Problem With Computer Gaming...

[Terinox]

Howdy,

Sometimes, when I'm playing a game, for example, Heroes of Might and Magic 3, the game will suddenly exit, RIGHT in the middle of the game, and it'll go back to the operating system (Windows 2000 in my case). Now, my PC ITSELF is top of the line. Pentium 4, 2.8Ghz processor, I have 512MB RAM, and a 128 ATI Video Card, over 200Gigs of HD space, so like I said, it's a sweet system.

However, my FIRST thought was that the PC is overheating, and that causes the game to exit, and when I touch the case (near the back where the power supply is) it IS pretty hot, but I dunno how normal that is.

ALSO, I was thinking that IF IT WAS an overheating issue, wouldn't the computer normally reboot itself? Cuz it's too hot for the CPU or whatever?

Can someone PLEASE tell me the possible problems here, it gets VERY annoying during game play.

Thnx,
T.

P.S. Sorry for posting here instead of the "computer" section, but I need the problem solved sooner than later

[kloter1]

That sounds like a sick gaming machine. Its possible that the cpu is overheating. how big is your power supply? do you have many fans?

[DSM4Life]

I crash my computer all the time gaming so maybe i can help you. I overclock my PC so it happens more often for me.
Heat is your #1 enemy. Try downloading a program called speed fan which can read your motherboard temps and see if heat is an issue. Make sure your motherboard is support by looking at the list on the web site. Also to help heat tie up all cables in your pc so it allows air to flow freely. Also with a 128MB video card you aren't going to get too far . If you have a very demanding game with such a weak video card that could also cause the game to crash. I would recommend you get more memory (same stick brands) and a new video card.


I just built this one not to long ago (Im a nerd)
XP HOME SP2
K8N Neo2 Platinum (on 500W PSU) BIOS SideEffects
AMD Athlon64 Processor 3200+ (OC'ed 2.4) XP-90 Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2
WesternDigital 250gig HD
4x 512 Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2 DDR400 XMS3200
Ati RADEON X800 XL w/ VF700

[TheMudMan]

Heating problems will cause lock-ups and could also make the system reboot...... not just exit the game and return to the OS.

It sounds like there's a bug in the game or a driver for your video or sound card might need to be upgraded. You can go to the game developers site and see if there are any updates for the problem you are seeing.

[decadbal]

thats a sweet setup u got there bro

[Terinox]

Heating problems will cause lock-ups and could also make the system reboot...... not just exit the game and return to the OS.

It sounds like there's a bug in the game or a driver for your video or sound card might need to be upgraded. You can go to the game developers site and see if there are any updates for the problem you are seeing.

Hey dude,

Yes, I was thinking the same thing, cause normally overheat will reboot the whole system or something will fook up, but this just exits the game, and goes directly back into the OS, and everything else will work fine, even restarting the game will go fine, and then again during gameplay, exits.

I thought about the video card drivers and all that, but ATI is so shitty, and it's so hard to find things, and I'm pretty sure though I have the latest stuff, last time I tried to install an "update" it fooked everything up, and I actually had to uninstall the video card and reinstal it.

Now how about sound though? Do you think it could be the sound? I do NOT have a sound card, it's just the regular integrated motherboard sound, and so it's not THAT great of quality but good enough. Would there be a sound card driver update or something? Could that cause the problems as well?

Thnx 4 the help,
T.

[Terinox]

I crash my computer all the time gaming so maybe i can help you. I overclock my PC so it happens more often for me.
Heat is your #1 enemy. Try downloading a program called speed fan which can read your motherboard temps and see if heat is an issue. Make sure your motherboard is support by looking at the list on the web site. Also to help heat tie up all cables in your pc so it allows air to flow freely. Also with a 128MB video card you aren't going to get too far . If you have a very demanding game with such a weak video card that could also cause the game to crash. I would recommend you get more memory (same stick brands) and a new video card.


I just built this one not to long ago (Im a nerd)
XP HOME SP2
K8N Neo2 Platinum (on 500W PSU) BIOS SideEffects
AMD Athlon64 Processor 3200+ (OC'ed 2.4) XP-90 Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2
WesternDigital 250gig HD
4x 512 Corsair TWINX1024-3200C2 DDR400 XMS3200
Ati RADEON X800 XL w/ VF700

Damn that's a nice system. I know what you mean about 128MB, and normally I'd agree with games like Doom 3 or something, but this one, Heroes of Might and Magic 3, is fairly older game, like early 2000 or something, and the requirements are quite low. Something like 666Mhz with 16MB RAM and only 32MB video card needed. So I think the system ITSELF is fine, I just don't understand the exiting part.

