new problem on desktop machine. ss freezing up

calimako · 06-18-2004, 01:54 PM

my desktop machine specs
amd xp 2100+
win 2k
GEFORCE 2 MX-400 64MB AGP Graphic Card
256 ddr ram

the screen saver comes up fine in preview mode..
but when the screen saver kicks in while my machine is idle, after about 10 minutes, the screen freezes (weird vertical white lines appear on the screen saver while it locks) and the whole machine gets locked up. And I eventually have to power down the whole machine. The other windows screen savers do not experience this.

I tried doing a search on this problem but found no posts.

any ideas why this is?

thanks
cali

06-18-2004, 02:18 PM

My first guess would be you need to update to the latest drivers. GeForce is an NVidia card, right? I'm an ATI man myself, but you should be able to get the latest drivers either from their website or by doing a Google search.

feldon34 · 06-18-2004, 02:25 PM

One possibility is that your video memory is getting corrupted as the Aquarium runs. This is less likely than what I think the problem is—overheating.

By default, the Aquarium uses 100% of the CPU when in fact it only really needs 3-8% to generate smooth animation.

Hit the SPACE bar in the Aquarium and set the resolution to 1024x768, the colors to 16-bit, and the "Limit Frame Rate" to 58.

Save those settings and make sure the Aquarium is set to come up as a screen saver after 5 minutes or so. Let your computer run for 30 minutes with the Aquarium. If it runs with no problems, then this was the problem.

calimako · 06-18-2004, 02:46 PM

thanks for the advice feldon... I have an old atx case and needed to fit a smaller fan on the cpu to fit the motherboard in this case. even tho the fan is rated for amd 2500+ it looks much smaller than the usually fans I use on my processors. if the screeen saver runs the cpu at 100% it is probably overheating and the bios setting is set to shut down the computer if it overheats. anything else I need to do that can lower cpu usage? thanks

cali

feldon34 · 06-18-2004, 11:03 PM

The steps I gave you should fix the problem.

You might want to look into copper Zalman CPU fans.

06-18-2004, 01:54 PM	#1
calimako Registered Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 8	new problem on desktop machine. ss freezing up my desktop machine specs amd xp 2100+ win 2k GEFORCE 2 MX-400 64MB AGP Graphic Card 256 ddr ram the screen saver comes up fine in preview mode.. but when the screen saver kicks in while my machine is idle, after about 10 minutes, the screen freezes (weird vertical white lines appear on the screen saver while it locks) and the whole machine gets locked up. And I eventually have to power down the whole machine. The other windows screen savers do not experience this. I tried doing a search on this problem but found no posts. any ideas why this is? thanks cali

06-18-2004, 02:25 PM	#3
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	One possibility is that your video memory is getting corrupted as the Aquarium runs. This is less likely than what I think the problem is—overheating. By default, the Aquarium uses 100% of the CPU when in fact it only really needs 3-8% to generate smooth animation. Hit the SPACE bar in the Aquarium and set the resolution to 1024x768, the colors to 16-bit, and the "Limit Frame Rate" to 58. Save those settings and make sure the Aquarium is set to come up as a screen saver after 5 minutes or so. Let your computer run for 30 minutes with the Aquarium. If it runs with no problems, then this was the problem. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-18-2004, 02:46 PM	#4
calimako Registered Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 8	i think you are right (more) thanks for the advice feldon... I have an old atx case and needed to fit a smaller fan on the cpu to fit the motherboard in this case. even tho the fan is rated for amd 2500+ it looks much smaller than the usually fans I use on my processors. if the screeen saver runs the cpu at 100% it is probably overheating and the bios setting is set to shut down the computer if it overheats. anything else I need to do that can lower cpu usage? thanks cali

06-18-2004, 11:03 PM	#5
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	The steps I gave you should fix the problem. You might want to look into copper Zalman CPU fans. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-18-2004, 02:18 PM	#2
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	My first guess would be you need to update to the latest drivers. GeForce is an NVidia card, right? I'm an ATI man myself, but you should be able to get the latest drivers either from their website or by doing a Google search.