I just bought a new computer. An Athlon 1GHz, but it seems that whenever I run a "processor intensive" program it either just closes or gives me an exception error. The exception errors all say that the problem is with a different file. I surf the internet and listen to music just fine but anything more and it will eventually crash.

I have:
Athlon 1GHz
Epoz 8k7a
256MB DDR RAM
Diamond Stealth s540 Video Card
Maxtor 30GB 7200 RPM

I have checked the temperature of the CPU in BIOS and it's only up to 104F(40C) so I don't think it's heat related. Any clues.

Hello Eggdude,

Welcome to PC FORUM! If you purchased your system off the shelf I would suggest checking for updated BIOS and drivers. Since this is a VIA chipset make sure you also get the latest 4in1 drivers (www.via.com.tw).

Which OS are you running?

By Processor Intensive do you mean gaming software?

May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

Thanks for the quick reply. I downloaded and installed a new BIOS update and the VIA 4in1 drivers as well as the AMD drivers. The AMD drivers seemed to help the most but after a while it still crashed.(actually it simply exited the program with no error message)
I am running Windows 98SE. The main program that I am testing it on is a 3D game, but I also play movies in Windows Media Player and it gives me an Exception Error.
The CPU Temperature still stays around 100F(38C).
My CD-ROM drive seems pretty slow. Could that possible cause the game to just close?
Maybe the RAM. The RAM is new DDR SDRAM.
Thanks for your help.

Eggdude <<The RAM is new DDR SDRAM>>
Are you sure? I would have thought you have either DDR RAM or SDRAM. The former hold 16 pins more than the latter and do not fit into the same sockets anyway.


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"These are but wild and whirling words, my lord!" - Hamlet

My motherboard book says it's DDR SDRAM. DDR RAM does have more pins than regular SDRAM, but the difference is the DDR part. They're both Synch ronous DRAM.

Also, I changed my AGP settings in the BIOS to 2x(instead of 4x) because my video card is set to 2x. It seems to run a little better but it sill crashes my programs. My computer is also freezing a whole bunch. It seems random but if I play a game then it doesn't take very long to just completly freeze so I have to restart. Can anyone help me?

Well, it looks like we're taking baby steps here...would be nice to just be able to take that giant step into the end zone!

Have you updated to DirectX8a? And, there is also another file in the same page that has to do with video capture (www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/).

Also, do you have the latest Windows Media Player...I think it's 7.1

You also might want to check with Microsoft and see if there is a known issue with a particular game your playing.

May all your dealings in life be win/win!

Whyzman

The one thing I ddin't see in your list of hardware is a power supply...so what do you have in the way of a PSU?

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

OK you just bought a new computer and it's having problems...it should have a warranty...USE IT!

Don't tinker with it, don't try to tweak it, take the thing back and tell them to make it work right. Take it back 10 times if you have to...if it's new it's supposed to work right, if it doesn't, take it back till they get tired of seeing you and either fix or replace it. Anything you do can possibly void your warranty. You don't want that to happen....let them deal with it.

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Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

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