Compaq Presario rebooting during game

[jstark]

I just bought a new lowend Compaq Presario S5200NX (2.7 Cel, 512MB, onboard Intel Extreme) and have been having some problems with it re-starting during the between game switches (or sometimes at game startup).

I didn't have an issue (that I saw) until I put in a new video card (GeForce2 MX400). The onboard Intel card was not going to cut it obviously. I was hoping the MX400 would give me equal or better performance than it was on my 700Mhz machine. And it did...but barely. At least my sound is better now.

Has anyone else run across this? I guess I will try upgrading cards again. Something in a 128MB variety would be good.

Thanks,
Jim

i dont know if a new card would help but it wouldnt hurt. Man MX'x suckass they are rebadged peices of crap if you want to play C&C generals it'll be fine (not dissin the game) but to play bf you gotta have a decent video card. oh and dont buy the 5200fx either its a peice of crap.
i really dont have a fix sorry.

[NDA]

Correct on the fact that the Intel Extreme was not going to cut it. When you put the new graphics card into the machine, did you uninstall the drivers for the Intel Extreme and then disable it in the BIOS? Also, when you install the nVidia drivers it warns you about turning off your anti-virus (AV) software, did you turn off your AV software? I've run into issues with my AV software, when I ignored nVidia's plea to shut the AV down. Once I shut it down and installed the drivers it worked like it should. Also, running older drivers has worked for me as well. I've had great success with the nVidia Detonator drivers version 28.32.

As for a further upgrade on the graphics card, I'd suggest one from the GeForce4 ti4x00 line of vpus. They are not Directx 9 compatible, but with that Celeron of yours I don't think you'd be all that capable of running Directx 9 games.

NDA

[jstark]

Thanks guys.

I did uninstall the Intel drivers. The bios had detected the new card and changed settings. The Intel hardware is still showing up in the system devices list but I have disabled it. There doesn't appear to be a way to completely disable it as I even looked over the motherboard for a pin or other shutdown system.

I hadn't actually installed the nVidia driver as it detected the card and worked via plug-n-play. I generally don't like installing a video-card manufacturers software as it tends to add lots of crap you don't need. I may have an MX440 and not 400 but I doubt that makes a big diff.

What about the Radion 9200 series?

Thanks again for the help.

Jim

[NDA]

Originally Posted by jstark

I did uninstall the Intel drivers. The bios had detected the new card and changed settings. The Intel hardware is still showing up in the system devices list but I have disabled it. There doesn't appear to be a way to completely disable it as I even looked over the motherboard for a pin or other shutdown system.

I'm just about 100% certain that your BIOS should have a setting to disable any hardware that is integrated into your motherboard.

NDA

[jstark]

I would have thought so as well but I looked through the bios setting several times and you can only select which video hardware is in use and there is a setting for 1 or 8mb of onboard RAM (for the Intel card I assume or this feature may be obsolete).

I just purchased a 9200SE 128mb ATI-equiped card (VisionTek?!?) and am hoping it will work better. If not I am calling Compaq to see what they recommend.

Silly celerons. I made the mistake of letting my wife talk me into only buying an entry level PC instead of a mid-priced Dell with a 9800 ATI Radion.

Jim

[jstark]

okay...thank god for the internet. After seeing a post about a user with another 9200 series I discovered my lowly 9200SE is only 64bit! ACK...and it's NOWHERE on this box. I should have known better I guess and done my homework. So back to CompUSA this goes and I guess I will order something better off the net.

The question is can I find a PCI card that is good? Everything seems to be available in AGP these days (funny too because I remember a few years back people saying AGP was dead). hehe

Jim

[NDA]

Originally Posted by jstark

(funny too because I remember a few years back people saying AGP was dead)

Yeah, the 9200SE is poopy! And AGP is dead, PCI-Express is the new trend. It's in its infancy right now, but will soon be a mainstream format. As for a PCI graphics card ... *ZOIKS*!!!

NDA

[jstark]

Originally Posted by NDA

Yeah, the 9200SE is poopy! And AGP is dead, PCI-Express is the new trend. It's in its infancy right now, but will soon be a mainstream format. As for a PCI graphics card ... *ZOIKS*!!!

NDA

Yeah I know... That's all the slots this damn Presario supports. I bought the MX440 as a PCI card as well because I didn't even realize my Dell had an AGP slot at the time. O-vell...

Thanks,
Jim

dont buy a 9200 all it is a rebadged 8500!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jstark]

Ugg...okay so Celeron bad. After realizing that PCI only supports 64bit cards AND my computer only has a 128kb cache, this computer is headed back to Best Buy for an upgrade. The wife approves (begrudingly).

They do have a decent HP 2.5GHz with AGP slot and 512kb cache. I think it comes with an MX440 though (lol). Oh well at least it's an AGP version and I can upgrade it down the road.

It sucks when you upgrade a 5 year old pc and still have to run all the levels at the lowest detail, etc.

Jim