Display Problems.

radams · Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 2

This time last year we got a new emachines computer. Being 14, I use it for gaming. I'm not very good with computers, so I ask for help. My computer has a VIA/S3G Display Driver installed. When I play games, it will work for a certain amount of time, and then it will freeze. So far, I have experienced two different outcomes. One, It freezes, then it minimizes itself. The desktop appears fuzz and distorted, things are the wrong size and colors are off. A window then pops up and states that my display driver is no longer funtioning normally, and I have to restart the computer for things to return to normal. Two, the screen freezes, and when I try to minimize it, the screen goes black, and once again I have to restart the computer for it to work. Can you please tell me the problem? Do I simply need a new display driver?
:huh:

Rons · Joined: Dec 07, 2002 Posts: 5667

Welcome to the forum.

What games are you playing? And my guess is that the display adapter is onboard?

Have you checked Emachines site for updated display drivers? Latest dirext X from Microsoft?

More information may help us to diagnosis your problem further, i.e. OS [service packs installed], cpu speed, how much memory do you have, and the name of the games so we can see if any patches are avaiable.

Upgrading to a AGP or PCI Express [if your system supports this feature] may help.

Let us know. Cool

Werebo · Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 9:14 pm Post subject:

Allo Radams and welcome to Lockergnomes Smile

,
As well as Rons suggestions above, have you tried the game's website?? there might be patches/fixes available to fix problems as well...

Let us know how you get on :thumbup:

radams · Joined: Feb 10, 2006 Posts: 2

Morbius · Joined: Sep 05, 2005 Posts: 1712

As a tech I'd look at that problem as a possible "program over-running hardware" situation and go from there.

EMachines usually come with AGP Video On-Board.
In your BIOS, there is (somewhere) a setting for how much RAM is allocated to the video.
You can also tell that, from how much active ram windows is reporting.
For instance if you know you have 512 megs of ram physically in your PC but windows is only reporting 480 megs, then you know that your mobo is allocating 32 megs for the video circuit.

Again, in your BIOS, you may be able to increase the amount of ram that's being used by your video circuitry, to its maximum setting.
Take a good long look. It's not always real obvious.

Then, I'd have to suspect RAM itself, since part of your main ram is being used as Video Ram.
I would try giving the ram sticks a good cleaning,,,,,,polish up the edge connectors and re-install it.
I'd also run our old friend "Memtest86" to make sure there are NO bad bits in the ram itself.

I would expect to see your OS using DirectX 9.x.....but who knows.
Sometimes when you load software, it will install an older version of DirectX.
Check that out. Do a Search for:
dxdiag.exe
You should find it in your C:\windows\system32 folder.
When it runs, it will display your DirectX version at the bottom of the General screen.

Good Luck,
Morbius Cool