Monitor/System won't resume DPMS Problem?

[pvq]

I am new to this board and am hopeful someone can help. I have a custom built clone PIII 650 with 256mg ram running Windows ME and utilizing a Viewsonic E771 Monitor. I have the latest Award Bios installed. About 6 weeks ago I installed a Jayton (NVDIA) 3D Force B16 AGP 4x video card in my system, and since then am having problems with my APM. I have tried every conceivable os/bios setting. The problem is that, when left on for an extended period of time (such as overnight) the monitor, in fact the whole system freezes and requires a reboot. When I reboot like this the scandisk does not come on which leads me to believe the system shut down properly. If I leave the pc 2 hours or so the machine will resume, but longer than that usually requires a reboot. Even with all APM off, both in the os and the bios, the screen saver/monitor/mouse and whole system (I guess) freezes and requires a reboot. I am totally baffled. My next step is to chuck the card and go with an ATI, but I figured I'd try here first. Any thoughts at all would be greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.

[tjaymadison]

When the "freeze" happens, is the monitor blank or still displaying the desktop? If you have a power-on light on the front of your monitor, is it constant or flashing -- green, yellow, or sometimes orange? Is the system power supply fan still running?

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"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
(Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)

[pvq]

When the "freeze" happens, is the monitor blank or still displaying the desktop? If you have a power-on light on the front of your monitor, is it constant or flashing -- green, yellow, or sometimes orange? Is the system power supply fan still running?

tjaymadison

when the freeze happens it ususally freezes the current screen saver, whatever that might be...I'm pretty sure the monitor light is still solid green and all the fans are running....think you have an idea what this might be

[tjaymadison]

Areas to investigate:

Still some APM/ACPI/DPMS setting active, either in BIOS or Windows -- Check in "Chipset Features" and/or "Power Management"

Overheating CPU and/or Video card -- Check CPU cooling fan, CPU-to-heatsink contact, power supply fan, video card cooling fan/heatsink (if applicable)

------------------
"When I nod my head, hit it with the hammer."
(Moe, holding nail, to Curly, holding hammer)