NR2K3 Crashes To Desktop
 

I put an AMD XP3000+ (333mhz) on my dad's Shuttle MN31 nForce2
motherboard (replacing his AMD XP2400), and now he can only go about
five laps in the game before it crashes back to the windows desktop.

We deleted his Rend_dxg.ini file and ran config to create a new one, but
that didn't help. (He's got a Radeon 9600.)

It's acting like the graphics card and/or video driver is hosed up (a
heat issue), but it runs fine with the 2400 in it. Windows runs fine
otherwise (both before and after the game crashes).

Anyone got any ideas?

Is it a hard lock? Id reset the system BIOS for starters. That does sound
heat related though. Maybe the extra CPU cycles are pushing the vid too
hard. Thats the first [lace to look though. A small room fan pointing onto
the opened case.

Mitch


"John Simmons" > wrote in message
...
>I put an AMD XP3000+ (333mhz) on my dad's Shuttle MN31 nForce2
> motherboard (replacing his AMD XP2400), and now he can only go about
> five laps in the game before it crashes back to the windows desktop.
>
> We deleted his Rend_dxg.ini file and ran config to create a new one, but
> that didn't help. (He's got a Radeon 9600.)
>
> It's acting like the graphics card and/or video driver is hosed up (a
> heat issue), but it runs fine with the 2400 in it. Windows runs fine
> otherwise (both before and after the game crashes).
>
> Anyone got any ideas?

Nope, it just crashes t the desktop with no apparent affect on the rest
of the system. His 9600 is fairly new (about 1-1/2 years old). I
already reset the BIOS to defaults, and it appears to be correctly
detecting the CPU and RAM...

Maybe the CPU heatsink needs more oomph, but I don't really see why. To
keep things simple, nothing is being overclocked, and the CPU is known
to be a working unit (I was using it until I upgrade to the AMD64 I'm
using now).

I don't know if I can put a much larger heatsink on the CPU because the
one that's in there now is almost touching the PSU...



In article >,
says...
> Is it a hard lock? Id reset the system BIOS for starters. That does sound
> heat related though. Maybe the extra CPU cycles are pushing the vid too
> hard. Thats the first [lace to look though. A small room fan pointing onto
> the opened case.
>
> Mitch
>
>
> "John Simmons" > wrote in message
> ...
> >I put an AMD XP3000+ (333mhz) on my dad's Shuttle MN31 nForce2
> > motherboard (replacing his AMD XP2400), and now he can only go about
> > five laps in the game before it crashes back to the windows desktop.
> >
> > We deleted his Rend_dxg.ini file and ran config to create a new one, but
> > that didn't help. (He's got a Radeon 9600.)
> >
> > It's acting like the graphics card and/or video driver is hosed up (a
> > heat issue), but it runs fine with the 2400 in it. Windows runs fine
> > otherwise (both before and after the game crashes).
> >
> > Anyone got any ideas?
>
>
>

Without the hard lock Id lean towards a driver issue. Onboard sound? Maybe
reduce the acceleration of the sound hdw? Id try out a few different
video/sound drivers and configurations (with w/o AA/AF) as well. Do you
use the 4in1 drivers?


Mitch


"John Simmons" > wrote in message
...
> Nope, it just crashes t the desktop with no apparent affect on the rest
> of the system. His 9600 is fairly new (about 1-1/2 years old). I
> already reset the BIOS to defaults, and it appears to be correctly
> detecting the CPU and RAM...
>
> Maybe the CPU heatsink needs more oomph, but I don't really see why. To
> keep things simple, nothing is being overclocked, and the CPU is known
> to be a working unit (I was using it until I upgrade to the AMD64 I'm
> using now).
>
> I don't know if I can put a much larger heatsink on the CPU because the
> one that's in there now is almost touching the PSU...
>
>
>
> In article >,
> says...
>> Is it a hard lock? Id reset the system BIOS for starters. That does
>> sound
>> heat related though. Maybe the extra CPU cycles are pushing the vid too
>> hard. Thats the first [lace to look though. A small room fan pointing
>> onto
>> the opened case.
>>
>> Mitch
>>
>>
>> "John Simmons" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> >I put an AMD XP3000+ (333mhz) on my dad's Shuttle MN31 nForce2
>> > motherboard (replacing his AMD XP2400), and now he can only go about
>> > five laps in the game before it crashes back to the windows desktop.
>> >
>> > We deleted his Rend_dxg.ini file and ran config to create a new one,
>> > but
>> > that didn't help. (He's got a Radeon 9600.)
>> >
>> > It's acting like the graphics card and/or video driver is hosed up (a
>> > heat issue), but it runs fine with the 2400 in it. Windows runs fine
>> > otherwise (both before and after the game crashes).
>> >
>> > Anyone got any ideas?
>>
>>
>>

