Crash when playing every game

[potheel]

Hello,

for the last few months now, whenever I launch and begin a play a game on my laptop, around 15 minutes in my machine will crash and requires a hard reset in order to work again. This happens on most games, though not others. Titles like Command and Conquer 3 Red Alert and Worms Revolution work fine, however Crusader Kings 2, Mafia 2, Skyrim etc are all but unplayable. Each time the crash happens, the image on screen freezes and my speakers let out a harsh buzzing sound.

I've tried verifying the integrity of my game files, updating my drivers, defragmenting my hard drive, running virus and malware scans among other things, all to no avail. I would be very grateful if anyone would be able to help me, this situation is greatly annoying me.

Thank you

 

[Mellon Head]

Welcome potheel,

Check out the fan(s) on your graphics card and make sure they're still turning smoothly. When the computer is off, most will spin easily with a flick of a finger. Then turn on the PC and check out the fans when you play a graphics intensive game like Skyrim. If the fans are running slowly during the game, you may have a bad fan, or the fan setting might have accidentally been set to manual.

Be careful when checking the fans that you don't burn your fingers on the video card. I suspect that it's getting very hot, and that might be your problem.

Keep us posted.

 

[potheel]

Hi, sorry about the late reply.

The problem still persists. I have a laptop with a unibody design, I can only get access to the memory, wireless card etc not the fan. I have run a few more graphics intensive games and forced the crash to occur, the ventilation for the fan feels pretty hot when this happens so I think you're onto something.

Indeed, when I run something that isn't graphics intensive, like worms, I don't have any issues, though I thought this might have had something to do with engines.

As I have a laptop and can't access my fans to clean them, I don't really know what my options are. I'm well beyond the limits of my warranty and I'm not overly keen to pay a guy in a shop to rip me off. Is there anything I can do?

 

[HAVOC]

I would say it's the card overheating and shutting down the computer. Can you try a can of air and blow through the vents of the laptop, maybe dust is restricting airflow? You can also try using your laptop on a laptop cooler. That would help somewhat.

 

[potheel]

I bought a can of air, tried it, though not extensively. I played Mafia 2 after I used the can, this game usually shuts down after fifteen minutes of play. This time I managed seventeen, though I'm not sure if it is because the game is incredibly laggy and bugged as I have heard.

I shall respond after further testing, but I'm not really sure what the problem is!

 

[potheel]

I can confirm that the can has made a negligible difference. Any other thoughts?

 

[Terr]

Crash launching of games

Hello,

for the last few months now, whenever I launch and begin a play a game on my laptop, around 15 minutes in my machine will crash and requires a hard reset in order to work again. This happens on most games, though not others. Titles like Command and Conquer 3 Red Alert and Worms Revolution work fine, however Crusader Kings 2, Mafia 2, Skyrim etc are all but unplayable. Each time the crash happens, the image on screen freezes and my speakers let out a harsh buzzing sound.

I've tried verifying the integrity of my game files, updating my drivers, defragmenting my hard drive, running virus and malware scans among other things, all to no avail. I would be very grateful if anyone would be able to help me, this situation is greatly annoying me.

Thank you

Can you please write down the PC Model, What brand, Ram , Graphic Card Names

 

[smarteyeball]

I can confirm that the can has made a negligible difference. Any other thoughts?

If you download GPU-Z and tick the "log to file" it will log all the details, especially temp, even if the laptop freezes.

You can upload the log here. But basically what you are looking for the GOU temp. If it's hitting the high 90C+ then it's solely heat related.

Worms as you know is far less intensive on the GPU.


Compressed air helps, but sometimes you actually have to remove the body to get the dust out.

Report back when you've got the GPU-Z log first though.