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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 6:35 PM Last edited by LaVieBoheme : 3rd Aug 2005 at 6:42 PM. Reason: forgot graphic

This user has the following games installed:

Sims 2, University, Nightlife, Open for Business, Pets, Seasons, Bon Voyage
Default Game crashes in a highly unusual way! PC too good for the game?
A couple weeks ago I upgraded from a P2 to a P4 processor and basically got a totally new computer. After installing the Sims2 and University, I started playing and everything seemed to be working fabulously until my game crashed and displayed this at the top left corner of my screen.

EDIT: Forgot the graphic.

This weird barcodebox thing reacts to mousemovement and eventually makes my PC go completely dark and I have to soft restart. I didn't think anything of it so I went ahead and installed all my custom content. After that, my game crashed frequently and at really bizarre points: when a special video was about to play, when my sims get out of the shower or are all simultaneously doing something "taxing", and when I'm creating a Sim in the in-game creator. The BodyShop also crashes in the same fashion. It's seriously pissing me off.

I have uninstalled 3 times, contacted the Sims support people, updated my graphics drivers, and done everything I can think of but nothing's working. Here are my specs.. Is it possible to have a computer that's TOO good for the game?

Pentium 4, 2.66 GHz
2 gigs of RAM
RADEON 9600 graphics card
120 gig harddrive
Realtek AC'97 Audio card

:confused:
Screenshots
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Test Subject
#2 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 7:11 PM
woah.......that's really weird. I have no clue what's wrong, but I hope you can fix it! I would suggest going to a computer place and asking for help? They might know what is wrong. Hope you can fix it!
Lab Assistant
#3 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 7:26 PM
hmm, thats IS wierd. Although i have a P4 also, the RADEON 9600 graphics card, and about the same hard drive and ram etc, and never encountered this problem. However my game does crash sometimes, mainly coz the PC's been on too long lol. My dad is a computer technician and he says that it could be the grapics card, although you said you updated it...Sorry i cant help, good luck with fixing it.
Instructor
#4 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:06 PM
A lot of things can be happening, the computer might be overheating, the card can be overheating ... the new CPU might be failing or the card might be failing.

I had a brand new card die on me when I was playing a DVD movie, I would go to a computer repair shop and ask about it.
Lab Assistant
#5 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:29 PM
Just wondering what kind of motherboard would allow you to go from a P2 to a P4. I personally can't think of one off the top of my head.
Darkron may be on to something when he refered to an overheating issue.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#6 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:39 PM
Quote: Originally posted by C4MANCEPH
Just wondering what kind of motherboard would allow you to go from a P2 to a P4. I personally can't think of one off the top of my head.
Darkron may be on to something when he refered to an overheating issue.


I got an entirely new motherboard as well. :monocle:
Test Subject
#7 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:43 PM Last edited by *recklessabandon* : 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:45 PM.
mine did the same thing...it's a problem with the onboard video card. I had to buy a new one- a video card, that is, not a whole new motherboard.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#8 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 8:55 PM
Quote: Originally posted by *recklessabandon*
mine did the same thing...it's a problem with the onboard video card. I had to buy a new one- a video card, that is, not a whole new motherboard.


So it has nothing to do with my seperate video card? I'm not using the onboard card...
Test Subject
#9 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:11 PM
If you have on-board graphics, they need to be disabled to use a graphics card.
Instructor
#10 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:18 PM
How do you disable an on-board graphics card, in order to use a new card?
Lab Assistant
#11 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:24 PM
To remove the onboard graphics card you just go through the regular add / remove programs (at least i did).
Test Subject
#12 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:43 PM
Or you can do it the long way and go the BIOS to remove the onboard vid. Had to do this with my comp cause the onboard kept trying to take over from my 9600 (is it me or does everyone have this card?). Anyway goodluck with this.
Test Subject
#13 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:48 PM
Quote: Originally posted by colwraith
(is it me or does everyone have this card?)


