freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD  Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 08:09 |
I don’t expect anyone to devote too much brain matter to this one but as there is the occasional tech minded chap who gets off on these types of mysteries I thought I would post. At the very least, it’s an opportunity to rant about an issue that has been plaguing my home laptop for 2 years.
It seems to be related to my video driver (nVidia GeForce FX Go5200) and some other driver/function related to SP2.
I was using SP1 for nearly a year with no problems and then recently upgraded to SP2 because I was getting a nag about SP1 no longer being supported. Soon thereafter, the random freezing started again.
With all the same software and such, my computer freezes when I upgrade to SP2 and does not when I downgrade to SP1. Also, when I run in safe mode it does not freeze. Also, when I uninstall my video card and leave it in VGA mode, it does not freeze.
I have tried removing video driver completely and reinstalling, I have tried the forceware install after altering the .inf file (per internet instructions) and it still happens.
Also, at one point in the past, I lost a hard drive on the same computer and as soon as I reinstalled windows (from a Dell SP1 only disc) and all was well. Once I windows_updated to SP2 (WITH NOTHING ELSE INSTALLED YET ON A NEW HARD DRIVE!) it froze again randomly.
Sometimes it happens after 20 minutes, sometimes not until a few hours have passed.
ArrRRRgghh!
I am currently testing things after disabling different hardware. right now almost everything is disabled: Ethernet card, modem, 1394, even USB: all.
I just disabled the USB stuff and the primary controller for the 1394 and it hasn’t frozen yet but I imagine it will…
Is it safe to assume that my video card has some sort of defect which only manifests with SP2?
Is that possible?
Does it matter if I stay in SP1_land forever?
Mahalo kind friend,
Freakbass
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Clavis_Apocalypticae
Beautiful Puppet of Chaos   SSHOLEPosts: 726 Registered: 5/16/2004 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 12:32 |
In your post you don't specify what processor/chipset you have, so this is kind of a shot in the dark.
Have you updated your board's AGP drivers? I've had similar problems in the past w/GeForce cards, and updating the the motherboard chipset drivers has solved it every time.
Hope this helps. Keep us posted.
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Uart
DARTH MENSES  Posts: 1228 Registered: 3/5/2005 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 12:55 |
buy a mac. |
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Acidburn
I am El Chupacabra  SSHOLEPosts: 729 Registered: 8/1/2004 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 14:04 |
^^ Oh burn!
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mundhra
dread pirate neckbeard  SSHOLEPosts: 1600 Registered: 3/25/2002 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 14:47 |
1) what clavis said
2) UPGRAED TO VISTA (LOL)
3) contact manufacturer for support
4) don't install sp2
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IMBOLCPunxsutawneyPhil
SENATOR BABYHEAD  Posts: 244 Registered: 3/17/2005 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 17:37 |
update yer bios
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LORDKAHUNA
Don't make me fuk your moustache  SSHOLEPosts: 1593 Registered: 8/5/2003 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 18:28 |
Press the "q" button 37 times.
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 20:32 |
Thanks dudes. I will try to update the chipset and bios again. I don't think I have ever updated the AGP drivers. Will look into that too.
here are some more details:
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (5.1 Build 2600) (I know I suck)
Phoenix Rom Bios Plus Version 1.10 A38
Pentium 4, CPU 3.20 GHz (2 CPU’s)
1024 MB RAM
Does this mean anything? : Intel(R) 82801DBM I/O controller hub (ICH4M)
It's a laptop, dell 5150
So far no one has said I need SP2, eh?
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JohnLenin
DARTH MENSES  Posts: 991 Registered: 7/8/2005 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 21:02 |
SP2 will cast a pox on ye and thine loved ones
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Clavis_Apocalypticae
Beautiful Puppet of Chaos SSHOLEPosts: 726 Registered: 5/16/2004 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 21:37 |
freakbass: Does this mean anything? : Intel(R) 82801DBM I/O controller hub (ICH4M)
I think that's the PCI Bus Controller.
freakbass: So far no one has said I need SP2, eh?
Do it. If for no other reason than the 6 million-odd security updates MS has released since SP2. Also, if you use wireless, SP2 wireless support is superior to SP1. SP2 also corrects a USB or Firewire issue or some shit...I don't remember.
In my limited research on the topic, I was able to ascertain that upgrading the 5150 to SP2 is apparently a gargantuan pain in the ass for a lot of people. WARNED.
Also, check out this shits.
