Main PC freezing

[ricgj]

Hi

I have FSX with PM on separate PCs in a network, but once in a while the main PC with FSX freezes.

Not blue screen, just frozen external view and the PC is not accepting remote calls like VNC. Cannot exit FSX, get to the desktop and shut it down, have to reboot the PC. Often a high pitch continues engine sound is heard when this happens.

Any suggestions? Could it be the video card or the driver? Is there any way to turn on some kind of logging in FSX? Can some of the other PCs "overload" the PSX PC?

Richard

[Michael Carter]

Sounds like symptoms that have been described in the forums in the past.

Something may be overheating. Either the video card or the processor, or the power supply may not have enough wattage for the card.

[blueskydriver]

Richard,

I get that problem every now and then, and I'm using a Nvidia Card. If you're using the same goto Control Panel/Display/Settings/Advanced/Card Name (this will be a tab with the name of your card on it)/Temperature Settings. If you're using a different video card, it will be sort of the same method.

Now, you'll know if you're card is getting too hot if the temperature is anyone near a yellow or red zone in the gauge that is shown. While you're there place a check in the box with "Notify when GPU core temperature exceeds threshold". This will help you later if the card is overheating.

Likely, you're video card and/or your processor fans, heat sinks and air passage ways are blocked by dust/dirt. You will have to remove your video card and processor to look at them real close. Also, check all the vent openings on the computer's case, and look close because some are hidden behind panels or other hardware...

Finally, take stock in Canned Air Dust Cleaner, use that to spray out the dust. Use an old toothbrush and some cigar pipe cleaners to really get it clean.

John

[AndyT]

Open the case and very gently with the brush attachment, vaccum out the computer.

[ricgj]

Hi

Thanks for your replies. Sounds like a video card issue, as I suspected, but I did not think of overheating since the case is well ventilated and when I have had a look at the temperatures they were all OK.

What I probably need is to log the temperature over a couple of days. I use an Asus 9800 GX2 card, will have a look at the included utilities, but any suggestions for temperature logging?

Will clean it too, have also had some problems with projectors that has become dirty.

Regards

Richard