Directx9.0c, XP home SP2 cause freezing during game play?

Compaq Presario 5320US - worked great then about a month ago started freezing during gameplay. Lasts about a minute then does fine for acouple minutes the freezes again. Sound is intterupted aswell during freeze....almost like a skipping record type sound.
The onlt thing I can remember doing, changing or adding was to sign onto ESPN Ultimate Baseball (Online game). This was where I first started noticing the event. I just thought is was server lag from the multiplayer game. Howver, it has spread to any game with high graphics...MOH, Madden, etc. Fan goes nuts right away as game loads. Oddly enough, I recently tried MOH again and it now displays a slow server message along the bottom of the screen (not a multiplayer version being played!!)
Help- heat, bad cd rom, somehow online baseball game which has been uninstalled by the way, taking over the machine? I don't know?

Are you using the standard graphics card?

16MB nVidia™ Vanta Graphics Card

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...name=c00009492

I am surprised that that card ever played very high end games

Being as that card does not have a fan I can only guess that you are hearing your CPU fan?

Try running with the case open to see if you notice anything.

Heat would be a good guess but I don't know why it would have happened all of a sudden

Also: look in your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id especially of errors that seem to coincide with this issue.

jephree-
Appreciate your comments...
Replaced original card with 64 mb PNY Verto CArd shortly after purchase.
Event log shows nothing that apprears related to this issue.
I reloaded cars software and nvidia drivers, but still have problem with freezing.
It now appears the medal of Honor game thinks I am in multiplayer because it flashes "slow server" along the bottom of the screen.
Could the online ESPN BAseball game (where i first noticed this issue) have changed something in my networks that is causing this to bleed over into everything else? Not sure if that makes sense
Is there anything to sound drivers that could be causing it...I do remember updating the sound card drivers farily recently.

Thanks again for your time!!!

The freezing & fan sounds like a heat issue with either the Graphics Card or the CPU.

The Slow Server: don't know. Will keep an eye out.

Would still be curious to run with the case open & observe your fans.

Another check would be to try the game with the Task Manager open to processes.

I would guess that with a freeze the CPU usage will be 100%.
Can you ID the process that is using the 100%?

jephree-
Thanks again for the follow-up !
Been running with unit open all day, still freezes up intermittently when using graphics (game).

Tried spymare, adware checkers with nothing.....added Avast virus software with no findings as well.

Power fan really kicks into gear when playing game, CPu fan appears to be functioning okay, and Adapter card (graphic) fan running but does seem to move alot of air (cleaned it out but no real change)

Tried Speedfan software to get temps....right now says local temp: 93, remote temp 111, and HD 104. Does this mean anything ?

Thanks Again !

Assuming those temps are fahrenheit they are quite OK.

As to hardware your PSU might be suspect especially considering the fan behavior.
It just might not be powerfull enough:
Power Supply Steady-state 235 watts.
Although if it worked OK before

As to software I don't know where to look if you are not getting errors.

Have you rechecked the Event Viewer?

Also view your Error Log via:
[1] Start Menu
[2] Help and Support
[3] Pick a Task
[4] Tools
[5] Advanced System Information
[6] View the Error Log

Also: did the Task Manager show any outstanding processes?

When it freezes do you have to power off the computer?

Another error check:
Go to start | search (type in) .dmp
Note the location of your latest .dmp file.

Then:

1) Download and install the
Debugging Tools from Microsoft
2) Download and install this
debugwiz
3) Open the Wiz & Browse to, or paste in the path to, your latest .dmp file.
4) After the Wiz creates a Text document attach it back to this thread.

Also: do you get the server errors playing off-line?
Did you try a System Restore to before that Baseball game?

Okay..as to PSU ???Can it be dying and just dying slowly or are they all or nothing ?

Still getting no error codes upon freeze !

