Pliisken

Hello all I have a problem that I can't seem to fix. My computer beeps and what I call glitches when gaming. Sometimes it doesn't do it at all and other times it's all I can do to game. I've noticed a beeping or something like a whistle sound coming out of the speakers. When it does this the game will freeze for like a split second. Sounds and voices in the game stutter and most of the time repeat thereselves for a second or two. I'm not sure what it is and it's been doing it every since I got the computer and it's really getting irratating. I went out today and got Silent Hunter 4 and can't even enjoy it because of this. My specs are:

Windows Xp Home
X86 Family Model 4 stepping 3 Genuine Intel 3590 Mhz Processor
1,024 MB Ram DDR
Nvidia Geforce 6800 256MB
Creative Audigy Sound Card

I'm thinking it's something stupid that has been tinkered with or such, as this was one of my friends computers. Please help or give any advice, because I feel like taking a sledge hammer to my computer right now.

TheMatt

Hi, and welcome to TSF!

This definitely sounds like a case of video card overheating. Measure the temps of the video card, and post them here. Check them right after exiting a game.

To see the temps, go to Control Panel > Display > Settings >
Advanced > select the nVidia 6800 Tab > Additional Properties

Pliisken

It could be a heat problem but I'm not sure if it is. Right after exiting a game it's at 67 degrees with an ambient temp of 48 C. I've checked the temp gauge from time to time just seeing what it was doing but it's never really got hot.

I did just update the sound card driver because my audio center on my taskbar wasn't working, it seems to have helped it a little so I updated my graphics drivers too. It doesn't seem to stutter and beep as much but it is still doing it. It's driving me nuts.

Also I notice that when I'm exiting a game or when I first boot up the computer the hard drive thrash's like crazy. I haven't been using this computer much during the last 6 months and I let a friend use it. It needs optimizing severely and maintenence done. Should I just reformat and do a clean install?

TheMatt

First, do a disk cleanup with the Windows Disk Cleanup utility and then do a Disk Defragmentation with the Disk Defragmenter.

It is showing all the symptoms of overheating. Try running the computer with the side panel of the case off and see if the graphics artifacting (another name for glitches) reduces or goes away.

Your GPU temps shouldn't be exceeding 70 degrees, and I guarantee that it drops 4 degrees in the time it takes to go to the nVidia CP after exiting a game (even if it is only one second).

Pliisken

I have already cleaned the disk and defragged. I have been monitoring the temp while gaming it runs at 68 to 70 degrees. I have had it up past that for prolonged sessions consisting of hours, which probably wasn't good for it but had no problems with it.

More info though, it only does it at certain points and on certain games. For example if I'm playing Silent Hunter 4 and I'm looking through the periscope or look at the event camera it constantly beeps and stutters and if one of the crew members are saying anything they stutter the word over 2 or 3 times. As soon as I close the periscope or the event camera everything is fine. So I'm heading in the right direction I just have to figure out what is causing it.

As for the graphics artifacting they never have to my knowledge. I have noticed these Xp's have pretty sufficient cooling and fans. I have another xps sitting right here beside me with the exact same hardware and it has no problems. Your ideas are good though keep churning them out

TheMatt

Have you checked the CPU temps? The system will beep at you when the CPU is starting to run hot. You can use SpeedFan from my sig to do that.

Pliisken

I seen speed fan in your sig and tried it but as soon as I install and open it and after initialization I get bombarded with memory errors. They just keep popping up one after the other. The only way out of it is to Ctrl Alt Del it. I have not looked at the cpu temps. I figured if it was that it would be doing it all the time throughout the game, but as I stated before it only happens while looking through the periscope and the event camera :(

As soon as I close those it is fine. It beeps in other games as well, but a lot of the other games I haven't been able to find out the triggers. I'm still stumped just sitting here racking my brain for ideas.

Pliisken

What about the page file? Wouldn't that be consistant with the long disk thrash's while booting or just getting done playing a game?

As for the beep it isn't the beep you would get from your motherboard or some kind of an alarm. It's more or less really faint but you can hear it. Imagine your fingernail and raking it across a chalkboard really fast but for a short distance. Also it's coming from the speakers too. Do the cpu temp warnings come from inside the computer?

TheMatt

Try MobileMeter. That should work.

Pliisken

Whats the website? Search engines turning up some weird stuff and I'm still looking for it.

TheMatt

Get it from the link in my sig below.