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Graphics Card Problem!
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Posted by: Grantyt3
I have a problem I've been working on for about 2 months now with the tech support from the graphics card company. My problem is that I installed a GeForce FX 5500 and it's really messed up. On some heavy 3D games, my computer crashes and restarts, on others, the screen is just white, and on some 2D and 3D stuff, things won't appear, like if you shoot something, it will disappear in mid flight, or a loading bar won't appear. I've done drivers, I've tried a new BIOS update (but there isn't one available for me right now), I've done all sorts of different settings, I've done lots of stuff, but any suggestions and ideas at all would be greatly appreciated.
My computer specifications are:
Sony RX450 (from about 2001)
Windows XP Home Edition without service pack 2 because I've heard it's bad for games.
AMD Athlon 1gh processor
GeForce FX 5500 128mb
My motherboard is SiS730 (I'm pretty sure)
Bios is AwardBios
512 mb ram
Tell me if you need any other information!
Please! Help me with this. I've been working for two months and it's really frustrating, but this is the first forum I've ever done. Thank you.
Posted by: redwench
id suggest you get sp2, but you can hold off on that if you like.
disable the reboot on error so you can see bsods. set up a dump for error logs. monitor your voltages and temperatures.
what size is your power supply?
Posted by: Grantyt3
I had sp2, but the tech support for my graphics card suggested I get rid of it. I've already disabled the reboot and seen the BSOD. It says something about PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA and error in file nv4.dll (which is a driver file). It says on the back of my computer for the power supply 100-120V~3A which converts to 300 watts or something I think. My heat seems to be high. In the BIOS, it says 145 degrees farenheit for my CPU temp and 95 degrees farenheit for my motherboard. I think those are high, but I'm not sure. Please tell me about any other ideas or suggestions! Thank you.
Posted by: redwench
yes, 63 is high. your power supply is required to have the wattage labeled somewhere, look for it. are your voltages appropriate and stable? and what are the temps when youre actually running things?
Posted by: Grantyt3
I've already looked for the wattage, but it seems to be hidden. The card's support team says I might need to take it out to look for it. They say that the power supply could be the problem. But just incase it isn't, I would still love more ideas. I don't know what my temp is when running anything. Don't I need to download temp monitoring software, and also, where do I get it?
Posted by: Grantyt3
I downloaded some software, part of it monitors temps. When I'm just running regular programs withought heavy graphics, my motherboard temp is 47 C (117 F) and my CPU is 60C (140 F). Also, look up at the message from me above this, just incase you missed it since I wrote in a row.
Posted by: Grantyt3
Sorry about writing 3 messages in a row, but I keep finding things out. I can't remember if I told you about the brightness problem. It's a problem in games that actually don't restart my computer where it's as if a super bright light is being put right on them and it's just completely white. But anyway, I figured out that if I turn off hardware acceleration in Direct3D, it will make that go away. However, the game runs so slow, that it if you click a button, it won't do anything until 30 seconds later. Anyone know why this would be, or have anything to say about anything else? PLEASE!!!!!
Posted by: Zendu
First off, i think the card company is smoking pot for not having you have sp2, but ill let that slide. What games are you runnning out of curiosity?
I did some quick googling, to no success. Can you post the whole event log?
Do you have the newest drivers?
Posted by: Grantyt3
Oh, finally, someone answered again... I spend all day checking this like every ten minutes (sad huh?). Anyways, Games that have White screen: Age of Mythology, The Sims 2 (if it doesn't crash) and regular 3D windows screensavers. Games that crash: NFSU2, The Sims 2, Splinter Cell, That's all I know of, but I'm sure most new games don't work. Games that work: Neverwinter Nights, Call of Duty, and probably others, but I havn't checked.
I've done plenty of googling and no info on this problem. I have all the current drivers. What do you mean by event log? You mean the BSOD? And I thought sp2 was bad for games? THANKS!
Posted by: blackwolf72
I just redid my system (2 weeks ago) and got this error when I tried to play HalfLife2. In the process of redoing it I downloaded the "newest" drivers from Nvidia - bad idea. Luckly I had the drivers from a few months earlier and reinstalled them - problem was fixed. Go back thru your downloaded files and hopfully you have them stashed away someplace, suggestion would be setup a folder just for drivers and always keep 2-3 versions in case something weird does happen.
Posted by: zorg
If you want to get older nvidia drivers go to their site and downlaod frmo the archives section of the drivers go through the same process ie choose drivers->os and then instead of downloading look on the left, you can see there should be somethign that says previous drivers
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_archive.html
there are the windowsxp/2000 archive list, try about 3 drivers ago and test them to the newest one and see which newest one is the most stable for you.
Posted by: Grantyt3
i've tried older drivers, but maybe I'll try even older ones. Thanks. Also, tell me any other ideas you have.
Posted by: zorg
If you can try and get ahold of another nvidia card, even if it is a old gf4mx plug it and and run, just check,. if the problem still persists, i would probably say take the card back and ask for a new one. 
Posted by: Grantyt3
There is another Nvidia card in our house, but it's in my dad's computer and he wouldn't dare let me take it out just incase I screwed something up. The graphics card's tech support that I've been talking about says that if the power supply thing doesn't work (and now the old graphics drivers which I havn't had time to check yet, I'll tell you when I do) I can send it in and they will check to make sure it isn't messed up or anything. I will only do that as a last resort though.
Posted by: Grantyt3
Oh my god! Zorg! Your the greatest person who ever lived! I think you fixed it! The whiteness is gone! I havn't tried the crashing part yet (I'm worried that if it doesn't work, i'm going to go have to cry for a few days) THANK YOU!!!!! Ooohh... I gotta calm down, because if it crashes and I'm all like this I think I might have a heart attack!
Posted by: Grantyt3
I didn't have to have a heart attack after all! You fixed it! No crash! Runs pretty nice too. Well... I guess that's it. Thank's everyone for all your help! I'm just mad because I spent over 2 months trying to fix it and missed one of the simplest things and wasted all this time doing complicated stuff that didn't do anything. So what do I do? do I somehow delete this thread or something?
Posted by: zorg
No Dont worry, someone else might have the same issue and might help to see the steps you took to solve your problem. So i'm guessing the pc is stil running ok now? You sending that card back?
Posted by: Grantyt3
Yep it's working just fine! Why would I send the card back? It works fine now.
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