Checked event viewer with the following results for today:
Under Application Heading:
Type Date Time Source Category Event User Computer
Error 8/4/2005 11:34:55 PM None 0 N/A SOONERS
Error 8/4/2005 11:34:55 PM None 0 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 9:07:42 PM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 9:07:41 PM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 8:59:27 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/4/2005 8:55:47 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Error 8/4/2005 7:48:17 PM Application Error None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 10:37:11 AM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 10:37:11 AM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 10:33:05 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/4/2005 10:30:05 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 9:10:58 AM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 9:10:57 AM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 9:06:41 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/4/2005 12:48:10 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 12:25:01 AM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 12:25:01 AM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/4/2005 12:20:58 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/4/2005 12:19:25 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:17:40 PM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:17:39 PM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:13:35 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 7:12:26 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:12:06 PM MsiInstaller None 1005 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:12:06 PM MsiInstaller None 11707 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:09:13 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 7:05:20 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:04:49 PM MsiInstaller None 1005 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 7:04:49 PM MsiInstaller None 11724 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 1:19:29 PM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 1:19:29 PM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 12:08:17 PM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 12:08:16 PM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 12:04:13 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 12:02:53 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 12:02:12 PM MsiInstaller None 1005 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 12:02:12 PM MsiInstaller None 11707 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 11:55:01 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 11:53:09 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 11:52:35 AM MsiInstaller None 1005 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 11:52:35 AM MsiInstaller None 11724 Napper SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 9:48:01 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 9:34:36 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 9:33:23 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/3/2005 9:12:54 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/3/2005 12:46:58 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/2/2005 9:07:54 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/2/2005 12:57:58 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 9:05:11 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/1/2005 9:04:05 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 8:32:41 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/1/2005 8:28:31 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 5:35:11 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/1/2005 4:47:15 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 2:58:31 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/1/2005 2:55:46 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 2:55:18 PM LoadPerf None 1000 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 2:55:17 PM LoadPerf None 1001 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 11:55:20 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Information 8/1/2005 11:36:19 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 8/1/2005 12:22:34 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 11:34:35 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/31/2005 11:31:30 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 1156 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 11:17:06 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/31/2005 11:16:01 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 10:28:09 PM MsiInstaller None 11728 Napper SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 10:20:10 PM MSDTC TM 2444 N/A SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 9:30:16 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Information 7/31/2005 8:17:44 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 10:00:54 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/30/2005 907 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 9:20:58 PM MsiInstaller None 11724 Napper SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 9:15:42 PM MsiInstaller None 11724 Napper SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 9:04:56 PM MsiInstaller None 11707 Napper SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 6:06:06 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/30/2005 6:04:57 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 5:58:45 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/30/2005 5:57:39 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/30/2005 9:59:54 AM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/30/2005 12:04:00 AM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/29/2005 11:57:07 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/29/2005 1106 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/29/2005 11:40:03 PM SecurityCenter None 1800 N/A SOONERS
Warning 7/29/2005 11:27:28 PM Userenv None 1517 SYSTEM SOONERS
Information 7/29/2005 8:37:33 PM HHCTRL None 1904 N/A SOONERS
Information 7/29/2005 8:37:33 PM HHCTRL None 1904 N/A SOONERS

This was followed by 31 more pages of the "HHCTRL" error listed on 7/29.

I cannot check info of errors as now I cannot open "Help & Support", it does nothing when I click on it so I cannot check the error log as well.

I sometimes have to power off the computer when it freezes.

The latest .dmp file is "user.dmp" of 30k but had a "Memory.dmp" 532k on the 1st.

I get the server errors while playing offline ! I just discovered that the Medal of Honor game is loading to the server automatically Has a multi player element but I did not select it.
I have an always on cable modem connection to the internet.

I have not tried to System Restore to before that Baseball game?

I will try the debug thing if you can't find anything here !!

Thanks

You might try a System Restore to "about a month ago" when this started to happen.
start All Programs | Accessories | System Tools | System Restore
Click the < arrow to go back to July, June, etc.
It may be too late.

You have a fairly small PSU. The question I had was is it powerfull enough for the upgraded Graphics Card?

As to Help & Support:

http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm
Why doesn't Help and Support work?

This maybe important with all your Event notifications. You do not have many errors but the overload of Events is strange.
Especially the Security Center restarting & the MSIinstaller being so active. You have alot of interactive applications working.
Do you scan for viruses & malware etc.?

Try this: http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

Also: http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

Go ahead & attach any .dmp logs you have.

Question....I have a PS2 connected mouse and a USB connected keyboard.
I have had error codes about the keyboard in the past.
This morning I took the CPU to a buddy and he ran Medal of Honor for about 30 minutes with no freezing, the only thing different was that I did not take my input devices but used his.....both PS2 type connectors.

Could a faulty mouse / keyboard or conflicted connection be making my system freeze up during gameplay ?

Also, I ask because I when I got home tonight, I hooked it back up with my stuff and sure enough, FREEZE about 5 minutes into the game.

I do have a yellow ! next to the keyboard in Device Manager

P.S. I bought a wireless keyboard and mouse incase you say to change inout devices...but if so how do I make sure to delete all the old stuff. Problem is I think I often plugged keybaord into different USB ports over the years and may the reason for so many listings of HID Human ...... things in Device Manager.

Last thing, I just had Device MAnager scan for hardward changes and it loaded the following: Intel 828O1BA/BAM SMBus controller -2443.
When I look at resources tab for this it says:
"Input/Output Range FC00 - FC0F used by:
Motherboard resources"

What do you think ?

THANKS

I would definitly try another keyboard in light of this info.

XP should detect & find the drivers for I/O devices.

What is the "!" error on the keyboard? Did you try to update that driver? (Moot point if changing).

What exactly do you have listed under HID's?

Also has that SMBus controller changed anything?