Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > [Solved] WoW Random Black Screen
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tnowak3   08-30-2009 at 07:43:00 AM

Hi everyone. I've been having this problem for quite awhile. I have a strong feeling that is a problem having to do with my video card. Basically, whenever I play WoW, my monitor will (at random times) go black. It will enter a sleep mode and lock up. My computer is still on, so is my monitor, but it is in a sleep mode. The only way to get it out is to press the reset button on my computer.

Here are my system specs from dxdiag:

XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600)
System Manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: KM400-8235
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2800+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.1GHz
Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page file: 240MB used, 2222MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 3650 AGP

I have downloaded and installed the latest driver for my video card. I heard that it might be a heating problem (overheated video card) and that a possible solution would be to open up the computer and point a fan at the exposed computer. I have done this and it does not guarantee positive results. I still seem to get the black screen problem randomly. Does anyone have a suggestion of what may be the problem/solution?

Help would be deeply appreciated.

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Best answer from dirtmountain
That Antec Smart Power 350w is a good power supply. Although the minimum power requirements on your card ask for 450w with 30 Amps power supply those are highly exaggerated. The AGP 3650 only uses about 45 watts at full load. I mentioned it may be a power supply issue earlier, but that Antec is probably not your problem. Other issues i would look at would be reloading WOW, re install your OS, making sure all your old drivers have been removed or doing a registry clean up. Start with the fastest and easiest first. No one likes to reload all the patches for WoW or all the updates for XP.

 

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ct1615   08-30-2009 at 11:57:12 PM

dowload HWmonitor to see what temps your video card but it does not sound like a heat issue

is WoW the only game you have issues with?

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 Reply to ct1615
tnowak3   08-31-2009 at 12:47:55 AM

That's really the only game I have installed on the computer at the moment. Although I could check it out.

I just found out that the video card I use recommends a "450 Watt or greater power supply with 30Amps on 12 volt with 2x4 power connector." I looked in my computer and saw that I only have a 350 Watt power supply. Do you think this is the root of the problem?

Reply to tnowak3
dirtmountain   08-31-2009 at 12:51:32 AM

A friend had this problem with a generic 300 watt power supply and a 7600GS AGP graphic card. After troubleshooting the problem for awhile (i hate intermittent problems like this) i replaced the generic PSU with an inexpensive 350w Seasonic unit i had laying around and the problem stopped, probably due more to the quality of the PSU and not the wattage. I'm not saying this is your problem, but it's a possibility. What brand/model is your PSU?


Message edited by dirtmountain on 08-31-2009 at 12:52:05 AM
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tnowak3   08-31-2009 at 12:59:06 AM

I looked on the PSU and it says:

Antec
Model: SP-350

Ummm, I guess I need to go about buying a new PSU. Does anyone have a suggestion on what to get. As the past has proven...I'm not really good at buying the correct hardware. I need something that is:

-Decently priced
-Whatever this means: 450 Watt or greater power supply with 30Amps on 12 volt with 2x4 power connector.
-Fits in my computer

Reply to tnowak3
RahBoT   08-31-2009 at 01:28:15 AM

Stay with name brands like Antec, Raidmax, OCZ, and other ones. and you might think about getting one that is above 550Watts. Because of peak power usage. You are really risking it using the 350w and you would be risking still at 450w.

Reply to RahBoT
tnowak3   08-31-2009 at 01:38:26 AM

Is there such thing as having TOO MUCH watts? Like, I heard you could fry your motherboard by having too much watts or something like that.

Reply to tnowak3
dirtmountain   08-31-2009 at 02:02:00 AM
Best answer

That Antec Smart Power 350w is a good power supply. Although the minimum power requirements on your card ask for 450w with 30 Amps power supply those are highly exaggerated. The AGP 3650 only uses about 45 watts at full load. I mentioned it may be a power supply issue earlier, but that Antec is probably not your problem. Other issues i would look at would be reloading WOW, re install your OS, making sure all your old drivers have been removed or doing a registry clean up. Start with the fastest and easiest first. No one likes to reload all the patches for WoW or all the updates for XP.

 


Message edited by dirtmountain on 08-31-2009 at 02:03:34 AM
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tnowak3   08-31-2009 at 02:56:47 AM

If you don't mind me asking, how do I do a registry clean up?

Reply to tnowak3
HibyPrime   08-31-2009 at 03:01:26 AM

There's no such thing as too much wattage, your system will only draw the wattage it needs. That said when a PSU is running at 10% of its capacity, it is being run very inefficiently (wasted electricity and heat) so you should be looking to get a PSU around 500w.

Reply to HibyPrime
dirtmountain   08-31-2009 at 03:58:15 AM

From this list.
http://hardwarelogic.com/news/126/ [...] 03-01.html

 

http://www.ccleaner.com/

 

driver sweeper
http://downloads.guru3d.com/Guru3D [...] d1655.html

 

Some people may have other programs they favor, i've used these before and had no trouble with them.

 

and also as ct1615 said earlier, run a hardware monitor and keep an eye on your temps
http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php


Message edited by dirtmountain on 08-31-2009 at 04:03:06 AM
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tnowak3   09-01-2009 at 02:22:42 AM

UPDATE:

Problem has been fixed!!! Tried a variety of solutions that I gathered from several forums based on similar threads. In the end, I went to my ATI Catalyst Control Center and set the AGP Write Speed from 8x to 4x. The game has worked ever since without interruption, including with HIGH graphics. If anyone stumbles across this thread and has the same problem, please email me at tnowak3@gmail.com and I'll send you my exact trial and error log.

Thanks everyone who responded to this thread. I appreciate it very much.

Reply to tnowak3
dirtmountain   09-01-2009 at 02:28:50 AM

Thank you very much for giving us this update, it really helps us if anyone posts with the same problems you had. Glad to see the problem is fixed and thanks again.

Reply to dirtmountain
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