ATI Radeon X800 freeze!

Baja

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2006

OK,so here's my problem:I have:
AMD 64 3800+
1024 MB RAM
ATI Radeon X800
The problem:
Whenever i play GW,the game often freezes for 10-20 secs,unfreezes,goes back to the desktop and gives me a VPU Recover error message.This is quite annoying cause it happens very often(every 5-10 mins),and after several times i have to reboot!
I tried reinstalling GW,my video card drivers(i tried several infact)....nothing!
Does anyone have any idea how to fix this?

wsmcasey

wsmcasey

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Right behind you.

HeRo

W/Rt

I've heard rumors about that card running pretty hot. Maybe check your tempature settings, add some fans, or open case to cool it off.

Old Dood

Old Dood

Middle-Age-Man

Join Date: May 2005

Lansing, Mi

W/Mo

Is that a straight X800? Or a X800XL, X800GTO, X800GT?

I have the X800XL and I leave the PCI slot right next to it open for more air.

Baja

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2006

It's a normal X800.The temperature seems fine,the fans work ok,and this happens only in GW,everything else works fine.

Zaxan Razor

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2005

Organised Spam [OS]

W/

That is Weird.

I'm using a X850 Pro by Connect3D (roughly a card and a bit up from yours)

and have absolutely no problems. The X800 is quite a beast, and can run very hot, depending on what particular settings the game needs.

If the problem is related to Guild Wars only, then the first thing i would do is start changing some of the options that are likely to put the card under strain..start with AA

Also, ATI's knowledge base is very handy for problems like this ..can't remember the link, but if you google 'ATI Knowledge Base' you'll get there

Ravenglass

Ravenglass

Academy Page

Join Date: Jan 2006

W/N

Also try www.rage3d.com - lots of very helpful people there.

You can try disabling/enabling fastwrites, or changing your AGP port settings to x4/x8, alos in the CCC put the AI settings down (not off, just down).

Another point to mention - is that I started having an issue with my vid card in GW, it was getting badly corrupted - but it ended up being my PSU and not the card or GW. Just that GW was the first game that started showing sings of it failing.

G.S.

G.S.

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

[CroM]

R/

I had a similar problem with my x600. I even asked for help in this forum, here. I ended up buying a new card, x700, but I hope you will fix yours. Does x800 have an "open" or "covered" fan? that seemed to be my problem. This link has some nice info about vpu recover problems, you might want to check it out. Good luck.

Ghozer

Ghozer

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Sheffield, England, UK

Super Cute And Fluffy [scF]

E/

It often happens when your over clocked.... Or when you have AGP Fast Writed Disabled (Since the card is designed to work WITH Fast Write, and Side Band Addressing)

the biggest problem tho is power supply, because the cards demand alot of power (you need to plug them in o_0) a lower wattage power supply causes errors such as this :\

Res Surection

Res Surection

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2006

Hackers Xtreme [HaX]

i use slot fans to cool off all my video cards

Mr. Brightside

Mr. Brightside

Banned

Join Date: Aug 2005

Moustache Riders mR. Also part of [LBS]

W/Mo

I had the same problem with the same card, but I was running it on a laptop. So obviously overheating was a problem. The company replaced the card with nvidia but it sometimes has the same problems if I dont stack my computer on some books so that the vent has plenty of "blowing" space.

Res Surection

Res Surection

Banned

Join Date: Jan 2006

Hackers Xtreme [HaX]

couldnt a slot fan fix the problem for desktop?

Baja

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2006

The temperature isn't a problem:i opened the case,the card has plenty of "breathing room" and it isn't hot while working....but GW still freezes .
I believe this could do with the fastwrites(i read somewhere),but i can't disable them(can't find the option ><)...

Baja

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2006

Can someone tell me where to disable fast writes,cause i can't find them in Catalyst control center(although they should be there)...

Teklord

Teklord

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Lloyd.ab.ca

Lords of All

R/Mo

Although I have no direct experience with this issue, I believe the Fast Write (among other options) are accessible through your computer's BIOS.

Baja

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teklord
Although I have no direct experience with this issue, I believe the Fast Write (among other options) are accessible through your computer's BIOS.
Nope.Searched through the whole BIOS-nothing there(i know it should,but it isn't).
It should be right at the bottom of the Catalyst control centre,but it ain't there either.