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I have a computer dating back to 2002 which is an Athlon 1800++ 1.53GHz
256Mb RAM 30Gb machine running XP SP2.

Its trouble is it keeps crashing and I think it is to do with the video
driver (which seems to have caused most crashing problems on the
computers I have had).

The video card is a Trident Video Accelerator 3D Image975 and the
current driver is for XP and is dated 2005 (which came with the OS).
The only other driver I can find is older and written for NT so I don't
think it would be an improvement.

I have set the resolution and the colour density to the lowest possible
and this does seem to help with the crashes.

It could still go at any moment and on a bad day it will crash every
hour.

I also have trouble running browsers. Both Firefox 3.0 and IE 7.0
regularly crash the system so I use SeaMonkey if I want to look at the
web as it has such a small footprint. It still crashes at times though.
Also SeaMonkey is unacceptable on some webpages so I have to fire up one
of the more dangerous ones if I want to look at those pages.

Anyone got a suggestion on how to fix these problems? Obviously if I
could find a more recent driver that might be progress. Aside from
that, best thing I can think of is getting a new computer.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

I don't seem to have a friend with a video camera, would you believe
..... (see the other thread I started lately in here) so I'll have to
leave that for the time being.
--
<p>sychotic <c>hicken
http://crass.on.ru/bin/upload/files/...rfin::Bird.mp3
Friends intervene on Friends.
Something seems to be seriously wrong with my computer. It is working!

On Thu, 2 Oct 2008 13:03:37 +0100, "<p>sychotic <c>hicken"
<> wrote:

>I have a computer dating back to 2002 which is an Athlon 1800++ 1.53GHz
>256Mb RAM 30Gb machine running XP SP2.
>
>Its trouble is it keeps crashing and I think it is to do with the video
>driver (which seems to have caused most crashing problems on the
>computers I have had).
>
>The video card is a Trident Video Accelerator 3D Image975 and the
>current driver is for XP and is dated 2005 (which came with the OS).
>The only other driver I can find is older and written for NT so I don't
>think it would be an improvement.
>
>I have set the resolution and the colour density to the lowest possible
>and this does seem to help with the crashes.
>
>It could still go at any moment and on a bad day it will crash every
>hour.
>
>I also have trouble running browsers. Both Firefox 3.0 and IE 7.0
>regularly crash the system so I use SeaMonkey if I want to look at the
>web as it has such a small footprint. It still crashes at times though.
>Also SeaMonkey is unacceptable on some webpages so I have to fire up one
>of the more dangerous ones if I want to look at those pages.
>
>Anyone got a suggestion on how to fix these problems? Obviously if I
>could find a more recent driver that might be progress. Aside from
>that, best thing I can think of is getting a new computer.
>
>Thanks in advance for any help offered.
>
>I don't seem to have a friend with a video camera, would you believe
>.... (see the other thread I started lately in here) so I'll have to
>leave that for the time being.
Could that older machine be full of dust bunnies. Have you cleaned
their little butts of late.

"<p>sychotic <c>hicken" <> wrote in
news::

> I have a computer dating back to 2002 which is an Athlon
> 1800++ 1.53GHz 256Mb RAM 30Gb machine running XP SP2.

You don't need a new computer. You need to get AT LEAST another
256 MB of memory, preferably more, up t0 1 GB. You probably
don't need more, but if you have the money, why not. More than 2
GB is for professionals and maniacs.

There are dozens of driver sites, if you spend some time you can
find a variety of video card rivers you can try. Make sure you
UNINSTALL the previous one first every time you try a new one.

If you still have problems, try the motherboard video chip - you
most probably have one - it has to be /enabled/ in the BIOS and
the separate card should be removed - the onboard video IS
disabled now, right ????

Also, a new video card as good as the one you have can be had
for $25.

Try www.offbyone.com if you want a 100% safe, fast as hell,
trouble-free browser. No Java, movies or flash though.
Otherwise, Opera. Everything else is garbage.

Using a disk-image program (Ghost, Acronis, xxcopy, etc) and
restoring that image every once in a while is a good idea. You
DO have all you important data on OTHER partitions, right? (Yes,
I know you don't. Google and learn why you should.)

A complete reinstall (if you don't do the image thing) is always
a good idea every couple of years. Windows gets VERY messy VERY
fast.


--
Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the
votes decide everything.
- Josef Stalin

Could be heat, has the fan (if its got one) on the card stopped ?
or the heat sink dropped off (ive seen that before!)

Clean out the inside, make sure the front air vents are clean, and make sure
there is air coming out the back, get a case fan.

Just a thought !

Mike.


