BSOD playing games(UT3, Tribes:Ascend etc) Graphics or hardware issue?

[karlsnooks]

WIN | type MSCONFIG | ENTER | STARTUP tab |
Uncheck ALL except for:

MSC    Microsoft Corporation    "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe" -hide -runkey
SynTPEnh    Synaptics Incorporated    %ProgramFiles%\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe

REBOOT!

You have just told Win 7 to not run unchecked programs at start up time.

You have not disabled the programs. They will be run when needed.

WIN = key with the Microsoft logo on top

 

[karlsnooks]

Are you still having crashes even with keeping your laptop cool?

 

[MasterBinkie]

Here are my specs:
Operating System
MS Windows XP Professional 32-bit SP3
CPU
Intel Core Duo T2400 @ 1.83GHz 48 °C
Yonah 65nm Technology
RAM
2.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR2 @ 266MHz (4-4-4-12)
Motherboard
Dell Inc. 0XD720 (Microprocessor) 49 °C
Graphics
Default Monitor (1280x800@60Hz)
128MB ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 (Dell)
Hard Drives
298GB Western Digital WDC WD3200BEVT-00A23T0 (SATA) 49 °C
Optical Drives
NEC DVD+-RW ND-6650A
Audio
SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC

If you need more specifics on anything, just tell me, I'm having the same problem.

 

[karlsnooks]

MasterBinkie,

This is a thread started by Shauner.

If you have a question/problem, then be sure and start you own thread.

 

[Shauner]

Sorry for the late reply, was trying out different games and seeing the effects.

unfortunately, the crashes still occur.

I couldn't get a hold of a can of compressed air, so instead I opened up the laptop and carefully took out the components around the fans, cleaned out the dust and reassembled it all again.

One thing that caught my attention, was what I saw beneath the heatsink.

I'll have an image attached of what I saw, and I'm pretty sure that WAS the cooling gel, but its solid like dried up blu-tac.. I'm pretty certain that's the CPU side of the computer.

I wasn't able to remove the other side as easily so I decided to leave it there before anything gets broken.


The laptop is working fine after I reassembled the components by the way, just the same display crash issue occuring

 

[karlsnooks]

have you tried directing a tabletop/desktop/floor fan directly at you laptop vents?

simply install Speccy, run speccy and occasionally take a look at the temps and see how they are doing.

Oh yes, If overclocking in any form or fashion, then cease from such.

 

[Shauner]

I'm trying that now with a floor fan, I'll see how it goes with that.

The temperatures are actually quite high at an idle state, with only Google Chrome and iTunes open.

CPU: 54-56℃
Graphics: 47-52℃
Hard Drive: 46-50℃

Is the gel a problem at all, like do I have to get that layer of gel removed and apply a new fresh one?

 

[karlsnooks]

I find the temps on the high side, but not all laptops are created equal.
Best here is if some with the IDENTICAL laptop as yours steps in and relates their values.

You also might find responses in the Alienware forum. You must be careful that apples are being compared to apples which is why I capitalized "identical".

 

[Shauner]

Hmm, seems like my temperatures are actually fairly good for the M15x

I'll try checking if my computer is actually overclocked, I'll reset my BIOS to default.

If that doesn't work I'll try taking out the CMOS battery for 15 minutes to reset BIOS.

I'll keep you up to date on the effects

 

[karlsnooks]

I do not recommend removing the cmos battery. 20 years ago we did that. With a modern bios, simply telling it to set to defaults does the job. These people who tell others to remove and reinsert the bios are simply archaic.

 

[Shauner]

OK so I went on and reset the bios settings to default, and played a game but the laptop still crashed with sound from the background continuing to play, no bluescreens.
It seems like my computer isn't overclocked to begin with, and even if it was it wasn't the cause of the issues.

The laptop display crashes after a slight distortion in sound(for a split second), then once the screen is completely locked and I cant do anything the sound plays on.

These crashes now occur even on not so graphic intensive games like Warcraft 3, I never had a problem with that game along with this issue before...

Oh that reminds me, sometimes movement of the laptop, physically, can cause a crash too. Could it be that theres a loose component? (This also occurred before I took my laptop apart)

 

[karlsnooks]

possible a loose connection, a ram not seated firmaly, a HDD not connected firmly.

Since laptops are transported, then a SSD is to be preferred over a HDD.

In addition, you will get a very noticeable performance increase.

 

[Shauner]

So the crashes STILL occur, so I went to BIOS to check once again and I found 2 interesting settings.

One was called Turbo Mode, and the other was called Memory Clock Mode. I instantly assumed those were overclock settings and Disabled Turbo Mode, and Unlinked Memory Clock Mode. Funny how the BIOS had those two enabled as Default....

Do you have an idea of what those settings might be?