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Thread ID: 34600 2003-06-18 08:25:00 Computer beeps during gaming Jen C (20) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
153325 2003-06-18 08:25:00 Hi all
I am having a problem with strange beeps ....

System specs:
Pent 2.4 GHz
RAM 512MB PC2700 DDR
Leadtek GeForce4 Ti4200 64MB
Mobo ASUS P4PE
resolution 1024x768

Latest NVIDIA detonator XP drivers (44.03) and DirectX9a.

My computer emits random beeps during playing Master Rallye. The single beep can occur at anytime during the game, including right at the start. Sometimes it is just one beep and other times there can be 5-6 beeps within 15 seconds of each other. If I take it slowly around the course there are no beeps, but soon as I "push" it, they are more likely to occur.

Monitoring the heat of the cpu and motherboard using the ASUS Probe 2 didn't show up anything. I can run a different game (but more slower action) which requires higher specs without these beeps occuring.

I also logged the CPU usage and noticed it ran pretty much at 100% during the game (is this normal behaviour during a fast action game?).

Running the Benchmark Performance Test v4.0 that is part of Norton SystemWorks 2003 Pro, and comparing the math results against the same mobo/cpu showed no problem areas.

I don't think Master Rallye should be a challenge for my PC to run so I am unsure where to look next.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Jen
Jen C (20)
153326 2003-06-18 09:49:00 At a guess it could be the use of the "space bar" while gaming. I know that there used to be problems but I thought they'd got rid of that in the newer OSs. -=JM=- (16)
153327 2003-06-18 10:04:00 I think you might be reffering to the classic keyboard beeps that occur when too many keys are pressed/held at once.

Most likely to occur in a racing game when you are accelerating, turning, and applying the brakes all at once.
PoWa (203)
153328 2003-06-18 10:32:00 The keyboard "buffer" only holds so many keypresses, and if it gets full before the CPU can execute them the PC speaker will beep, once for every keypress that overflows the buffer. godfather (25)
153329 2003-06-18 10:34:00 Well I am using the keyboard with the game, but I get the beeps with even only two keys held down - accelerate and forward .

I have just out of interest installed the game on my 2nd PC which has much lower specifications than the main one . The game will only run at 800x600 resolution (not suprisingly) but I can hear quieter "pips" during the type of activity that would induce them on the main XP machine (ran the game with no sound so that I could hear any PC-based noise) .

Hmmm . . . does a Pip equal a Beep?
Jen C (20)
153330 2003-06-18 10:40:00 Holding keys down sends a continuous stream of keypresses, so that is probably what you are hearing.

Look under volume control, you should be able to mute the PC speaker (can on my PCs here)
godfather (25)
153331 2003-06-18 11:11:00 If I just ignore these beeps, it will not cause the PC any stress? I also had a look at my sound options and couldn't see a way to mute the PC speaker.

I tried running the game using less keypresses and there were less beeps this time - I also stayed on the road more :D

Well at least I can quit worrying that I am frying the CPU or something.

Thanks everyone for your help :)

Jen
Jen C (20)
153332 2003-06-18 11:28:00 If you're playing well you shouldn't be getting the beeps :p -=JM=- (16)
153333 2003-06-18 11:52:00 You have a separate key for forward and accelerate??? They should be the same key?

You just have to think carefully about what keys u are using in the game. For example, accelerating round a corner while braking and turning is not very good useage :)
PoWa (203)
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