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"What's happening?"

My PC runs fine when doing everyday tasks such as web browsing, word processng, images, etc. However, rarely the program (such as PSP) crashes, but this has happened only three times in about 500 launches. It occurs when I just select a button - any button - such as the picture tubes or whatever.

Next up, a use a database program called 4D - the thing is, it too crashes after lauching, but only when it is the first program loaded straight after Windows.

Onto games. When loading games, there are times when nothing happens - yes, I have double clicked on the icon, and there is a small amount of disk activity - all it takes here is another double click and it sometimes work. It's a problem as such, but it is getting on my nerves.

Finally, onto the games (we're talking full screen ones)themselves - sometimes, I can load the game, and it plays fine up to a certain point - and then the game just freezes, with a reset the only option. Other times, the game freezes, but the sound makes a continual high pitched noise as well, piercing my eardrums in addition to p***ing me off.

So, can anyone suggest what's happening here? I'm beginning to think it has a conscience and wants me only to do serious stuff like programming.

No I meant installed on the system. The more you have the more chance you have of having shared files like DLLs corrupted.

Running you mean? About 3 or 4, although I'm sure it's a hardware fault.

Well that probably rules out heat then. How many programs have you got on your PC? I don't need a number, an estimate would help. The more things you have the more conflicts can occur.

The temperature straight after a crash (by looking at the BIOS options) is 46C, well below the average. The mobo has a feature that turns the system off automatically if the CPU gets over 60C, anyway.

I wouldn't have gone after a new PSU. Try updating ALL drivers, run Windows Update. If you have a motherboard monitor, use it to find out what the CPU temp is at. If it goes too high you get crashes. Athlons under full load will often reach 55 celsius. If it is up at say 75 then it is likely a CPU problem brought on by excess heat.

FN41.

Do you know what motherboard you've got?

Yeah, it's a Shuttle - the PSU is the entire width of the case.

Anyway, I've run the same games again and they still crash - previously I thought it was the lack of power, but they still crash at random intervals. The Unreal 2, THPS4, Colin McRae Rally 3, MotoGP 2 and Vietcong demos all crash whilst playing or on the menu screen, although Vietcong always crashes in the same place - just when the loading is about to end. Arrghhh!!

Icarus wrote:
> I received the PSU today, seriously quiet!
>
> However, I didn't buy it solely for its noise - having a Shuttle, the
> existing one was quiet too - but it only supplied 200W. I have a
> problem in that the PSU won't fit in my case; it's on top of my CD
> drive at the mo. Is this safe?


Yes, the PSU like most computer parts doesn't really care where it's mounted (although it might be a good idea to keep it in contact with the case at some point, I'm not sure if some components require a path to ground via the case).

What's stopping it fitting in your case, is it non-ATX? New cases are cheap anyhoos

I received the PSU today, seriously quiet!

However, I didn't buy it solely for its noise - having a Shuttle, the existing one was quiet too - but it only supplied 200W. I have a problem in that the PSU won't fit in my case; it's on top of my CD drive at the mo. Is this safe?