Random Black Screen..

joe360

Specs:

MSI K8T neo s754
AMD 64 3000
1GB corsair ram
200GB Segate SATA
Asus Radeon 9600XT

So ever since about a week ago, I was really bored so I decided to install Diablo 2, and for some reason I couldn't even run that. I then updated my drivers to Omega 6.3, and it started good, but then it would have random freezes. So then I un-installed Diablo 2, and installed Gunz online. Forgetting that game never worked for my computer for some reason. After realizing it freezes the minute I launch the program, I uninstalled that too.

Now something really weird is happening. My screen randomly goes black (when surfing the net..etc) and gives me an "Out of Range H. freq. 30kHz, V. freq. 28Khn", but the computer is still running (I can still hear my music going), so I unplug my monitor and re-plug it in and it usually fixes itself, or the computer will just restart itself. I tried going back to my old drivers(5.8 i think?) but still get the same problem. Another werid thing is when my computer first loads into windows, it "searches for drivers" and "new hardware is found", but then it just goes away after a little. (Possibly installed the drivers wrong?)

Anywho any help is appreicated.

P.S: GPU temp is 43

Another weird thing..I think this kinda goes along with why when windows starts, "searching for drivers" pops up. When im in device manager, under display adapters i have my video card Radeon 9600 series...but I also have 2 unknown device under "other devices" and when i double click it the location is on Radeon 9600 series. Any ideas?

Chanur

I have a Powercolor 9600XT, and was getting something similar once.

It very much sounds like you have older video drivers installed that are conflicting with whatever you currently use, or just a bad install of them. Uninstall every single one you can find in your add/remove programs, and then download the latest driver set from http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html and not ASUS's website.

In my case, I had one set of drivers and a second one at odds at the monitor's refresh rate. I'd get that same out of frequency message even though the 85mhz refresh rate was within the monitor's specs.

Edit: You should only show your 9600XT and then a secondary 9600XT Bravo under your system display devices, no where else. If you remove every installed graphics driver you can and those are still there under unknown devices, then I'd try right-clicking those and selecting uninstall for them both, rebooting, and then installing the latest graphics drivers.

joe360

Hey thanks Chanur for the help. It solved the problem. Altough, now I think there's another problem.. I still get some lock-ups, altough they are not the same as before. For example, the last one I just had, this message poped up after I restarted "One of the files containning the system's Registry data had to be recovered by use of a log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful". I also get this "Windows - Corrupt File" error message, it says to run Chkdsk utility. Maybe it's just me, but every time I've ran the chkdsk utility, it resulted in me re-formatting my HDD . Should I do it?

EDIT: In about the span of 10 minutes my computer has froze 5 times

Diskeater

Funny you should mention the problem you are having. I'm having a problem running D2 and I came here to see if I could get some help!

I recently installed the game and I was able to play it for a few days without any issues. Yesterday, I was in the game for maybe half an hour when my computer just shut off. No error message, no nothing...it just powered off. I couldn't turn it back on either. I had to let the computer sit for a few minutes before I was able to power it on. I don't believe it was any hotter than it normally is.

I tried joining the game again and once again, my computer powered down with no warning. Nothing in Event Viewer of any note.

I tried reinstalling my Catalyst drivers using the typical method (uninstall, boot into safe mode, run driver cleaner, reboot, install) but that didn't help at all.

I really don't think this is an issue with my PSU. I usually run my computer all the time and I have played a whole host of other games with no serious issues.

I'm running a 9800SE, 1 gig of RAM, 500w PSU, Athlon 2800+....I'll list the complete specs when I'm not so tired.

ANY help would be appreciated.

Chanur

@Joe It really really sounds like your HDD is going under, or at least it'd explain all of your problems to date. I'd nab a program to check it if you can get the systemt o last long enough, of if you have another drive try a new install on that one instead.

I would suggest you DL this app, click the SMART info tab, and click the button to "perform a disk analysis". http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

@Diskeater... Honestly... my first guess would still be to say your PSU is at fault. Assuming you're right and CPU or GPU heat is not an issue... then it sounds like something in the PSU is worn out and it can't sustain your system under a full load. You also should try the above utility, as on most desktops it can detect temps and will give you a list of voltages accross all rails, Vcore, DDRVcc, and even report your CMOS battery's voltage

joe360

Yeah when my computer was restarting like mad, i thought about the HDD as well. I downloaded the diagnostic tool from seagates website, ran it over night, and came up with huge amounts of bad sectors. Is that something i can fix with a good re-format or will i need to send the drive back to segate?

Chanur

It would depend on what is causing those bad sectors... it would require a full, indepth, and complete reformat of the drive to try and fix those, the kind that takes hours instead of just minutes. If that doesn't fix most of them I'd definitely create an RMA through their nice online tech support...

Honestly, even if the format fixes them whose to say they won't simply come back within a matter of days? Something had to have caused them...