"<p>sychotic <c>hicken" <> wrote in message
news:...
>I have a computer dating back to 2002 which is an Athlon 1800++ 1.53GHz
>256Mb RAM 30Gb machine running XP SP2.
>
> Its trouble is it keeps crashing and I think it is to do with the video
> driver (which seems to have caused most crashing problems on the computers
> I have had).
>
> The video card is a Trident Video Accelerator 3D Image975 and the current
> driver is for XP and is dated 2005 (which came with the OS). The only
> other driver I can find is older and written for NT so I don't think it
> would be an improvement.
>
> I have set the resolution and the colour density to the lowest possible
> and this does seem to help with the crashes.
>
> It could still go at any moment and on a bad day it will crash every hour.
>
> I also have trouble running browsers. Both Firefox 3.0 and IE 7.0
> regularly crash the system so I use SeaMonkey if I want to look at the web
> as it has such a small footprint. It still crashes at times though. Also
> SeaMonkey is unacceptable on some webpages so I have to fire up one of the
> more dangerous ones if I want to look at those pages.
>
> Anyone got a suggestion on how to fix these problems? Obviously if I
> could find a more recent driver that might be progress. Aside from that,
> best thing I can think of is getting a new computer.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help offered.
>
> I don't seem to have a friend with a video camera, would you believe ....
> (see the other thread I started lately in here) so I'll have to leave that
> for the time being.
> --
> <p>sychotic <c>hicken
> http://crass.on.ru/bin/upload/files/...rfin::Bird.mp3
> Friends intervene on Friends.
> Something seems to be seriously wrong with my computer. It is working!

p wrote:

> I have a computer dating back to 2002 which is an Athlon 1800++ 1.53GHz
> 256Mb RAM 30Gb machine running XP SP2.
>
> Its trouble is it keeps crashing and I think it is to do with the video
> driver (which seems to have caused most crashing problems on the
> computers I have had).
>
First to do is turn off the autorestart on error (system - properties -
advanced) to get a clue of the bluescreen if ever it appears. Write down
the error message and files if mentioned.
Check if the errors relate to the same or similar issues (driver, service,
memory).

> The video card is a Trident Video Accelerator 3D Image975 and the
> current driver is for XP and is dated 2005 (which came with the OS).
> The only other driver I can find is older and written for NT so I don't
> think it would be an improvement.
>
Run the computer in VGA mode for a day to test. It may hurt your eyes
though ....

> It could still go at any moment and on a bad day it will crash every
> hour.
>
> I also have trouble running browsers. Both Firefox 3.0 and IE 7.0
> regularly crash the system so I use SeaMonkey if I want to look at the
> web as it has such a small footprint. It still crashes at times though.
> Also SeaMonkey is unacceptable on some webpages so I have to fire up one
> of the more dangerous ones if I want to look at those pages.
>
Download and run memtest86 for a few hours. Parts of your RAM may have
problems.

> Anyone got a suggestion on how to fix these problems? Obviously if I
> could find a more recent driver that might be progress. Aside from
> that, best thing I can think of is getting a new computer.
>
The usual suggestions are
- case inspection for not or slow running cpu/gpu fans and excess heat
- "compressed air" to blow the dustbunnies out of the cooler fins
- unplug and reinsert all the memory modules to clean contacts
- do the same with harddrive cables and others
- inspect the mainboard around the cpu for bulged or leaking capacitors
- if you can steal or borrow another known-good powersupply, try that
- Last, but not least, run a harddrive health check - s.m.a.r.t test from a
livecd or a utility you can download from your harddrive manufacturer

Also, if you suspect your operating system may be corrupted, run a linux
livecd for some time.

On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 19:33:06 -0500, tankman <> wrote:

>
>I would format the harddrive and reinstall the operating system to get
>rid of any clutter.

What a crock of crap. What is this, a new wave of loonies?

Oh, another webshitter.

JHC.
--
"No lusers were harmed in the creation of this usenet article.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY NOT!"
--glmar04 at twirl.mcc.ac.uk in a.s.r

On Thu, 09 Oct 2008 06:41:59 -0500, Mara wrote:

>
> On Wed, 8 Oct 2008 19:33:06 -0500, tankman <> wrote:
>
>>
>>I would format the harddrive and reinstall the operating system to get
>>rid of any clutter.
>
> What a crock of crap. What is this, a new wave of loonies?
>
> Oh, another webshitter.
>
> JHC.

Maybe refugees from Comcast? Though I'd have thought most of those would
have joined the googlegurglers.

tankman wrote:

> I would format the harddrive and reinstall the operating system to get
> rid of any clutter.
>
> If it is still slooooow then I would get rid of it and purchase a new
> PC.

NetTechGuide: A Usenet-leeching web forum created on 3 October by a kid
who gave free Junior Memberships to everyone else in his junior high
school class -- with instructions to post inane statements followed by
some sort of smileyface. :rollseyes:

--
-bts
-Friends don't let friends drive Windows

On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 08:43:29 -0400, "Beauregard T. Shagnasty"
<> wrote:

>tankman wrote:
>
>> I would format the harddrive and reinstall the operating system to get
>> rid of any clutter.
>>
>> If it is still slooooow then I would get rid of it and purchase a new
>> PC.
>
>NetTechGuide: A Usenet-leeching web forum created on 3 October by a kid
>who gave free Junior Memberships to everyone else in his junior high
>school class -- with instructions to post inane statements followed by
>some sort of smileyface. :rollseyes:

It's like AOL in the beginning, except without the brains or visual appeal.

--
"No lusers were harmed in the creation of this usenet article.
AND I WANT TO KNOW WHY NOT!"
--glmar04 at twirl.mcc.ac.uk in a.s.r