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/8/2006 at 22:45 |
thanks for the help, Clavis. what a trip about the law suit. they originally thought this was heat sink related and replaced it a year ago. didn't help though.
well, the kind but inarticulate Indian dell chat guy is sending me XP home with SP2. The disc I have now is SP1 then windows update takes care of everything else.. all 9000 files.. It's gotta be one of those little fuckers that is screwing me.
updated bios and chipset again. we'll see what happens.
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Senor_Smoke
SENATOR BABYHEAD  Posts: 279 Registered: 9/9/2004 Offline
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11/11/2006 at 13:50 |
Why wait for the home edition to come in the mail when you can get one of the ETH0 XP Pro/Corporate releases from damn near any public torrent site.The ETH0 versions have SP2 and all security updates slipstreamed.
The only time I`ve had problems with SP2 is when it was being installed "over top of" SP1.Since you seem to like to tinker around,try The Elder Geeks Method to do your own real quick.
nlite is another alternative you can try,but sometimes it can piss you off,so I would recommend trying the elder geeks method first.If you follow his instructions by the letter,you should have your own slipstreamed copy in about half an hour.
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slippedhole
SENATOR BABYHEAD  Posts: 234 Registered: 4/24/2004 Offline
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11/11/2006 at 15:34 |
Here are some questions that need answering before you go on:
1. Does the setting the display to the maximum resolution affect the performance of the video card which resulted to random freezes?
2. Does video running at lower resolutions affect the pc running at maximum resolution?
3. Doesn't the omnipotent mainframe detect the problem as to then correct the problem by sending out the red drones to defeat the elec(tron)ic virus' that plague you?
4. Do you regard your fate as electronic karmic justice for whining like a baby periodically on linkswarm?
If any of this is the case, press the malfunction button at restart.
On 2006-11-11 at 09:35:50, slippedhole chose to holla @ p-nis
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/11/2006 at 20:57 |
I would love to try the windows pro thing. Is there a version where I can upgrade from home SP2 without having to back anything up or re-install all my shit?
It still happens with the SP2 version.
I have not experimented much with the Nvidea settings. When I change it from 1400 x 1050, I get a nag about "Laptop settings" and it looks fuzzy.
However, I'm in 1280 x 1024 fuzzy mode now and it hasn't frozen yet..
All of the freezing has been at 1400 x 1050, 32 bit color, which works fine with SP1.
danka_gents
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/14/2006 at 23:09 |
getting close but FUCK
it seems to be related to my virtual memory settings. I have found similar problems with people upgrading to SP2.
Strange though as my computer is not letting me change it. It keeps going back to 1535. Trying to change it to 2500 as the page size.
I even let dell_chat_techs remotely access my shit. They did a few things including the normal virtual memory change through system, then going into registry, checking/changing other things..
but inevitably whenever I reboot and check the system performance, it returns to 1535.
Anyone know what I can check in regedit? can I force it to change somewhere?
ps- I am the Admin, etc..
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JohnLenin
DARTH MENSES Posts: 991 Registered: 7/8/2005 Offline
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11/15/2006 at 01:30 |
get a new computer
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/15/2006 at 04:49 |
If that were an option I would have destroyed this piece of shit months ago.
so weird... no matter what I do, my CPU won't let me change the value. It's like it is defaulting to 1535 for some reason.
I even tried changing it to "no page file". I reboot and all looks well (0 K page file) but when I define a value (ANY VALUE) and reboot, it goes back to 1535..
It's even changed in the registry at: current control set/control/memory management
there is says 4000 - 4000. I read somewhere that changing the min to the max can help performance.
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JohnLenin
DARTH MENSES Posts: 991 Registered: 7/8/2005 Offline
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11/15/2006 at 05:16 |
Have you tried buying Windows XP PLUS?
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Senor_Smoke
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 279 Registered: 9/9/2004 Offline
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11/15/2006 at 21:00 |
With a gig of ram you shouldn`t need any pagefile.Do you have system restore turned on?If you do,just for kicks turn it off and try again.
Reinstalling all your shit is easy compared to all of the shit you have been going through :/...I`m sure you can find a torrent from one of the public search thingamajiggies.Just do a search for ETH0 and something should come up.
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freakbass
SENATOR BABYHEAD Posts: 128 Registered: 2/12/2006 Offline
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11/15/2006 at 23:12 |
thanks. system restore is a new idea. didn't work though.
I will consider the full backup and install of that other version in the future.
For now, having just been laid off, this problem is not important enough to keep me indoors any longer.
I have given up. Reinstalled SP1 with updates turned off.
Fuck it.
So long as firefox, outlook, Azureus, WMP, and final draft work, I will be fine.
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