System Lockups
 

I bought it today and after a random amount of time the screen locks up. The PC is fine as I CTRL ALT DEL out of it but I don't like the fact it is totally freezing. Sometime 10min sometimes 30min. Heat is not an issue(ask how I know) as both video, case and cpu are VERY well cooled. NO other 3d ssaver, app or game locks liek this so it is this program but since this ss is AWESOME I'd like to fix this ASAP.

Is the computer freezing, or just the screen saver?

just the saver because if I hit ctrl alt del and end task I am back to desktop (XP Home SP2), newest drivers on everything

What if you hit SPACE, or ESC?

Are you running any other programs which might use DirectX like Folding@Home, NetMeeting, some sort of Active Desktop, etc.?

I can't say I've ever heard of the situation you are describing.

What video card are you using, which driver versions, and what version of DX do you have running?

6800GT 256mb, no other intensive programs running(outlook, nav), 84.21 drivers, DirectX 9c, dxdiag shows all ok

What version of the screensaver do you have and where did you buy it?
If you pm me a DxDiag report after running all the video test, that might help.
The MSInfo32 report will also help, just to see if anything in your system is causing the lockup.

The latest drivers are actually 91.31, you can try those if you wish and see if it makes any difference. I do actually remember reading somewhere that there was a problem with one series of the latest drivers, but I can't remember if it was for SLI only or what.

First I would go into the settings and set the frame rate of the program down to about 50 or so and see what that does using the drivers you have now.

To get a DxDiag report, Start menu -> Run... -> "dxdiag". That runs the DirectX Diagnostics. You can generate a report in there and send it to Edgar by clicking on his name and going to "Send a private message to Edgar". Edgar is one of the developers of the Aquarium architecture that MA runs on top of. This isn't like most companies where it's impossible to get ahold of the right people. ;)

I'd avoid 91.31 which has a big in-your-face bug (endlessly telling you it has disabled SLi on single-card systems) and click on the beta link to get 91.33 if I were you - works fine for me (on a 6800GT).
http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_do...bit_91.33.html
(Of course your mileage might vary, as my American friends are fond of saying...)
John

Thanks J. Maybe that was the one I was thinking of. I knew I had read about a bug with something but I couldn't remember which version it was. :TU:

I'll try the new drivers and pm a dxdiag over. It is whatever version is on serenescreen.com as I just bought it there yesterday

I just looked at the dxdiag report and I can't see anything obvious right now.
You said that it only fails on the screensaver. I assume you have 3D games or 3D screensavers that works just fine. Is this right?

You are correct. Heavy 3d games and savers work fine. I just updated to the video drivers posted above

Just installed GeForce 6200 board in my older computer with 91.47. Screensaver locked up upon exiting. Read this thread and downloaded and installed 91.33. Now at 1600x1200 at 78fps on an old Sun 21" cad monitor. Looks just about unbelievable.

I did have a real session changing. Finally used DH Driver Cleaner Professional Edition. First time I "winged" it, second time I actually read the "Readme.txt" instructions.

Next project is selecting a board for my newer machine, Gateway MCE dual-core 2.8 with ATI HDTV OTA capture board. Looking at GeForce 6800 and 7800 specs. Can't see an advantage of the 7800.

I do need something that outputs to HDTV. Plan to break down and buy one soon.

The 7800 series replaced the 6800 series. Forget the 6xxx as they run way hotter with lesser performance. The 7800 has since then been replaced by the 7900 series. IIRC the 6800 series GPU can't help decode H.264 stuff which the later models can.

Edit: Stupid typo incorrectly negating the last sentence.

well since going to the drivers in the link above 91.33 and no problems so far (fingers crossed)

Deezul,
I am glad to hear that you fix your problem. I had no idea what was causing your problem.

In 6 years of doing this now, I have found that alot of the time a driver change can do wonders. Even the best of drivers that seem to work with about everything else can still cause problems with certain apps for unknown reasons. If its an un-documented problem that seems to have no reason to be happening, thats usually the best place to start.

It did lock up once today but it's not nearly like it was.