Thorleaf

Hello, it's my first post on this forum and I want to ask for some help.
So, I play a rpg game and like 2 days ago my computer started to reboot when I played it. It rebooted like 15-30 minutes after I logged to game, but then I scanned computer with adware and today I've been online for very long (doing nothing) and it haven't rebooted, I still scare to do anything in game since I will 100% die when computer reboots, can spyware cause this kind of problems and may it be fixed from scanning with adware (it found like 30 viruses)?

justpassingby

Hi Thorleaf and welcome to TSF !

If what adaware foiund were only tracking cookies then there's no reason to worry, everyone gets some while surfing the net and cleaning them monthly is sufficient. If it was something else than tracking cookies or MRU lists then report here.

Your rebooting problem is very likely to be hardware related. When a computer crashes wihtin a video intensive game it's usually because it fails to deliver enough power to the video card.

Post your system specs (see the link in my sig). If this is a desktop computer then open your case and tell us what you see on the sticker that's on the side of the power supply block : brand, model, total wattage and amperage on each rail.

Enter the BIOS at startup (usually by pressing the del key, else have a look at this site) and search for a hardware monitor or pc health screen. Report what your cpu temp, fan speeds and +3.3, +5 and +12V voltages are.

Go to the event viewer : start => run => eventvwr.msc. Tell us whether you see any errors in one of the sections there that correspond to the times of the crashes.

Right-click my computer => properties => advanced => settings under startup and recovery => uncheck automatically restart. Tell us whether you see some blue screen now if the computer crashes again (please don't make it crash on purpose, you could end up with a corrupt system that wouldn't boot anymore).

TheMatt

Hi,

Please post your system specs using this as a guide: http://www.techsupportforum.com/558208-post1.html

If it is rebooting then I am thinking it is a driver issue. If we know the error message, we can track down the exact cause. Follow the steps here under Recovery Settings and continue with your normal activities. This time, though, instead of rebooting, you should see a blue screen. Be sure to post the technical details on the blue screen including the STOP error.

Thorleaf

Hello again,

well, I've unchecked automatically restart already and no blue screen or anything comes when computer reboots, no errors, nothing. Just reboot.

I'm not sure if I'm posting computer specs right now but:

Power Supply - I don't know about it.
Motherboard - Asus P5GD1-FM (FSC OEM) (3 PCI, 1 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR DIMM, Audio, LAN, IEEE-1394) (I don't know if it's right thing, I took it from everest, don't know much about computer.
CPU - Intel Pentium 4 540, 3200 MHz (16 x 200)
RAM - 512 MB (PC3200 DDR SDRAM)
Video Card - nVIDIA GeForce 6600 PCI-E 256MB
Hard Drive - WDC WD2000JD-55HBB0 (186 GB, IDE)
Operating System - Windows XP home edition.

I know I'm missing many things but I don't know much about computers.

My computer's temp is around 45-55 C.
+3.3V 3.49 V
+5V 5.72 V
+12V 12.28 V

HawMan

Take the Cover off the side of your Case and post the Details on the Sticker thats located on the side of the PSU including the Brand.

aliox325

First it could be your psu dieing,2nd it could be your video memory and 3rd it could be your RAM. I had same problem with my old computer, but mine was the RAM part, as i see you got 512mb thats ok for lots of games. What RPG game are u reffering to?

Thorleaf

Tibia <rolleyes>

And I don't know how to check power supply since I'm only 14 and I don't know how watch inside computer etc and my dad doesn't know either so maybe I'll take it to shop if I can't get it fixed.

aliox325

Dude, its really easy, im 14 too and know alot of ****, just unscrew it if its wit screws and then look at the sticker on the power supply and tell me the AMPS and the Wattage. Good luck!

TheMatt

Before we open up the computer for anything, lets try a new driver.


Download this driver: http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_84.21.html

Note that you should install the driver in safe mode. To do this, rapidly tap the F8 button right before the Windows XP logo normally appears. You may not get it the first time, but if you don't, reboot and try again. Also, disable any antivirus temporarily during the installation. When you are done, reboot and Windows will automatically boot up normally.

Thorleaf

Thanks, I'll do that, but I forgot to say that my computer still reboots but not that fast, now I can play for some hours before it reboots.

Edit: Okej, I installed it, but I have something to say, while ago my screen started to mess up with going too much west, like I couldn't see half of start-button and in east side there were much blank black space, and I searched for nvidia button on taskbar to fix it but I couldn't find it, and now when I installed it it's there now, I don't know if it has anything to do with it but I just say it.

justpassingby

If those are the voltages you saw in the BIOS then your PSU (power supply) is failing : 5V line is completely out of specs, other lines are a bit too high.

You'll have to open your case eventually. Make sure you unplug the power cord and touch a metal part of the case to discharge yourself before you touch any internal components and you'll be safe.

Report what you find on the sticker that's on the side of the power supply (something like this) : brand, model and wattage.

Check that there's no dust inside your fans and heatsinks, check the fan of the video card as well as graphic glitches could also point to your gpu (=video card processor) overheating. If there's much dust you'll have to buy a can of compressed air to clean it (10$ at the local computer or electronics shop).

With the can of compressed air blow some air through the fan of the power supply block. Don't try to open it, that thing still has some juice even when unplugged. If the PSU block was completely clogged by dust, the PSU could be overheating which could decrease its efficiency.

Thorleaf

These were the volts in everest, I can check BIOS later.

justpassingby

Do check them. Bad voltages can damage your components so this is a priority. Voltage readings in the BIOS are more trustworthy than from a third party software within Windows, still it's possible that your voltages don't show in the BIOS depending on your motherboard.

You will have to tell us about your power supply. Opening a case is really easy, two cross-shaped screws to unscrew and slide the side panel backwards a bit and that's it. If the shop you got that computer from sells crappy power supplies, you'd better know it before you bring your computer back to the shop and they replace it with another crappy power supply hoping to see you come back the following year with the same problem, at best.

Thorleaf

Ok I checked my power supply and there were alot of text so I wrote some down:

Model nr. FSP350-60THA-P.
AC INPUT 220-240V, 4.5A, 50Hz.
Max DC OUTPUT 350W.

Edit: Also I checked voltages from BIOS and they were about same as they were in everest.

justpassingby

This is a low end PSU but FSP isn't a bad manufacturer.

If your voltages are wrong in the BIOS then that PSU is probably dying or underpowered for your rig. See this http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...selection.html thread. Use the PSU calculator to calculate you power needs, set capacitor aging to 30% and add another 30% to the final result to take average efficiency into account.

See if you can find some friend who has a good PSU for your wattage, preferably one of the recommended models at the bottom of the thread, so you can try it out before buying a new one.

Thorleaf

I don't understand anything at that calculator page >.<.

justpassingby

Well, simply put, your power supply is probably failing and you will have to test your computer with another one to make sure that's the problem. Find some more knowledgeable person in your surroundings who'll be able to replace your PSU with another one, or simply get back to the shop if your computer is still under warranty.

You don't have to complete everything in the calculator, refer to your system specs (what you got from everest) to enter your parts, add your CD-rom drive, a floppy, and the number of USB devices you usually use. Then set capacitor aging to 30% and click calculate. Add another 30% to the result it gives you and tell us about it. Ask a friend who knows more about computer to help you if you want.

Technician1

thank you for this kind help .

well appreciated.