 1.25 gigabytes of RAM and a GeForce FX 5700!! But for some reason, someone with worse specifications than my computer can play F.E.A.R. singleplayer demo / other games with higher graphic / performance settings than mine. I mean, WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH MY COMPUTER?=============================================Before you post, read:1. Applications running: MSN Messenger / WhatPulse / Sygate Personal Firewall / NVIDIA Settings / Norton GoBack / Some minor background programs2. I have some of the best spyware / adware / malware cleaners / scanners in the world. Don't blame the adware / spyware stuff. I'm sure there are no problems with that.3. My computer is properly cooled. Don't blame my computer but you can blame my CPU. However, I'm not exactly sure what my CPU temperature is while I'm playing Battlefield 2. I'm sure it never exceeds 55~60 degrees Celcius.4. I have 5 gigabytes of disk space left out of my 55 gigabyte hard drive.5. I didn't update my motherboard. I don't know if this affects anything.6. I NEED HELP!!Thanks

[743422 0]

I used to have a computer with the same problem. I never was able to fix it, but I have a few recomendations. First of all, I think the hard drive is the problem instead of the processor. I recomend upgrading to at least a 120 GB. You should always have about a third of your hard drive devoted to free space.

 

Your computers stores something called memory cache on your hard drive. It devotes part of your hard drive to storying the data as the Ram sticks process it. This is why people often have to reboot their computer---they run out of available hard disk space. It might help a lot to update the hard drive. Second, try going to http://www.windowsupdate.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx and install updates. This sometimes fixis issues.

 

A suggestion for fixing the logo problem with the graphic card is by seeing if their is any directx updates from microsoft. DirectX handles the logos.

 

Try going to start/run and typing in dxdiag. This will bring up a window (give it time to load) that shows you computers specs. Click on the DirectX Files tab and verify that the bottom window says no problems found. Then click on the display tab. Make sure DirectDraw, Direct3D, and AGP texture acceleration are enabled. Then click on test direct draw. This will preform a test to see if it is working properly. Also do the Direct3D test.

 

The next thing to do is try to update the drivers. Go to control panel/ preformance and maintnence/adjust visual effects. You can try choosing adjust for best preformance, but your computer won't look as pretty. Then click on the advanced tab. Under processor schedualing, choose programs. Set the button for programs under memory usage too. Under Virtual memory, change the amount to around 770 mb.

 

Make sure Data Execution Prevention is off.

 

If you have a lot of time, go ahead and run the free up disk space utility.

 

Next click on the control panel icon Power Options

Make sure it is set for home/home office use.

Also set the following:

 

Turn of moniter: 40 min

Turn of hard drives: never

System Standby: Never

System Hibernates: Never

(remember to restart your computer before playing a game to have a fresh start)

 

 

Next go into the control panal icon---system.

Click on the hardware tab

Click on device manager

Find you keyboard and double click on it.

Click on the driver tab

Click on update driver

 

 

Do the same for the mouse

 

Email me at jhaar11@aol.com if you have any more problems.

[iGuest 3]

I would just reformat partition and start of fresh in your case. Install latest drivers, and update bios, and chipset. Reinstall games and if the problem still exists you narrow it to hardware.... then it is knowledge base time on your manufacturers web sites.

[cyborgxxi 0]

It's 11:35 AM here. The defragging is done and since my operating system is Windows XP Professional, the "after the defrag" chart looks a little better.

 

Your computers stores something called memory cache on your hard drive. It devotes part of your hard drive to storying the data as the Ram sticks process it. This is why people often have to reboot their computer---they run out of available hard disk space. It might help a lot to update the hard drive. Second, try going to http://www.windowsupdate.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx and install updates. This sometimes fixis issues.

I have freed up 4 more gigabytes of space!! So, I have 17% free space. Also, you'd have to tell me what I can do with the updates on

http://www.windowsupdate.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx

. What issues will any update fix? o_O Please be more specific... and NOTE THAT I HAVE SERVICE PACK 1 (or maybe SP 0... don't remember installing any service packs)

 

DXDIAG: No problems found

 

The next thing to do is try to update the drivers. Go to control panel/ preformance and maintnence/adjust visual effects. You

Since my computer is in Korean and I don't find ANYTHING similar or related to "performance and maintenance", I will need some extra help on that one.

