More computer help, please.

[AlbertM]

G'day all.

I'm having a problem with 2 games. NFS Porsche and V8 Challenge. I run Win XP home. They ran with no problems prior to installing a DVD burner(up from a CD-RW) and a 512Mb DDR 3200 chip(up from 256Mb DDR 2100).

What happend is sometimes the game will crash to the desktop with a error from the .EXE file and other times it spontainiously restarts the computer.

It will do either at an early point in the games, mostly when it's loading the track to race. Sometimes I get to race and it crashes/restarts mid race or I finish the race and ESC then crashes/restarts

I'm running

P4 2.4Ghz
512MB DDR 3200 RAM
40GB HDD
128MB Hercules 3D Graphics Dual display
Win XP Home OS

Thanks in advance.

[Holbrookau]

Sounds like incompatible memory - what speed RAM is the board capable of using?

[ronwest]

Assuming these are legit games, what happens if you remove the new mem stick and disconnect the DVD burner?

[kyro_02]

try a fresh format, or uninstall and reinstall your game... also when in the game playing.. remove the cd and see what happends

[BlueRaven]

umm, you could at least try to see whether there is a firmware update for the drive first before you go reinstalling everything...

[the_scotsman]

I agree, sounds like the memory might be the problem...

[AlbertM]

Originally Posted by Holbrookau

Sounds like incompatible memory - what speed RAM is the board capable of using?

No idea. I had a computer tech put the new RAM in. I was going to put it in myself but my CD-RW failed and I got the tech to install the burner and RAM.

Originally Posted by ronwest

Assuming these are legit games, what happens if you remove the new mem stick and disconnect the DVD burner?

Yep game are legit. Can't remove the stick it's the only one and The games need the CD drive.

Originally Posted by kyro_02

try a fresh format, or uninstall and reinstall your game... also when in the game playing.. remove the cd and see what happends

I haven't formatted(was only done a week ago) but reinstalled the games a number of times. didn't fix it.

Originally Posted by BlueRaven

umm, you could at least try to see whether there is a firmware update for the drive first before you go reinstalling everything...

It has the lastest

Originally Posted by the_scotsman

I agree, sounds like the memory might be the problem...

Lovely.

[ronwest]

As others have said, it does sound like memory.
Computer tech local? Get him to check it.

You may also like to R click Start/Open All Users/Programs/Admin Tools/Event Viewer/ and see if there are warnings/error messages in there.

[S3SR]

well try a fresh install of the game sometimes hardware changes upset the registry.... try a no cd patch for the games (if u own the games then its not a crime some people MUST use them to play cause their cdroms are slow its a service use it for legit reasons)

why didnt u use both cdrw and dvdrw doesnt hurt but if ur low on power then it will
im thinking its only registry issues because when the game is installed the path being your cdrom/dvdrom is listed when you change it sees that its different and some games wont allow that

if its registry i own those games and can give u a working registry file

FalconSR

[AlbertM]

OK thanks everyone for the responses so far.

I re installed the old RAM, clean install of the games and still has the same problems.

FalconSR, my cd-rw was buggered, it won't spin the disc. If you could, please send the files albertm1@bigpond.net.au. Thanks.

[S3SR]

Originally Posted by AlbertM

OK thanks everyone for the responses so far.

I re installed the old RAM, clean install of the games and still has the same problems.

FalconSR, my cd-rw was buggered, it won't spin the disc. If you could, please send the files albertm1@bigpond.net.au. Thanks.

ohhh now i have to install them ohhhh cant u just gimme yours and ill fix them

[goldfire]

Unlikely to be a mem prob, if it's only them 2 progs carking it.

Check your drivers and game patches.

I dodgy stick is easily recognisable and from the sounds of it, it doesn't sound like it's a stick problem.

easy way to tell is view the mem test during POST, then check your physcal Mem resources according to windows when inside the OS fully, if you can get different readings after consecutive boots, then 75% chance something wrong with your stick, or worse.

Might pay to carefully remove your stick and clean out the slots, sometimes a bit of dust on the connectors can make it go silly.

if it just reboots on those two games, then could be a number of things. if it reboots for no reason, then could be the ram. could be the power supply too on the way out (I've had both). do you have access and any other ram modules.. wack em out and wack the loaners in.. maybe jump into the BIOS and reset to default settings.. I assume it not overheating, aka not beeps/warnings, have you downloaded the latest directX9.0c, if not grab that, blow out all dust from inside case. usually you'll hear a noise if its a fan problem but not always. that is make sure they spin freely, use a compressor if you have one, or a vacum of you do'nt be careful with compressor on the fans, do do it straight in to em, on the side and 1/2 throttle get em spinning

it could be the ram speed problem, they usually downgrade, you/tech could have fryed the ram, or even one of the ram slots could be cactus, try putting it in another slot. I'd also try another viddy card if that did not work.

I assume the tech did clean the case out for you anyway. as its a 2 second job

In order of suspect items

Ram
Video card
Power supply

[Full Spectrum]

Download yourself MEMTEST86. Install it to CD boot up with the CD in and run it, If the memory is toast it will pick the problem almost straight away.

Another couple of things you could post your motherboards make and model so someone can look up and see if it can handle the ram just encase.

I myself installed some ram a couple of years ago that was fine, It's i didn't set the FSBRAM to 1:1 overclocked the ram which was only 400mh/z to 600mh/z Whoops.

[ON_DUBS]

no one suggested downloading patches for these games??

NFS Porsche patch v. 3.5
http://www.nfsunlimited.net/download/?type=Utils&id=34

[ON_DUBS]

if the ram timings are set too low then it would cause the system to be unstable...

[AlbertM]

OK. tried difference RAM stick including the original to no avail. Blew the dust out(good tip that, everything was tinted brown)

It's only these to games that I'm having trouble with the rest of the computer runs fine day in day out.

The thing is booked back in with the computer tech, I'm not compotent enough to go any further.

I read years ago that a computer would shut down or restart while burning DVDs or working the computer hard becasue either voltage drop or it's getting to hot. Is there something in that?

[S3SR]

well then try updating the game via the correct site IE ea games or i think its codemaster for V8 challenge unless thats the EA version ???

[AlbertM]

I have all the updates for both games. I've been using these games for years.

[Laminge]

Originally Posted by AlbertM

OK. tried difference RAM stick including the original to no avail. Blew the dust out(good tip that, everything was tinted brown)

It's only these to games that I'm having trouble with the rest of the computer runs fine day in day out.

The thing is booked back in with the computer tech, I'm not compotent enough to go any further.

I read years ago that a computer would shut down or restart while burning DVDs or working the computer hard becasue either voltage drop or it's getting to hot. Is there something in that?

Sounds like one of the DLL's used for the new graphic card was loaded correctly and your computer is using the old driver in part with the new video card

You can try to boot to safe mod and reinstall the card drivers

[AlbertM]

Cheers to everyone for your help. It was a graphics driver issue. All sorted now.

[Laminge]

You can shout me a photo shoot in another small car at the next motor show for that help!