Random crashing in games

[acewolff80]

I just don't get it. I get random crashes in practically all games. Some days Counter-strike will work for 3 hours then crash and other days it lasts 10 min. Usually, I get a sound loop or just a frozen screen. Once in a while the computer reboots. It seems like the more advanced the game, however, the more reliably it crashes. Freespace 2, for example crashes every time within 5 minutes. I have tried switching CPU's, mobo, Graphics card, power supply, sound card (I think) and removing my modem (have cable modem now). I currently have an AMD 1.3 GHZ, 256 PC2100 DDr ram, GA-7DX mobo, soundblaster live 5.1 platinum, D-link DFE-530TX+ network card, new XP drivers for the sound and graphics card, a Radeon 8500 GC, and two HD one 60 GB IBM, one Maxtor 30 GB, I am running Windows XP pro. I also had this problem with win 2k and ME. I have also tried moving cards to different slots to try and get different resources assigned to them. Once I even tried disabling Plug n play and manually assigning irqs to no avail. I can't figure out what the connecting factor is that is screwing stuff up. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Acewolff80

[Donald]

Hi! acewolff80 !
You know so much more than I do about computers.Maybe in about a year I will be at a level to where you are now.I am not a man of answers,but a man of ideas. Windows 2k was never game friendly from what all I have read.Maybe the PRO is the same way.My idea--Put ALL the 512 RAM in your computer.----I found out many months ago that the BIGGEST SECRET to having ME run GREAT is to load the computer with ALL 512 RAM. ----when you start up your computer,only do it with FEW programs starting.I don't play games on my computer,I guess being older and all that,but if I were going to play games then I would DISABLE ALL programs.I have started up my computer at 99% system resources before.Just go to msconfig and un-check 'load startup group items'and restart your computer.That will leave you with NO programs running.Look at system recources after doing that.I did this one time and clicked on only one program,my ISP and got on the internet and played around.You talk about fast,the ole computer really went!!.After that,I had to go back into msconfig to STARTUP tab and re-check those programs that I start up with.----------Donald

[alexmacdonald]

I was having similar problems and fount it to be my chipset having issues with AGP. Check with your chipset manufacturer for updated AGP drivers and PCI bus drivers and see if this doesnt help.

[AznWC34]

THat also happens to me on my computer especially when im on d2. Usually lasts about 20-40 mins then it freezes or shuts down the game. But before(about 2 years ago) i never used to have this problem. Im not sure but i guess my comp is really old(6 year old 300 mhz comp with no agp slot LOL). I played d2 along time ago and it never did this till like 1 year ago. But now im building my own computer.

[morriswindgate]

Also try shutting down some of the running TSRs (running tasks)with Ctrl-Alt-Del. If you have Quicktime Installed on the computer start with one called QTask.

[acewolff80]

Actually, I usually do disable all unneeded TSR's like aim and msn mess, The only ones I leave running are the mouse software and the system processes. Also I updated to the latest via 4in1 drivers and got the newest amd chipset drivers as well. Any more ideas?
Thanks,