I noticed this too. However; I do not. I have a GeForce FX 5600. I had to go into my BIOS and disable onboard graphics as well. This is the best way, in my opinion, because it is the safest way. Just don't go diddling with anything else unless you know what you're doing. Simply disable the onboard graphics and save and exit. :howdy:

(*^-) ~*~SMILE~*~ (-^*)
Test Subject
#14 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:58 PM
What power supply do you have?? I put a 520watt in my wifes and the Computer works fine now
Instructor
#15 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 9:59 PM
i wouldnt remove the on board graphics just disable it through control panel-system-hardware-devicemanager & find the one you want to stop using and right click on it & select disable. this way if you have a prob later you can quickly restart using it.
also take a look in control panel-Administrative Tools-computer managment-expand event viewer tree-take a look at any warnings in application & system
some other things you could check are:
your cpu is seated properly & the heatsink & fan are working properly & also that they are compatable.
have you upgraded the bios it may be a new board but even new ones need upgrades to cope with some hardware.
check the graphics card is compatable with your mummy board.
basicly check everything you have attached to the motherboard & see if its all fitted properly.
it definatly looks like a graphics problem i have seen similar but not really sure of the cause/fix for it.
also may sound daft but check theres no magnetic sources near the monitor like speakers or even mobile phones & landline phones.
try radeon website to see if they can help.
and if you still have probs give us more info about your pc
Test Subject
#16 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 10:00 PM
Quote: Originally posted by colwraith
(is it me or does everyone have this card?).


No everyone.. I only have a 9250.. **whine**
Lab Assistant
#17 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 10:04 PM
Have you tried other Direct 3D games. Could also try reinstalling DirectX.
Instructor
#18 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 10:12 PM
heres a page to check https://support.ati.com/ics/support....asp?deptID=894
and i got a radeon 9600 hanging around here somewhere. dont know where it's done a runner bak into a box somewhere
Test Subject
#19 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 10:23 PM
Ot oh... looks to me like an overheating graphics card! :smash:

Mind Like A Steel Trap - Rusty and Illegal in 37 States!
Instructor
#20 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:03 PM
You know what! After reading your post and your system specs I am thinking it's probably the ATI Radeon card in your system because I have the same card and it's doing the same thing. That's why I only build. But when I build it sometimes does that when I try to use the pool or foundation tools too. My system specs are way different from yours and I've upgraded EVERYTHING on here except for my video card. I changed the CPU to a faster one, added more memory to make 1gig, even a bigger power supply as that was sited as a possible culprit in my many problems. The only thing not changed is the video card. Now that you mention the same sorts of problems (except I don't get that weird error you're reporting - just crashes to black screens and stuff like that). And the only "downloads" really that I have in my game are my own homecrafter material that I made. I don't have any user created objects in my game, so it's not because of a bad object.

netseeker2
Lab Assistant
#21 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:08 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Drcysmn
No everyone.. I only have a 9250.. **whine**


:X I have an NVidia GeForce 2 MX/MX 400 Works fine but isn't the newest, beefiest card out there. :P
Lab Assistant
#22 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:22 PM
Chances are you have a confliction error with your 2 graphics units. The older versions of ATI radions, 9200 to 9600 had problems with there drivers, ATI overlooked these problems and said it was down to peoples other hardware, but with the release of the 9700+ series three or so years ago, the problems died away. I dont know what to recommend, other than following the advice about dissabling the onboard card.

and an answer to your "is it too powerfull?" no, but you can build a stupidly powerfull pc that will make even doom 3 crash, he he, it would cost about £700 tho.
Lab Assistant
#23 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:29 PM
I would help but I have am no good with pcs. I don't understand what the problem is, everythings new and works fine but the game dosent seem to like it. That is weird. Like database said it could be a oveheating graphics card. I don't think your computer can be to good for the game. I'm no expert but it could be some kind of bug that has worked itself into your computer.
Lab Assistant
#24 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:31 PM
It could also be some badly made custom content. You could try re-installing the game.
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#25 Old 3rd Aug 2005 at 11:48 PM
Folks, I don't have a built in graphics card! My graphics card is completely separate, so I don't think a built-in card is the problem. Should I still try and go into the bios to see if I can disable on board graphics?

Also, the game worked FABULOUSLY on my old pc, even with all my custom content. Now the CC just seems to exacerbate the problem...
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