I recently upgraded my comp to an AMD T-bird 800mhz on a MSI K7T Pro 2-A.
OTHER SPECS:
V770 TNT2 Ultra that's about a year old.
256 SDram pc133
SCSI card for cdrom burner and 2 IDE HD's
There's a Heavy Duty Golden/Platium Socket 7 Fan on CPU
CPU runs at 64 deg's in just desktop, now i know that's hot, but i was told that it was ok for AMD t-bird :)

Ok, now the problem. Everytime i play ANY 3D accelerated game, it crashes. But it doesnt crash straight away, to me it seems to do it when i am actually running about fighting people or shooting etc, which is when it s***s itself. Sometimes it crashes back into windows, sometimes it reboots itself and others it just freezes. Now i have tried running CS in software mode and it crashed back into windows, 2/2 times.

What i have done:
Formatted C:
Latest VIA chipset 4in1 drivers installed.
Latest Vid Drivers.
Sorted out any IRQ conflictions.
Turned AGP down to 2x
Lowered AGP Aperature to 32mb
Disabled on board sound
Disabled sound card and played games - still crashes
Enabled Fast Write
Raised Vio Voltage 3.3v to 3.45v
Reseated Video Card

That's about it i think. All i can remember. So, if anyone would like to give me any suggestions i'd appreciate it. I know it's hard to give technical help over the net but i am getting desperate. I have taken the computer back, and they have checked ALL hardware and have found no problems, though they didnt know how to fix it. Yes, they are bastards. I know.

I'm not a computer Wiz but from what I can see... ITs a Overheating problem.... If your T-Bird runs at 64 degree's in the desktop then it is going to be running somwhere between 70-80 once you starting playing games (this if for Quake3, i dunno if its the same or CS and other games)... And from my knowledge.. a CPU s***s its self at anything over 50... So your a long way over the Mark there..... (this may not be correct but it was what I was told)... One thing to check would be that the Fan is sitting the right way on the CPU and on the correct spot....

If so, then you can either try getting a big arse fan from your house, and have that blasting into your case while you play.. that should keep it way cooler... Or alternativly you can go out and invest in a Fop38 cooler or somthing for your CPU (I dunno if you would need somthing so strong for only a 800, but can someone smart suggest a good cooler for him please? ) But be warned, the Fop38 is one loud bitch... so dont expect to sleep if you plan on leaving the computer on all night :)

I hope this helped a little....

id also say its a overheating prob and my bet is that ur socket 7 fan isnt cuttin the mustard. I think for a tbird u would definately want a proper socket A heatsinks fan combo sittin on ur cpu. I suggest u get a new cpu fan dude.

yo, TMWNN, you doin that QANTM course?

I've put several tbird-800's together for people and if your heat sink is designed for AMD chips and seated properly on the chip with thermal paste, then it should be no more than 2-3 degrees above case temp at idle and within 10-14 degrees of the case temp under full load. You can use seti to get it to full load quickly.

Make sure the heatsink is on properly and try not to crush the core of the chip with it. What sort of heatsink is it ?

TMWNN, you dont know a guy names Rhys at QANTM do you? If so, I feel sorry for you.

yep, my ghz t-bird is sitting at 39 deg C when i'm not doing anything and at full load reaches only about 44-45 deg C. The system halt temperature is about 71 or 72 i think.

Umm, golden orbs aren't meant for use on socket a chips, and especially socket 7 HSF's are somewhat known for not providing a good heat conduction from the CPU - unless you've done some modifications or something but they are seriously NOT recommended. In the orb range you either want a chrome orb (i think) or a superorb. Better yet get a globalwin FOP38 from MOS for some quality but noisy cooling.

So everyones convinced that it's the heat that's making it crash. Ok, well, today i am picking up a Super Orb. Read a few different reviews about it and they all say it's top stuff. So hopefully this will solve my problem.

I have a tbird 800 its o'c to 1000. i have a hedgehog heatsink and fan that runs at 7000rpm. also thermal paste between heatsink and core. I runs at about 38 on windows desktop and about 42-44 when playing ra3 (my name is 3).
Ps golden orbs suck arse

Superorbs are OK, not the real hardcore cooling HSF of choice but the really good ones are almost always 7000rpm beasts that are pretty noisy.

Doober that is troo. mine has a high pitched whining noise.
quite irritating for the family seeings my sleeping patern is nearly opposite of theres..

I disagree with the heat problem
mine runs at a constant 63 degrees idle and got as high as 72 on full load. I've never had a problem with this computer crashing during games which wasn't fixed by some new VIA 4 in 1 drivers.

I got a t-bird 800 with the A7V and it runs fine.

First, I would get rid of that heat. A super orb is ok, personally I would have picked up a Fop32 or something.. fop38 if you don't mind the noise.

Also, you didn't say what os you are running. There are some patches for Win2k.. One on amds site, one on Microsofts.

AMD one: a reg entry, just download it then merge it. http://www.amd.com/products/cpg/athlon-duron/amd_win2k_patch.html

Microsoft one: an executable file. Will be incorporated into SP2. here in the ms kb.

They solved a few probs here.. they might help you if you are running Win2k.

Otherwise, yeah, heat bad.

0. print this out.
1. disconnect computer.
2. remove computer parts from table.
3. Take machine outside.
4. open wheely bin lid.
5. THROW machine into the bin (throw hard to make cool sounds)
6. close wheely bin lid.
7. push wheely bin onto the middle of road.
8. make a "for rent" sign for bin.
9. go to library(or nearest net access)
10. go to www.imac.com
11. purchase Imac.
12. get q3 for imac.
13. go to qgl lan, with imac.
14. set imac up.
15. ask trog to get your machine up for the network, since you cant see any q3 servers.
16. let trog(or people looking at you funny) bash you since you have a Imac at a QGL.


only an idea.


--- Zoix

zoix - a mac would have no trouble seeing a server because it runs tcp/ip like a normal PC over LAN

jus thought i'd point that out :P

but, by that logic, windows would have no problem seeing a server. because it uses tcp/ip like a "normal" pc over LAN.

Yet many people still have network difficultied.

But aside from that, zoix's post wasnt even remotely funny.

I have an ABit KT7A-RAID now :D

And PC-150 Kingmax RAM can run at 156MHz at CAS2 :D

Just thought I'd let u know :)

err... w00t rubber_band!!! :D

Well, just so you all know...it WAS the heat that was causing the problem. I picked up the Super Orb that day on the 16th and it took it from 64 to 40 degree's and hasnt ever gone past 41 yet.

It runs uber awsome now so thanks people.

Morodrin, yeah I know Rhys - he was in the intake ahead of mane and he recently graduated. I knew him before qantm from a multimedia diploma. Hes ok - never had a real prob with him tho never spent much time with him either.