Computer Locking up =( DX9, nVidia related?
 

Computer used to contain the exact same setup as now except it had an older (Voodoo) video card in it. I replaced the Voodoo with a GeForce3 Ti500, reformatted, and loaded WinXP. The first thing I did was run windows update and installed all the updates on there, including DX9.

All this went great and took probably about 2-3 hours; and as soon as all the updates were done, I installed my video card drivers (newest from nVidia) which have DX9 support. Ever since then the computer seems to freeze up within about 15 - 30 mins of being on.

At first I thought it was heat or power supply. PS is a 300W power supply and I do have neons lights in the system so I first unplugged all of them and still had the problem. Next, I left the computer in BIOS for about 4 hours - no problems there, never locked up. I also ran memtest86 for about 4 hours with no problems.

So, narrowed down to DX and Video Card drivers it seems...

I uninstalled the Video card drivers, and just let windows set there with no video card driver installed...

Locked up.

Is there any known issues here or am I going to have to format again and find a game that came with DX8? (MS wont let you install DX8 on XP anymore, only 95). The problem with going back to DX8 is that a game I play is about to start requiring DX9 in the next 2 weeks.


System Specs:

AMD Thunderbird 950 (Not overclocked)
Chaintek Mobo
256 Meg pc-100 RAM
10 gig HD
Memorex CD-RW
Floppy, Network Card, Modem, yada yada ya...


ps. before you make fun of the system, its not my "main"

Perhaps there is some issue with the AGP slot?
I assume that the Voodoo was in a PCI slot (Don't remember wether they were agp or not).
Try checking the mobo manufacturer for BIOS upgrades...

Well, this card was in the system before but ive been swapping around video cards -alot-.

It was this card for quite a while with no issues, and then so I could place this card in another system I put the Voodoo in this one. And now im back to the GeForce... so it has worked before, but was probably on DX8 :-/

When you installed the nvidia driver, did you first remove the default XP driver?

If not, try that.

Its usually the cause, bad installation of drivers.

I never let XP install a default driver =/

weeeeXP
 

winxp ..ya, i feel your pain, if ms didnt hold the market on dx we wouldnt be having this convo...

anywho, here are a few things that may help:

1. check your temps: cpu/case/etc;
alot of nastyness can be caused by bad air flow control.

2. try uninstalling your mouse drivers;
ya i know it sounds wierd, but youd be surprised.

3. try start -> run -> msconfig and disable some services;
if you dont need em, dont run em!

*. try re-imaging (ghost/drive image/etc) instead of re-installing;
it makes rebuiling much easier.

good luck

Is there anything in the event viewer?

turned out to be a faulty cat5 cable *shrug*

I noticed it was only locking up when I was downloading / browsing; and it ran a pretty intest benchmark without problems so I started looking at the router and noticed if I barely moved my cable I was losing connection.

I replaced the cable, and the computer hasn't crashed in the past 24 hours

thats good you solved the problem.

and a game with DX8 is Empire Earth. The only RPG ive ever played FYI

btw what's the clock speed of the GF3 Ti500 so I can overclock my Ti200 to it's speeds (or try to)