Games Keep Crashing

[nekrosoft13]

Before I start explaining the problems, here are the specs

AMD X2 4400+ at 2.42ghz (220x11) (cooled by Zalman 120mm)
GeiL 2 GB(4x512mb)PC4000 ultra (220)
2x BFG 7800GT (stock clocks)
Asus A8N-SLI Premium 1011-1 bios
Audigy 2 Platinum
2x120gb maxtor diamondmax9 sata
250gb seagate 7800.8 sata
pioneer A09
benq DW1620
Canopus AVDC capture card
Seasonic 600W


Ok and now to the problem.

Let’s start with HL2, all up to date thanks to the steam virus. HL2 either freezes during load, crashes during the load or freeze or crash 5-10 minutes into the game.

Call of Duty 2 crashes 10-20 minute into the game.

Quake4 really depends, either works fine for 2-3 hours, and next day I try to play it and crashes 10-20 minutes into the game.

All other games work fine: Fear, BF2, NFS MW, Age of EmpiresIII, Earth 2160, D&D online, Neverwinter nights. Deus Ex2 (need disable dual core), TOCA2, Fable etc.....

First I though it could be faulty ram, but I did runned memtest for about 16 hours and no errors.

Now I’m leaning towards ram config, I did some searches thru Google, and found allot of people having problems with AMD systems when they have 4 slots filled.

Any ideas?

[jolle]

Tried running Prime95?
I think memtest is supposed to be more sensitive, but you could give the "blend" test a shot for RAM testing, and the other "max heat/load" test a whirl aswell..

CS:S seems VERY sensitive to RAM instabilities (prolly due to Havok2), it was pretty much the only thing that would hang or crash when I had issues, Prime95 Blend test showed the problem for me pretty fast..

Make sure your running 2T with 4 slots populated.. and you COULD try stepping down to 333mhz on MEM if it isnt already, atleast for texting purouses.. I had to do that with 2 double sided modules on my old NewCastle core..


How are GPU temps? all fine there?
RTHDRIBL is good for checking since its pretty heavy, and windowed..

[OWA]

I'd also try taking out 2 sticks of ram and just using a gig for a while to see how that goes.

[nekrosoft13]

Tried running Prime95?
I think memtest is supposed to be more sensitive, but you could give the "blend" test a shot for RAM testing, and the other "max heat/load" test a whirl aswell..

CS:S seems VERY sensitive to RAM instabilities (prolly due to Havok2), it was pretty much the only thing that would hang or crash when I had issues, Prime95 Blend test showed the problem for me pretty fast..

Make sure your running 2T with 4 slots populated.. and you COULD try stepping down to 333mhz on MEM if it isnt already, atleast for texting purouses.. I had to do that with 2 double sided modules on my old NewCastle core..


How are GPU temps? all fine there?
RTHDRIBL is good for checking since its pretty heavy, and windowed..

never heard of prime, will try that. and yes memory is running at 2T.

GPU temps idle at low 40s and load high 40 or low to mid 50.

[nekrosoft13]

ok, so i have this prime thing running, now what? so far been running for a hour and it haven't even touched the ram yet

[nekrosoft13]

I'd also try taking out 2 sticks of ram and just using a gig for a while to see how that goes.


will try 2 sticks today after work

[Superfly]

Are you using 2T timmings?? - if not then thats your problem.

4 dimms + 1T = exactly the symptoms your describing.

[nekrosoft13]

Are you using 2T timmings?? - if not then thats your problem.

4 dimms + 1T = exactly the symptoms your describing.

yes i'm running 2T, computer won't even post if i try 1T with 4 dimms.

what i don't get is i run memtest for 16 hours and everything is fine. i play a game and 5-10 minuets and crash

[Superfly]

Ok - well I can post with 4 dimms @ 1T and run stable on the desktop but games crash as per your syptoms.

[OWA]

Did you get a chance to try running with just two sticks yet? If so, how did it go?

[lowdog]

Sure it's not a heat issue.

[nekrosoft13]

i haven't tried two sticks yet, i had no time, really busy with work and college.

lowdog i don't think its a heat issue, my 7800GTs never go over 55c (according to Nvidia driver)

plus i can play FEAR for hours with no problem, while 5-10 minutes in HL2 or COD2 and it crashes.

[nekrosoft13]

today i'm running 1gb (2x512) and everything runs perfectly

running at 240mhz FSB 1:1 and stable

tried both pairs and not a single problem

so i was runing, amd sucks with 4 dimms, never had a problem like this on my intel machine