Announcement

**snoopy369** · February 4, 2008, 18:09

Sounds to me like an overheat - possibly gpu, possibly something else. The beep is probably a motherboard sensor warning. If you can get a utility that measures your graphics card's temps, do so - ATI has a few options iirc, ATITool or somesuch. Also get one of the motherboard temp sensors like motherboard monitor, that will tell you other temp settings.

You may want to look into your cooling solution - is your graphics card right up against another card in your case, are the fans working properly, are cables clogging up your airflow. Your system is a bit old to play Civ, but it's not beyond what should be able to; unless a component is failing - which is possible - you should be able to relatively easily repair this issue.

Also try playing on smaller maps, though if it's only 10 minutes that's probably not going to be enough...

**synrg3k** · February 4, 2008, 18:17

How stupid am i, you know its been about a year since i've played any game on this thing, anyway i opened the case and the fan on the graphics card had stopped, it was CLOGGED up with dust, i blew and neirly drowned in dust, anyway the fan is running proper now so i shall give it ago soon, cheers matey, didn't even think to look, DOH.

**synrg3k** · February 4, 2008, 20:29

Well i've just been playing for over an hour and half straight, no crashes no system shut downs or anything, cheers.

**Krill** · February 4, 2008, 20:31

Actually, I reckon you'll have to drop down from high settings for graphics after about 50 turns on Normal speed. That PC really needs upgrading...

**synrg3k** · February 4, 2008, 20:38

at what year is 50 turns? i got to about 1200AD then decided to stop playing, no slow downs or anything

**Krill** · February 4, 2008, 20:44

2040 BC. To be honest I'm very suprised that you haven't experienced slow downs on that PC, unless you've been retaring every 50 turns or so, and played on a small map. Or maybe you haven't noticed them.

**Krill** · February 4, 2008, 20:46

I think that is the year, anyway. Might be wrong.

**synrg3k** · February 4, 2008, 20:50

I've not had any slow down what so ever, i counted 5 other civs playing, dont know how many others i hadn't discovered as this was my 1st time playing it proper without any crashes.

**Krill** · February 4, 2008, 20:52

Well, my suggestion would be to drop all of the grapghics settings to low, play in full screen mode, no animations whatsoever either, inadition to everything Snoopy said.

**Willem** · February 5, 2008, 05:17

Re: System shutdown, what a nightmare

Originally posted by synrg3k
always after someone establishes contact with, i'll get a beep from inside my computer, then the game carries on to play fine for about 2 minutes tops, then it goes to desktop and closes my computer down. Sometimes i'l get about 4 or 5 beeps one after another, then it'l play fine for 2 minutes then crash to desktop then close my computer down.

If your computer is beeping it is most definitely a hardware issue. Those are warnings built into your BIOS that only activate if something is wrong.

**Robert** · February 5, 2008, 05:21

I'm suprised that it only shuts down to the desktop and not even does a cold reboot of the entire computer.

When my graphics card is overheated it shuts down my computer entirely.

**Unimatrix11** · February 5, 2008, 06:40

Uhem - so does his - read the OP again, CyberShy.
Adding more to this (resolved) thread, i´d say, that syn will probably notice when its time to turn down his settings on his own. If he´s happy with how the game speeds along, and it doesnt crash, why would he deprive himself of the eye-candy or upgrade his system? I might be somewhat backwards, but i still conceive a 3GHz system and a 128MByte graphics adapter as pretty powerful. The RAM could use a little upgrade tho IMHO. Another 512MByte should be really cheap these days, as they kinda come out of fashion in favor for larger sticks. Maybe you even know a buddy who just got a new comp and you can snatch the RAM from him (if its compatible) for free...

**Robert** · February 5, 2008, 07:57

sorry, I just read "then it goes to desktop".
But that's still something that didn't happen when my graphic card overheated. It was an immediate shutdown.

**Unimatrix11** · February 5, 2008, 08:10

BTW: Has anyone of you ever had trouble with loose SATA-cables ? Those are a real pain ! I assembled my comp 2 years ago and for the longest time i had big issues with it, only due to a 2-dollar piece. First i thought, my power supply would be insufficient - got a new one - no chance. Then i thought, it might either be the harddrive, or the mainboard. So i sent my harddrive in, only to have it returned with a statement "nothing wrong with it". That left be puzzled at first. My system kept crashing now and then, sometimes even shredding vital windows-files, resulting in the need for total re-install. You know, you really get frutrated with that after a while, esp. when the system crashes during HD-format. It´s like "WTF ?!". It was only a couple of months ago, when it dawned on me, that it is neither the mainboard nor the harddisc, but the connection between the two (duh !). Those cables slip out so easily, that sometimes the mere temperature change from running the system makes them loose contact -> crash. hopefully not a fatal one.

Yeah well, just telling, because maybe there is someone who till read this and goes slapping his forehead, because he is just waiting for his harddrive to return from manufactorer´s check.

I do know now, that there are SATA-cables with some kind of metal clip that holds it where it needs to stay. Nice that there are acceptable cables after all - i just think they should be standard.

Announcement

System shutdown, what a nightmare

System shutdown, what a nightmare

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment