Windows 7: Computer freeze in games Nvidia GeForce GT 220

turbostream · 28 Aug 2010

Hi guys,

I am having problems with computer freezing when playing games. I am guessing it's the graphics card Nvidia GeForce GT 220. Specs are:

Motherboard: Gigabyte EP43T-UD3L
CPU: Intel Dual Core E6500
RAM: 4GB DDR3
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GT 220
System: Windows 7, 64 bit

So the freezing happened 3 times so far after playing game for like 30 mins. It's not the blue screen but just when it freezes the speakers just like play that zzzzzzz sound and the monitor turns off. I guess because it does not receive any signal from the graphics card. Also at that point I can just turn it off by holding the power button. Then immediately if I turn it on it powers on until that motherboard screen and then just restarts and so on and on, so I have to turn it off and wait a couple of minutes and then turn it on. Then it's all normal.

Anyone can help?

Thanks

TVeblen · 28 Aug 2010

That sounds like overheating.

Can you check to see if the fan is working on the 220 card?

Also try running the system with the side(s) of the case removed to see if that improves things.

That would also be a good time to look and see how much dust has accumulated inside.

turbostream · 28 Aug 2010

Ok, thanks for the info I will try that. The space where my case is is so small

Also I just tried to install NVIDIA® nTune for GPU temperature monitoring and when I started it I got a blue screen of death

It said it saved the reasons for blue screen in some dmp file but I am not sure how to read it.

christoua · 28 Aug 2010

You havn't overclocked your graphics card have you?

turbostream · 28 Aug 2010

No, I haven't. Just opening the case. Everything is like 4-5 months old. I am even running the games at medium or low graphics so it runs smooth.

Also I just installed the latest nVidia Drivers for Windows 7, 64 bit.

Not sure if this can help at anything.

Code:

[Display]
Processor:        Pentium(R) Dual-Core  CPU      E6500  @ 2.93GHz (2934 MHz)
Operating System:    Windows 7 Ultimate, 64-bit
DirectX version:    11.0 
GPU processor:        GeForce GT 220
Driver version:        258.96
CUDA Cores:        48 
Core clock:        625 MHz 
Shader clock:        1360 MHz
Memory clock:        400 MHz (800 MHz data rate) 
Memory interface:    128-bit 
Total available graphics memory:    2815 MB
Dedicated video memory:    1024 MB DDR2
System video memory:    0 MB
Shared system memory:    1791 MB
Video BIOS version:    70.16.2E.00.07
IRQ:            16
Bus:            PCI Express x16 Gen2

[Components]

nvCplUI.exe        3.3.532.01        NVIDIA Control Panel
nvWSS.dll        6.14.12.5896        NVIDIA Workstation Server
nvViTvS.dll        6.14.12.5896        NVIDIA Video Server
NVSTVIEW.EXE        7.17.12.5896        NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision
NVSTTEST.EXE        7.17.12.5896        NVIDIA 3D Vision Test Application
NVSTRES.DLL        7.17.12.5896        NVIDIA 3D Vision Module  (0)
NVMCTRAY.DLL        8.17.12.5896        NVIDIA Media Center Library
nvDispS.dll        6.14.12.5896        NVIDIA Display Server
NVCPL.DLL        8.17.12.5896        NVIDIA Compatible Windows7 Display driver, Version 258.96 
PhysX        09.10.0513        NVIDIA PhysX
NVCUDA.DLL        8.17.12.5896        NVIDIA CUDA 3.1.1 driver
nvGameS.dll        6.14.12.5896        NVIDIA 3D Settings Server

TVeblen · 28 Aug 2010

Keep testing with the sides off for a while.

Let us know if the new drivers had any effect.

For the blue screen, do this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/crashes-d...tructions.html

turbostream · 29 Aug 2010

Interestingly it does not freeze anymore in a game. Not sure what exactly helped. The new nVidia drivers from July, or opening the both sides of the case.

Is it possible to put a bigger cooler on this graphics card? Would that help?

Thanks a lot for the help.

TVeblen · 29 Aug 2010

The test would be to put the sides back on and see.

There was an older nVidia driver that notoriously "cooked" the graphics cards, so it is possible that whatever driver you had on there before could have been causing an overheating problem.

If the problem returns when you put the sides back on then you need to look at cooling solutions. These would include looking at buying a new, larger, gaming case - with lots of big fans; or adding more fans to your current case to get better air flow through the case (cold air in - warm air out). The only add-on graphics card cooling solutions I've seen are water cooling systems. Way overkill. Maybe someone else knows of something else. Google is your friend.

imeem · 29 Aug 2010

have you tried manually setting the fan speed of your GT 220?

turbostream · 30 Aug 2010

Thanks guys. Really appreciate your help. I am gonna probably add 1 or 2 coolers to the case. I just hate it because then it becomes to noisy

No, I did not try to set the fan speed. Actually just googled how to do that and I did not have "Preferences" in nVidia Control Panel where it said the fan speed can be set.

Windows 7: Computer freeze in games Nvidia GeForce GT 220

Computer freeze in games Nvidia GeForce GT 220 problems?