System Lockups

Deezul · 08-21-2006, 07:33 PM

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.

feldon34 · 08-21-2006, 07:59 PM

Is the computer freezing, or just the screen saver?

Deezul · 08-21-2006, 08:18 PM

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

feldon34 · 08-21-2006, 08:21 PM

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.

Jav400 · 08-21-2006, 08:21 PM

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

Deezul · 08-21-2006, 08:46 PM

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

Edgar · 08-21-2006, 09:32 PM

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.

Jav400 · 08-22-2006, 05:14 AM

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.

feldon34 · 08-22-2006, 07:40 AM

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.

jleslie · 08-22-2006, 12:57 PM

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

Jav400 · 08-22-2006, 01:11 PM

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.

Deezul · 08-22-2006, 01:41 PM

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

Edgar · 08-22-2006, 02:27 PM

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?

Deezul · 08-22-2006, 03:23 PM

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

nicksteel · 08-27-2006, 04:10 PM

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.

Tiny Turtle · 08-27-2006, 04:20 PM

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.

Deezul · 08-29-2006, 05:12 PM

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

Edgar · 08-30-2006, 01:26 AM

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

Jav400 · 08-30-2006, 10:06 AM

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.

Deezul · 08-30-2006, 02:26 PM

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

08-21-2006, 07:33 PM	#1
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	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.

08-21-2006, 07:59 PM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Is the computer freezing, or just the screen saver? "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

08-21-2006, 08:21 PM	#4
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	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. "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

08-21-2006, 08:21 PM	#5
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	What video card are you using, which driver versions, and what version of DX do you have running? Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

08-21-2006, 09:32 PM	#7
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	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. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

08-21-2006, 08:18 PM	#3
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	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

08-21-2006, 08:46 PM	#6
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	6800GT 256mb, no other intensive programs running(outlook, nav), 84.21 drivers, DirectX 9c, dxdiag shows all ok

08-22-2006, 05:14 AM	#8
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	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. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

08-22-2006, 07:40 AM	#9
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	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. "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

08-22-2006, 12:57 PM	#10
jleslie Engineer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,279	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

08-22-2006, 01:11 PM	#11
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	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. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

08-22-2006, 01:41 PM	#12
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	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

08-22-2006, 02:27 PM	#13
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	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? *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

08-22-2006, 03:23 PM	#14
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	You are correct. Heavy 3d games and savers work fine. I just updated to the video drivers posted above

08-27-2006, 04:10 PM	#15
nicksteel Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Mississippi (and no, I don't watch FOX!) Posts: 244	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.

08-27-2006, 04:20 PM	#16
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	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. Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history. Last edited by Tiny Turtle; 08-29-2006 at 07:32 PM.

08-29-2006, 05:12 PM	#17
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	well since going to the drivers in the link above 91.33 and no problems so far (fingers crossed)

08-30-2006, 01:26 AM	#18
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	Deezul, I am glad to hear that you fix your problem. I had no idea what was causing your problem. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

08-30-2006, 10:06 AM	#19
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	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. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

08-30-2006, 02:26 PM	#20
Deezul Registered Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 11	It did lock up once today but it's not nearly like it was.