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Thread ID: 65393	2006-01-16 20:06:00	Please Help (weird pc problem)	adamp15 (9634)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
421750	2006-01-17 01:23:00	Yes, the memory tester doesn't need, or want, an operating system. It uses a small Linux kernel to load the programme, after booting from the floppy or CD made from the download. (If you haven't got a floppy drive, you need the .ISO download). It looks as if it might be a shortage of power, but a successful memory test is always a confidence builder. ;)	Graham L (2)
421751	2006-01-17 02:22:00	Ah, game instability . Games always seem to find anything wrong with your hardware and drivers . Atitool ( . techpowerup . com/atitool/" target="_blank">www . techpowerup . com) is good for looking at problems (and overclocking) . Check for bios updates . Cooling is needs to be checked (find a temperature monitoring program and run at 100% CPU for a very long time) to see how the temperatures look . Borrow a better PSU . Run MemTest for a real long time and see if any errors show up . Even then one or more might be faulty so borrow some other ram sticks if you can . Motherboard, graphic card and sound card drivers updates check . Reinstall the silly game and apply patches . Have a good read through the support forum for the game and try and pick up any tips from there . Try and reinstall DirectX . Try using another User account and make sure there is no crapware/spyware/nortons apps running . Reseat the RAM and Video card . Borrow another video card . . I've had FEAR running okay for hours at a time . It locked up the odd time . AOE3 hasn't crashed on me yet . There are some games that are just plain ol' crud these days though .	gibler (49)
421752	2006-01-17 03:25:00	oh sorry about not replying to the memory test post, I must've read over it. I was thinking that could be something to do with it also. I'll run the tests on it when I get back to my apt. what can I do if it is the RAM? does it mean that I would just need to buy a different brand? or could I change some settings in the BIOS? I had a problem with RAM on my machine with this same kind of RAM. The problem on that machine was if I had two DDR400 sticks in, it was unstable. I was able to fix it just by underclocking it in the BIOS though and I was just wondering if there was something I could do if this is the problem. Take it back and get some more. If memtest86 finds a problem then the RAM is faulty. Edit: Also, I was just looking at the program you referred to and was wondering exactly how it works? it says that it can't be ran in Windows or DOS so does this mean I would use it just like a boot disk and boot from the floppy that it makes? Yes graham is right you burn a CD with it or if you still have a floppy drive and a disk lying around (I don't anymore) then boot from that. If your RAM checks out OK then you're free to check out other things but always rule out the RAM first.	apparition (3207)
421753	2006-01-17 03:27:00	Yes, the memory tester doesn't need, or want, an operating system . It uses a small Linux kernel to load the programme, after booting from the floppy or CD made from the download . (If you haven't got a floppy drive, you need the . ISO download) . It looks as if it might be a shortage of power, but a successful memory test is always a confidence builder . ;) I've had a shortage of power (too many fans) and it always wipes out USB first :badpc:	apparition (3207)
421754	2006-01-17 03:30:00	I have read that memtest should be run for long amounts of time, such as 24 hours. Is this correct? I seem to remember when I did it, it got to 100% and finished in a lot shorter time compared to that (half an hour or something, cant remember). Is there an option to keep it going or something?	mejobloggs (264)
421755	2006-01-17 03:33:00	Ive never seen it stop on its own, unless the comp falls over. 24 hours is a bit extreme,but it can't hurt.	Metla (12)
421756	2006-01-17 03:39:00	memtest will run forever. Roughly 512MB will take a few minutes to go through depending on the test and the speed.	apparition (3207)
421757	2006-01-17 04:08:00	It's almost impossible to properly test memory . Back in the days when 4k x 1 bit chips came in, HP discovered that they can have pattern-dependednt faults . 4096 bits can have a lot of unique patterns . Megabytes can have more . Gigabytes are worse . If you've got bad memory, the first pass will find it . If you've got marginal temperature-dependent pattern-dependent errors, it will give occasional errors . Most of the errors you won't see in normal use . You know you can't spell . You won't see one bit the wrong colour, or hear one bit wrong in an MP3 . Only if it changes an address in code is it "fairly" likely to cause an OS error message . Only if it changes an address to point to non-existent memory are you certain to get an error message . Running a memory tester for longer will give more and more confidence in the memory . But you can never be sure . You can prove it's bad; you can't prove it's perfect . :cool:	Graham L (2)
421758	2006-01-17 04:36:00	it was definately compatibilty issues, not the ram. there were a lot of people on sapphire forums with the exact same problems. it seems like the only answer is to get a different card. I was wondering if this is the case with all Radeon cards and go with a GeForce or can I go with an ASUS Radeon card and definately be safe? I was thinking about getting the ASUS Radeon X850PRO. It seems like it would be safe to go with the same brand of motherboard, but I was just making sure before I messed up and bought another incompatible graphics card. Here's a link to their forums: www.sapphiretech.com the people there have tested absolutely EVERYTHING and the only luck one guy has had is that he underclocked the card a whole lot which I didn't pay for a lower performing graphics card.	adamp15 (9634)
421759	2006-01-17 05:33:00	I remember reviews and ASUS makes a very good Nvidia based card.	apparition (3207)
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