 

Updating Keyboard and Mouse: How am I supposed to do that? I don't have any update-related disks or software installed. o_O

 

I am still in Safe Mode. I am restarting after this post.

[wutske 0]

The windows updates can update a lot, going from security issues to small bugs in windows. It's best to keep them up to date. It's up to you to decide whether you want SP2 or not, but I'm sticking to SP1.About the logo test, I guess you mean that the drivers weren't signed by some M$ lab ? Don't worry, this generaly isn't a problem, it's just a logo that means that those drivers won't give any problems.

[cyborgxxi 0]

I bought this computer from Korea. A year later, I got Windows XP Professional installed. I don't know what the problem is, but a year ago, it says my serial key is invalid. Heh, I thought so. You can't trust any major software CDs in Thailand - it's like the worst place for software piracy.Thus, I don't think I can update anything else until I get Service Pack 2 :DAlright.... hmm... I'll see if anyone else has an idea of what's going on with my computer. I am seriously gonna kick something if nothing improves after I format my disk.

[wutske 0]

I bought this computer from Korea. A year later, I got Windows XP Professional installed. I don't know what the problem is, but a year ago, it says my serial key is invalid. Heh, I thought so. You can't trust any major software CDs in Thailand - it's like the worst place for software piracy.

 

Thus, I don't think I can update anything else until I get Service Pack 2

 

Alright.... hmm... I'll see if anyone else has an idea of what's going on with my computer. I am seriously gonna kick something if nothing improves after I format my disk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you know that you can get a free winxp from M$ if you give them the cd you got from the store (don't know the details exactly, but it's some program to get shop who deal in illegal "cheap" windows XP cd's.)

[cyborgxxi 0]

Do you know that you can get a free winxp from M$ if you give them the cd you got from the store (don't know the details exactly, but it's some program to get shop who deal in illegal "cheap" windows XP cd's.)

Can you tell me more about this issue? I mean, I'm not going to start telling everyone about this but I believe that buying the legitimate copies is a right thing to do. However, it's not possible for such people to purchase such expensive pieces of software and hardware... in this kind of country where jobs are mostly low-paying. About a third or fourth of the average American's yearly salary...

[unimatrix 0]

I've seen similar issues with BF2 around the net. Did you install the patch for BF2? If so reinstall a fresh clean version of the game and see what happens. The first patch they released caused some similar issues.Does this happen with any other games? If it does then it is your system. If its BF2, try reinstalling a fresh install and check and see if a newer patch has been released. I hope this helps.

[cyborgxxi 0]

Wow, unimatrix, I'm not a dumb newbie. I feel insulted... I reinstalled Battlefield 2 three to five times already. Applied the 1.02 patch and no, my computer does not suffer from memory leaks.Basically, reinstalling Battlefield 2 does NOT HELP WITH THE LAG AT ALL. So, telling others to do things that you don't know what they do is not helping at all. So your hope of helping me has gone down the drain *chuckle*Yes, I know - 1.01 caused memory leaks in some computers but I have 1.02. You should have 1.02 as well. Anyway, I will need to upgrade my processor to 3 GHz and get 2 gigabytes of RAM.Maybe I need to get a new graphics card as well

[andrwxsCOL 0]

Well, may be you want to check your memory ram, in some cases, sometimes, the memory ram goes bad and it causes a terrible comportament in the personal computer, I think that you should check your memory ram. There is a lot of programs to do that just search, find, and install it, test and see what happends. Also if you want to be more secure, you can go to an electrical shop center, and here, bring your memory ram, to a check, and they will say to you if your memory is fine or is going bad. Try it you do not lose nothing. I think this could be the problem

[skorv 0]

Try to take a look on what is running in the background using task manager....Norton apps dont mix up well with other firewall/Antivirus programs....Use Karpersky Antivirus Pro and Look'n'Stop firewall, it will save you a great deal of memory and make your computer work faster...Try to keep your windows updated, as well as your NVIDIA drivers.... a wrong or old graphics driver can cause those crashes... just a thought...Remove MSN Messenger, use GAIM... its free and problem free...dont use Internet explorer or Outlook express.... try to use Mozilla apps like Firefox and Thunderbird.... their better, and a lot safer...Also, Kasperky AV PRo may clean your pc better from infections and threats...Hope this has helped you;)Sk