I have to close my HP printer to play NR2K3. It does exactly what you
described.


Mark

"John Simmons" > wrote in message
...
> Nope, it just crashes t the desktop with no apparent affect on the rest
> of the system. His 9600 is fairly new (about 1-1/2 years old). I
> already reset the BIOS to defaults, and it appears to be correctly
> detecting the CPU and RAM...
>

Same RAM for both CPUs???

GC OCed?

In article > ,
says...
> Without the hard lock Id lean towards a driver issue. Onboard sound? Maybe
> reduce the acceleration of the sound hdw? Id try out a few different
> video/sound drivers and configurations (with w/o AA/AF) as well. Do you
> use the 4in1 drivers?
>
>

It's a nForce2 motherboard, so I don't think the 4-in-1's will be very
compatible. :)

Before I posted my original message:

I tried new Omega drivers. Same problem.
I tried new ATI Catalyst drivers. Same problem.
I tried a new power supply. Same problem.
I tried a larger heatsink on the CPU. Same Problem.
I tried backing the sound acceleration off one tick. Same problem.
I tried a Radeon 9700 Pro. Same problem (but a bit noisier due to the
fan).

The problem was the memory. I originally buit the machine to be a race
server, so it didn't need to have top-notch quality name-brand memory
because there was no 3D graphics load on it. It ran fine with the
budget PC2700 memory with an AMD XP1900 and then an AMD 2400 while
racing, but putting the 3000 in pushed the memory into instability. I
had 512mb of Corsair XMS laying around, so I tried it and the crashes
are now completely gone (not to mention the machine is noticeably
faster).

In article <426aa6fe$0$27633$61c65585@un-2park-reader-
02.sydney.pipenetworks.com.au>, says...
>
> "John Simmons" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Nope, it just crashes t the desktop with no apparent affect on the rest
> > of the system. His 9600 is fairly new (about 1-1/2 years old). I
> > already reset the BIOS to defaults, and it appears to be correctly
> > detecting the CPU and RAM...
> >
>
> Same RAM for both CPUs???
>
> GC OCed?
>
>
>

Same RAM, but it was budget RAM (and nothing is overclocked). It needed
higher quality memory to run - I'm glad I had a spare stick...

"John Simmons" wrote:

> I tried new Omega drivers. Same problem.
> I tried new ATI Catalyst drivers. Same problem.
> I tried a new power supply. Same problem.
> I tried a larger heatsink on the CPU. Same Problem.
> I tried backing the sound acceleration off one tick. Same problem.
> I tried a Radeon 9700 Pro. Same problem (but a bit noisier due to the
> fan).
>
> The problem was the memory.

I bet you are really glad you volunteered to upgrade the CPU - another 5
minute job 'puter job for the family that turns into hours...

Thats a bit surprising considering the upg was fairly minimal. Oh well glad
it worked out so easily (from my perspective anyway hehe). That coulda been
a real pita based on the evidence it presented.

Just out of curiosity have you ran memtest86 on it?


Mitch


"John Simmons" > wrote in message > budget PC2700 memory with an AMD
XP1900 and then an AMD 2400 while
> racing, but putting the 3000 in pushed the memory into instability. I
> had 512mb of Corsair XMS laying around, so I tried it and the crashes
> are now completely gone (not to mention the machine is noticeably
> faster).
>