Computer shuts down when playing OFP

[NKVD 0]

Here is my system:

Athlon 64 3200

512 PC2100 RAM

Nvidia 6800 / Radeon 9800 PRO (both 128MB)

40GB MAXTOR HDD

400WATT PS

Windows XP SP1

The problem: whenever I play Operation Flashpoint: Resistance 1.96 my computer randomly shuts down, not even reboots - just screen goes black and computer turns power off like I pressed the power button myself.

Now it only happens with OFP..I can play DOOM3 for hours and nothing will shut down - no problems at all, can also play other games - no problem...but when I start OFP - sometimes it takes 5 min or 25 min - sudden shut down...I can boot up computer, everything works, and windows does not give any errors...

Here's what I tried so far:

1) Changed video cards, from Radeon 9800 PRO to Nvidia 6800 - problem still exists

2) Overheating - I put the fan size bigger than my head near case and directed airflow to CPU - computer still shuts down

3) Tried manipulating AGP setting from 8x to 4x and disabling fast writes + installing new mobo AGP drivers - problem still exists...

My only conclusion is either Im having problems with OFP because my AGP arpeture size is not 64MB...or my power supply is faulty and I need a new one...but then again, OFP requires more power than DOOM3 ?? ?

So my final question is - how to set custom AGP arpeture size to 64MB in new forceware drivers(nvidia) ? (I don't have any options in BIOS, tried Riva Tuner/Power Strip - no such options to change)...and also if you possible could provide an answer to what's wrong...

NOTE: If I put my GF3-Ti200 instead of Radeon and 6800 - computer works perfectly..I can play OFP for 4 hrs and without single shut down...

[BraTTy 0]

Odd that Doom3 doesn't shut down your computer ? Because I suspect your power supply, It just so happens that a 9800pro and 6800 have power connectors for the extra power required and that just reinforces that theory.

You could try unplugging some things you maybe don't use ? Extra cd drives,internal modem or what have you

You AGP aperature is not changable within Windows with any tuner program (that I am aware of)

That is something you change in your computers bios at bootup,you usually press *delete* or *F10* and sometimes even *F2* or something. Depending on your motherboard

[Mister Frag 0]

The AGP aperture size won't cause your computer to shut down. In my opinion, there are three possibilities:

1. Your PSU is too weak and being stressed too much,

2. Your system is overheating and shutting down,

3. The Blaster worm or a variant of it is causing a system shutdown due to a bug in the RPC service.

If your system is fully patched and protected by a firewall, you can rule out #3, although I would look at the event log to make sure there is nothing in there about a forced shutdown.

The other two possible causes are more difficult to isolate. See if your BIOS has any system health monitoring features, you may be able to change the system shutdown temperature threshold, or view the PSU rail voltages.

Also, you could install Motherboard Monitor and have it display / record these values while you are running OFP.

Finally, are you talking about an orderly Windows shutdown, or a sudden power-off?

[drow 0]

mine just restarted my computer, much the same way, but it did reboot...

[wolfbane 0]

NKVD do you have a Soundblaster Live! soundcard? If so i think that´s your problem. Take a look at this this thread.

[bn880 5]

That, or the usual problem, motherboard regulation out of whack. Keep an eye on your MB voltages, but basically your issue _could_ be voltage ripple due to the infamous crappy capacitors. I don't know exactly though.

The thing with PSU claims: when your motherboard is having regulation problems, a more ideal PSU helps that, and people often think the problem was the PSU, when it was not.

[shinRaiden 0]

I had to knock my FSB back from 200 to 166 to get my machine to even boot. Do you have an nForce2 mobo? The AGP power on most of the boards is woefully underpowered, I found that out after putting in 2x512mb ddr400 and a 256mb gfx5600 that doesn't have a powerplug.

The fix, if this is the case, is get a new mobo or significantly underclock your system. Check out nforcershq.com first though. They have the best databases on what models have the issues.

[killagee 0]

I am having exactly the same problem as mentioned above. I have just started happening in hte last few weeks, but I have changed nothin in my system apart from a few addons etc.

I will try to underclock my system and see what happens...

I am watching this thread very closely. How many other people are having this problem?

[Placebo 28]

I have an Nforce2 motherboard, it's stable until I put the side panel on (temps aren't high, I have a case fan), if the panel is on and I go play a game it will shut down between 10mins and 1 hour

Is there an app that will allow me to save temperatures to a log file that is constantly updated every 2 mins or something?

Check out nforcershq.com first though. They have the best databases on what models have the issues.

Can you provide a specific link please, nothing leaps out from that page and we don't all have time to kill navigating

[ThePygmy 0]

My computer used to shut down before, when playing OFP on XP Home (yeah yeah i know). Made me mad and I changed to Win 2000 and it started working. Im on XP Pro now, and I have never experienced it again.

[shinRaiden 0]

For nvidia chipset AMD mobo's start here:

nforcershq

I have a Asus A7N8X-DLX Rev 2.0 and a A7N8X-E 2.0 both prior to the Ultra/400 northbridge fix.

So I look under Asus topic and find this thread Current list of BIOS faults with the A7N8X-D Rev. 1 & 2

Try it with any other manufacturer for your mobo.

Placebo: there was some rather esoteric analysis of similar crashes of SOF2 I think at the activision forums. The result was the same thing, too much heat.

I got me a big huge case with tons of fans and that keeps everything between 40c to 50c all the time. I'm thinking of pluging a vent duct in the floor and hooking a flexy tube duct from the crawlspace under the house to the side of my box. I also made a pair of monitor coolers since I was cooking monitors as well. (Watch your ratings on them, they are rediculously low.)

I use Motherboard Monitor to keep track of my temps, it's less laggy and intrusive than Asusprobe, and has lots more options as well. It also supports text logging.

[NKVD 0]

yes I have Sound Blaster Live....

btw, mine is not nForce, it's Gigabyte VIA K8VT800M board..

however, I installed new AMD AGP drivers which support AMD64 Cool'N'Quiet feature which manages power, CPU consumption, overheating and stuff and problem seems** to go away..yesterday played CTI for 3 hours and no shut downs..maybe it helped it....if that won't work I will try to remove SB Live (however, my onboard sound is awfull...very crappy quality)...

[shinRaiden 0]

Bad... and worse...

Anyway, the whole reason for the power connecters on the topend cards is that the AGP slots on all the boards are pretty much at the limits. Problems especially showup on older nforce2 boards due to their underpowering.

TomsHW had a rather nasty article on psu's a while back, basically said to knock 50 to 100+w off of the sticker rating, and don't push your luck.

Have you tried updating your mobo bios?

[mr burns 131]

The fix, if this is the case, is get a new mobo or significantly underclock your system.

dunno if this is related to the problem but i´ll just mention it

long ago i had to underclock my fsb to 151 to keep ofp running

even at 160 (normal setting 166) it started randomly rebooting same as described in first post here...all other games were working, also the 3d marks did not crash the computer, i almost went insane and did even bother bis support... although i sent some rpt files they couldn´t help me

sometime when i had my pc open i was going to apply new thermal grease, in the process i realized that the grease i used before must´ve been the cheatest shit ever, barely anything of it was still on the right place

now with arctic silver everything runs fine´..the ofp problem just disappeared (that´s not an advert )