Defective RAM? Overheating

I recently bought a semi-new computer with the following specs:

2.53 Ghz pentium 4 proccesor
512 MB ddr2 RAM
120g dard disk
ATI radeon 9000 Pro 128mb videocard

After buying i decided to start playing guildwars again, but every other day it needs to repair the data archive, and today it started crashing in mid-game.

My guess is defective RAM, but i'd like a second opinion before replacing.

How about testing that RAM? If you have a CD/DVD burner around just download a memtest86 ISO image (Google it), burn it to a disc and boot the computer with that disc in the drive. If the comp's BIOS is properly configured to boot from the CD/DVD drive when possible it _should_ start the memory test instead of the usual operating system. Let the test run a few times.

Oh, and I hope you didn't pay much for that "semi-new" computer. That video card is slower than most integrated video chips, and a 2.53 GHz Pentium 4 is about as fast as an Athlon 64 or a Core 2 running at 1.6 GHz - not very fast, that is.

I didn't, and thanks for your help.

i would guess the ram also.. Overheating on the cpu might cause a freeze. Easy way to check is after a lock up, reboot into the bios, go to pc health status and check the cpu temperature. If its up around 60 degrees celcius or higher then thats your problem which is probably a clogged heat sink on the cpu or a lack of sufficient thermal paste between cpu and fan.

Actually you don't even need to wait till a lock up.. Just play for a few minutes and reboot and do the above.



Since you only have 512meg its harder to test if the ram is the problem. If you can afford it grab another 512 or even better a 1 gig stick and throw that in rather than the 512. If it fixes it thats the problem. If not, you have 1 gig of ram and everything else will probably run better. 512meg really is limiting your pc's ability to do things properly.

It's not a freeze, the comp doesn't even get slower.
Guild Wars crashes, and i can start it up again right away.

I'll try the memtest on boot.

As mentioned, run Memtest86+. Here's a couple links:
CD Version or Floppy Version

No errors, it seems it was overheating. Crashing stopped, but the game stil crashes when i enter Varajar Fells, so i'm reinstalling.

your ram and pc aren't that good.512 RAM? I thought that was the min req. for playing guild wars....


BY THE WAY...HOW MUCH DID U PAY FOR YOUR PC?

175 wickle euros, going to upgrade to 2g of RAM this friday anyway.

Which will prolly cost an additional 34 or so euros.

Edit: i know it sucks like this, i just bought it to use it as a platform for upgrading.