4800+ X2 AMD machine freezing.

[brucek 38]

I have a 4800+ X2 AMD64 cpu, with 2GB Corsair memory, A8N32-SLI delux mainboard, 600W PSU and an nVidia 7950GT video card. The speed of the machine is OK, I'm getting about 30+ fps in FSX.Today I tried tweaking the fsx.cfg, and among other things added the "TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT" tweak (set to 40). I loaded up a saved level-d saved file, and noted first that I go a BSOD, with words someting like "machine halt". I re-booted, tried again, and while Im didn't get the BSOD again, I noted that the sim would freeze after several seconds, with the mouse and keyboard totally inoperative. Reboot required all of the several times I retried this.I have now restored a fsx.cfg file that I had archived prior to today's tweaks and it seems to be going OK. Other than increasing the framerate limit, the main difference is TEXTURE_BANDWIDTH_MULT.Obviously something is overloading in the system, apparently coincident with throughput of textures to the video card- is that possible? What could be causing freezing and even the BSOD (first time I have seen this with XP as far as I recall). Should I be lookibg at CPU temps? I have the stock fan/cooler that comes with the CPU, and the stock "gunk" (or grease?)- should I be looking at a better compound or cooler?Thanks, any help would be appreciated.Bruce.

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, >> ...with words someting like "machine halt"<< Write it down and punch that line into a search engine - often a driver issue. Hope this adds to thoughts, kind regards Jaap

[geoffco 0]

Hi Bruce,I also have the 4800+ 939 chip and similar specs (although I have an AGP gfx card) and at first it was a whole pile of pain to get it working properly in a Windows XP system. I don't know anything about FSX and if you're using Vista then this might also be no help to you but for XP there is a patch you need to have for using AMD X2 chips... I don't remember where I got it but Prof. Google will have the answer :) If you've had the system a while though and it's been working then I guess you have this already so I'd go back and remove the FS tweaks and test...Cheers,GeoffPS: I don't think the stock cooler is a problem - in fact I ran quite a sweet overclock on my machine using that cooler without any heat issues!

[Guest wayupthere]

Bruce, whats the Halt Code you get? It could be either single digit or a binary code. like fffff******

[brucek 38]

Thanks everyone,Geoff, I run XP, and have the AMD patch. Interesting re- your comments on the stock cooler.Davis and Jaap, I wish I had written it down (I had just pressed the reset button last night and cursed to myself that I didn;t :) ). I will try to recreate, although the more common issue appears to be freezing (including mouse and keyboard, so minimizing FSX is not a possibility).Thanks again,Bruce

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, just to add to thoughts: Freezing = often temp resp case related (dust etc) Blue screen = frequent cause is system configuration or drivers Black screen = mountains of possibilties... Springtime crashes = 'The Highly Seasonal CTD' ;-) If, blue screens are the best ones to have. Just make sure you write down the error For example: IRQ not less or equal - Stop at X x XXXXXXXX etc etc. Hope you can sort it quickly, good luck and kind regards Jaap

[brucek 38]

Thanks again Jaap.I'm only getting freezing now with the certain fsx.cfg file, and the loading of a saved level-d situation, importing panel data to it, then moving it in map view close to TOD. The most obvious issue with this .cfg is that fact that it has a "texture_max_load" of 512 compared to 256 on another file that doesn't appear to have this issue; and a higher bandwidth-mult setting.Curiously I have had this issue since the first release of fsx, but thought that conbination of sp1 and changing out PSU (to 600W), video card, memory and reinstalling the OS and fsx had helped. Seems my rig just doesn't like lots of textures being pushed into the video card, which is wierd. I referred to the CPU temp as the CPU is about all that I haven't replaced (plus the mobo).Is there anything out there that can capture an error message as a the CPU halts (as it seems to do when it freezes- the fsx screen becomes like a static painting, no mouse or keyboard); which I could retrieve on re-boot?Thanks again,Bruce.

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, no worries. When I read your last post, it reminded me of one of my systems a couple of weeks ago. A XP64-SP2 box but otherwise very similar FlyTendo to yours. This in combination with Nvidia's 93.71 WHQL driver --> blue screen, no matter what. :-( Maybe no wonder? The driver for the 7xxx-series is 8 (eight!) months old..!?! Rant-mode on: I've never experienced such a disgraceful situation. Nvidia's driver support has been going down the shoots where Ati - nowadays - has a pretty clean record. Minus Linux that is... Rant-mode off. :-) Case you're running XP32, you might be lucky and Nvidia's recent dll could help? Perhaps re-install some other drivers & DX9 too? Once you've found your ideal setup, perhaps start from scratch on a clean machine? Or, maybe you have a lot of 'nonpresent devices'? http://forums.avsim.net/dcboard.php?az=sho...g_id=3491&page=My guess is, this is something software/driver related. The stops are a strong indication in that direction. Again, hope this adds to thoughts, good luck and kind regards Jaap

[geoffco 0]

I too had a problem with one of the 93.xx ForceWare drivers - I forget which one but it could have been that one! I am using the 94.24 version now and all is ok. It's strange that the 7 series are not supported by the newer drivers - my old 6800GT ran on the 104.xx drivers quite well!Geoff

[brucek 38]

Interesting Jaap, thanks.I had already configured my DM to show non-present devices. The major area that changes when I invoke that mode is the number of NIC's, many are "WAN miniport" devices which don't show up otherwise, plus the ones that I do know about both get a duplicate entry. I have never deleted NIC hardware (everything is on my motherboard) before- should I try deleting some of these? None appear as "grayed out" as the article suggests.I also get 3 aditional instances of "Default Monitor", besides the two that I actually have, however I don't have to enable "non-present devices" to see these, I guess I shoudl diable these guys too?Thanks- Bruce.

[Guest baksteen33]

Hi Bruce, could/should be a good idea. Greg's post takes 'non-present devices' a step further, did you go there? You'll see all the devices that were ever connected and maybe even more monitors? :-) This probably isn't the cure, but possibility exclusion is pretty efficient too sometimes. Good luck and kind regards Jaap PS, I'ld keep looking at 'Driver Street'. Cleaning up in DM should be a useful preperation.

[brucek 38]

Hi Jaap,I gather that you mean:"4)Once the Device Manager appears, click on View>Show hidden devices"I did that too. Thanks for pointing it out :)I'm going to delete the additional monitors, but am still a little way about deleting the additional NIC entries. I'm too addicted the the 'net :)Bruce.

[Guest wayupthere]

Hmmm ok this is just for trouble-shoot purpose.. Bruce remove your current display drivers and goto the Nvidia website and install the 160.02 quadro http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_160.02.html yes i know i said Quadro ;).. If im not mistaken they do recognize the 7950. Try that and report back.

[Guest baksteen33]

Yes, 4 is necessary but only after 1,2 & 3. In DM itself, it's only a 'simplified extended' version. You'll immediately see the differences. Kind regards Jaap

[brucek 38]

Hi Davis,Colors seem more vivid. I loose about 5 fps on the opening ultralight at Friday Harbor. I see some random screen flickers too, plus a few more stutters (may be more of the "flickering").What result did you expect? I probably should try one of those situations that used to freeze the rig.Edit: The rig still freezes, just as before.Thanks- Bruce.PS. I am using WinXP Home, I think I mentioned that :)