Also like MudMan said, I doubt it's overheating, because why would it just exit the game, and return to OS with no other problems.

This is a very weird problem, I try searching in Google groups, but hard to find others with exact same problem.

Thnx anywho,
T.

[Kärnfysikern]

Its quite possible heroes 3 is so old that it has troubble running with newer graphics cards But its a damn nice game

[Kärnfysikern]

btw it might also be a win 200 problem. Most pre win xp games have troubble with xp or 2000.

try to run it in win 95 or win98 compitable mode.

[Terinox]

btw it might also be a win 200 problem. Most pre win xp games have troubble with xp or 2000.

try to run it in win 95 or win98 compitable mode.

Hey bro,

I tried that after I read your post and it did not work. I ran the game under Win95 compatibility, as well as Win98, and it actually crashed FASTER than Win2000. Like it would go into the game, and as soon as you load the game you want, it would crash right then. Regular Win2000 it at least lets me play a while, and the fooked up part is it VARIES every time!!!

It is really annoying, so I gotta save the game every 5 minutes. Sometimes I can play 2 hours non-stop, and it'll be fine, other times, it'll be 2 minutes, and it exits.

GRRRR!!!

[Kärnfysikern]

Hey bro,

I tried that after I read your post and it did not work. I ran the game under Win95 compatibility, as well as Win98, and it actually crashed FASTER than Win2000. Like it would go into the game, and as soon as you load the game you want, it would crash right then. Regular Win2000 it at least lets me play a while, and the fooked up part is it VARIES every time!!!

It is really annoying, so I gotta save the game every 5 minutes. Sometimes I can play 2 hours non-stop, and it'll be fine, other times, it'll be 2 minutes, and it exits.

GRRRR!!!

acctualy when I think about it I had this EXACT problem with my old computer. It turns out it was a damaged ram memory that caused it. I was going nuts and had tried everything so I tried removing one ram memory at a time and found out that one of the memories caused it.

[Terinox]

acctualy when I think about it I had this EXACT problem with my old computer. It turns out it was a damaged ram memory that caused it. I was going nuts and had tried everything so I tried removing one ram memory at a time and found out that one of the memories caused it.

thnx bro, i'll give that a try and see if it helps

[Kärnfysikern]

hope it works. I have heroes 3 installed right now on my computer with win xp and it runs smothly without any meddling.
Maby something wrong with the instalation?

[TheMudMan]

Hey dude,

Yes, I was thinking the same thing, cause normally overheat will reboot the whole system or something will fook up, but this just exits the game, and goes directly back into the OS, and everything else will work fine, even restarting the game will go fine, and then again during gameplay, exits.

I thought about the video card drivers and all that, but ATI is so shitty, and it's so hard to find things, and I'm pretty sure though I have the latest stuff, last time I tried to install an "update" it fooked everything up, and I actually had to uninstall the video card and reinstal it.

Now how about sound though? Do you think it could be the sound? I do NOT have a sound card, it's just the regular integrated motherboard sound, and so it's not THAT great of quality but good enough. Would there be a sound card driver update or something? Could that cause the problems as well?

Thnx 4 the help,
T.

Yep it could be a sound driver or even just the game itself. See if the game developer has released any fixes for the game. A lot of times they rush these games out so that they can start making money and then fix problem later with updates.

[Kärnfysikern]

btw are you running original or cracked heroes?

[Terinox]

btw are you running original or cracked heroes?

It's the real full version. I actually have the "Complete" version, where it includes Heroes 3, as well as the two expansion games, all on the same package.

I also just bought Heroes 4, it arrived today, brand new, have not installed that one yet.

Excited about Heroes 5, looks really cool.

I'll let you know what happens with the problem, thnx for the help.

[Kärnfysikern]

heores 4 sux dick so dont get exited over that piece of shit game

I still love the second one the most. Especialy the vampires. The animations and sounds in the second is the funniest in any game ever

The titans are pussies in the third

I cant wait for heroes 5