Windows 7 crashing

Right... Its crashed twice now since i installed the new driver software. I reinstalled the new drivers again to make sure they'd installed. Im sure they have as when i search for Windows updates it gives an optional update of the NVIDIA driver. This is just the driver that i was running before i updated as far as im aware so i've had this crash issue with both drivers running.

I would post an updated .dmp file but theres no new ones in the minidump. Only files i've already previously uploaded.

Having crashed the pc twice ive now disabled the verifier as advised above.

Any ideas of the next step? Or shall i just wait for the engineer on Friday and avoid watching any lengthy videos (you dont seem to get the problem when you watch a 1 min video on you tube or similar - its the longer videos that seem to cause the problems.)

Thanks as ever for the help

The engineer came this morning. He wasn't a great deal of use.

Basically told me the graphics card was overheating because it was being overstressed as i was running 2 monitors. He said unplug the second monitor and see if it still crashes - Ive done this (and had the pc turned off for a while since to let it cool down) and it still does the same!

He mentioned rebooting it but im not even sure how to do this! Ive never backed anything on it up and never made a disc. Dont really want to lose all data on it if i can avoid it!

He said if they dont work i need to upgrade the graphics card.

Im currently running a NVIDIA GeForce GT 220 card (anyone know how good this card is? Its supported 2 monitors for the past 6 months - i dont see why it wouldnt be able to support them anymore...

IF i did upgrade the graphics card, what type spec would i be needing to buy?

Let me know if you agree with what he's said, is it worth rebooting it and any tips on the best cards to buy would be awesome.

Thanks

Ivydrive,

Use Speccy to complete your 'system spec" info.

Speccy, coretemp, cpuz are different programs which report temp problems.
For the time being, Speccy would be a good choice.

With Speccy monitoring your temps, let us know what it reports after you've been running, stessing the system.

SPECCY- System Information Tool
http://www.piriform.com/speccy

Operating System, CPU and Temp, Ram, Motherboard, Graphics, Hard Drives, Optical Drives, Audio, Peripherals, Network info.
Simply put—this is the best and it’s free!

CoreTemp http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/
Core Temp monitors CPU temperatures

SpeedFan SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer
monitors voltages, fan speeds and temperatures, shows hard disk temperatures, shows cpu temperatures, supports SCSI, can change fan speeds

CPU-Z CPU-Z
CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

Gathers info on your:
CPU

• Name and number.
• Core stepping and process.
• Package.
• Core voltage.
• Internal and external clocks, clock multiplier.
• Supported instruction sets.
• Cache information.

Mainboard

• Vendor, model and revision.
• BIOS model and date.
• Chipset (northbridge and southbridge) and sensor.
• Graphic interface.

Memory

• Frequency and timings.
• Module(s) specification using SPD (Serial Presence Detect) : vendor, serial number, timings table.

System

• Windows and DirectX version.

=============================================
=============================================
=============================================


At this very moment SpeedFan is running on my laptop.

Capt,
That's an excellent reference, now to add it to my list of useful stuff.
The post is full of useful, practical, and easy to implement suggestions.

Although the OS advances, the hardware advances, seems that some of the problems and their causes have remained over the years.

Capt,
FurMark does not specifically indicate Win 7 32x or 64x compatibility-only xp and vista.

Do you happen know if FurMark is Win7 compatible?

Jon,
Many thanks.

Excellent advice in this thread the whole way through. Very grateful for the help received.

Ive updated my spec on here by running speccy - very useful program.

Ive got Core Temp running since it was suggested a while back - max temp its ever reached is 55C so im guessing the cpu's (?) not over heating.

Ive got the side off the pc now and it has helped. I havent had the BSOD since and i can watch a whole video now with it crashing. Its still not right though. If i start a video, then pause it and forget about it, the computer freezes. mouse wont move, hot keys dont work etc. so you're forced to manually restart it as you had to with the BSOD.

Im guessing its the same video card problem causing this problem. Im still running 2 monitors (As i didnt notice any improvement while running just the one).
Do you think the video card has become damaged and requires a new replacement/upgrade or could it still be something else causing the problem.

Just wanted to check before i had to spend £160 or so on a new decent video card.

On a side note, i spoke to a chap in PC World and showed him my pcs spec. He advised upgrading the video card and also advised upgrading the processor (i think) in a year or so. Do you think im best advised to stick with this pc and just generally upgrade it for the next few years or better to run it as it is with minimal outlay untill it becomes outdated &/or breaks in a year or twos time and then invest in a new one?

Thanks as ever for the advice.

Just a follow up message to the above as it never got a reply.

Im still struggling on with the same old video card but its still very hit and miss.

As i said above, i seem to be able to watch videos ok now but if i have a lot of internet windows open it'll decide to freeze. Doesnt seem to be any pattern to what causes it. Some days it'll happen a lot, other days not so much. The side is still off the pc.

Basically, the internet sites all freeze so you are unable to to close them and you cant open anything else, hot keys dont work etc then after 30 secs or so the mouse eventually freezes and wont move so you're forced to restart.

Just need some reassurance that its a damaged video card causing it before i spend money on a new one.

Many thanks,
Matt