Omg I Hate This Crap!!!!

SniperDude · 2004-09-22, 04:01 AM

Ok, so, in a earlier thread, I mentioned "re-vamping" my system, and well, it has begun. Well, through this slow and hair rasing process, I am running into problems I've never even heard of before. I ordered a gig of PDP PC3200 (thank you Daleon). Still have same ole crap for everything else tho. RAM works awesome, too awesome I think. Here's my problem:

Everything load faster, and I get better FPS in sanc. Expected for upgrading from 512 of PC2700 to a gig of PC3200. But as soon as I load another cont, it'll work fine for a few minutes, then BAM, shit starts going haywire. Everything starts rendering in bright yellow, if it renders at all. Audio is all fucked up, you name it, it happens. I got a "Murphey's Law Computer."

Is it possible for your RAM and video card to choke your processor so bad that things like this happen? 'Cause that's what I think is happening. Got a pretty good Mobo, nice RAM combined with an out-of-date video card (tho still manageable) and an AMD 1100+ (STFU now, I know it sucks, that's why I'm getting a new one).

BTW everything else works fine, other than highly visual games, PS does this, Halo does this, BF1942 does this...... Please tell me it's a problem with something I'm already going to replace, not something more serious. Any comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated.

L8

Electrofreak · 2004-09-22, 05:27 AM

Try running the game on just one stick of ram or the other, quite possible that one of your sticks of RAM is bad. It could only cause problems when large enough amount of the memory is used to trigger the problem.

Daleon · 2004-09-22, 09:23 AM

I'd put your pc2700 back in and see if the problem goes away.

If it does download a image of memtest86 and burn it to a cd. Boot it up and let it run for a long while to test the memory. Test both sticks, if errors test individually.

Rather odd problem though. Normally memory errors just lock the system or cause blue screens, not video issues. Good luck on that ram though, I'm thinking about picking up some to use.

Sentrosi · 2004-09-22, 04:33 PM

Update your video card drivers. ATI just released they newest Catalyst drivers back on the 9th of September. Not sure on nVidia, as I'm an ATI fanboi and get the hives from even mentioning nVidia [scratches skin]

Rbstr · 2004-09-22, 04:42 PM

Sentrosi suffer, i will be touting my 6800gt's scores here in a week or less.

Moved teh money form my Checkign to my paypal, that could take 3 days then i'm ordering a $370 6800gt off of newegg. wo0t!

Baneblade · 2004-09-22, 04:43 PM

I don't think it is your memory. It could be.

What OS you running? And have you reset Virtual Memory (assuming you don't let Windows screw it up for you)?

Corrosion · 2004-09-22, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Sentrosi suffer, i will be touting my 6800gt's scores here in a week or less.

Moved teh money form my Checkign to my paypal, that could take 3 days then i'm ordering a $370 6800gt off of newegg. wo0t!

You can buy stuff using paypal from newegg?

Rbstr · 2004-09-22, 10:06 PM

yeah, and if not i found a few ebay stores selling them for that price

SniperDude · 2004-09-23, 02:09 AM

K, here's my current set-up:

Asus A7V880 Mobo
PNY GeForce FX 5200 Ultra (flame away, I know it's old)
AMD Athlon 1100+ (again, flame away)
Kingston Hyper X, 2x 512mb PC2700
(Got another 2x 512mb PC3200 PDP sticks set aside)
420 watt power supply

Hard drives and such not a factor I don't think. I'm already planning on upgrading my proc (Athlon XP 3200+) and vid card (undecided) hoping it will fix my problem. The thing is none of this was a problem before, not until I combined the Kingston RAM from my other computer. They are the exact same so there isn't a latency problem. Then when I put the PDP in, same problem. I took the PDP out so I don't fry it (trust me, if there is ANY way to fry it, I'll do it). Do yall think when I get my new proc and vid card, my problems will go away?

Oh, yeah, already reformatted, flashed and updated BIOS, reinstalled EVERYTHING at least twice, all that fun stuff. I think I'm just cursed when it comes to stuff like this.

*EDIT* Oh yeah, Sent, I already updated my Vid Card driver, and got even WORSE shit happening, PS won't even launch. Had to roll back to the one prior to the newest.

L8

Electrofreak · 2004-09-23, 05:22 AM

Have you reinstalled your chipset drivers as well? who knows... maybe its a GART thing. really though, since all you did was add memory, I'm guessing your problem lies there.

thats all I've got.

Daleon · 2004-09-23, 08:38 AM

So just to clarify.

You had 1x512 pc2700 and everything was fine. Then added a second matching stick and things went bad.

Also pulling out the 2x512 kingston's and putting in the new PDP you still have similar problems?

Have you tried running things with a single stick. Preferbly your original 512 kingston or one of the new PDP's? Make sure to use the same memory slot you were using when you only had one stick of ram in it. Might be a bad memory slot.

Sounds like a bad mb overall though. Start looking for a good deal on a Abit NF7-S or Asus A7N8X-X.

Baneblade · 2004-09-23, 11:57 AM

What OS are you using?

Electrofreak · 2004-09-23, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Daleon

So just to clarify.

You had 1x512 pc2700 and everything was fine. Then added a second matching stick and things went bad.

Also pulling out the 2x512 kingston's and putting in the new PDP you still have similar problems?

Have you tried running things with a single stick. Preferbly your original 512 kingston or one of the new PDP's? Make sure to use the same memory slot you were using when you only had one stick of ram in it. Might be a bad memory slot.

Sounds like a bad mb overall though. Start looking for a good deal on a Abit NF7-S or Asus A7N8X-X.

Daelon has a good point there. Could be that your DIMMs are borked.

SniperDude · 2004-09-29, 05:09 AM

K, I think I found the problem, it's my video card. Not sure if it's just cutting out due to overheating (doubt it) or if it's just kaput. Rand 3Dmark03, got about halfway through the first game test and everything locked up. Stuck in my acient Radeon 7200, ran like a champ (well, if you count out the 9 fps). So, now that I got new RAM, new Proc, time for Vid Card. What yall suggest x800 or 6800 (to include any variants)? (if I need to clarify, I don't think I want you opinion, no offense)

Daleon · 2004-09-29, 09:36 AM

Really depends on how much your able to spend really and what games you plan to play.

For $200 and under = 9800 Pro
For $400 and under = 6800 GT
For $600 and under = x800 XT PE

Or you can take your chances and try and find an x800 Pro vivo and flash it to an XT PE. If you got compusa's nearby, there are certain sku's you can look for to try and limit your risks. If you don't get one, eat the restock fee and get a 6800 gt.

Also the x700 and other cards are about to come out in the mid range so may want to check those out. If you had pci-express slot a 6600gt now and a second one later when you get a dual pci-express mb would be sweet.