Computer Restarts Itself, Please Help!

[extreme kano 0]

Hi,

 

Recently I installed SimCity 4 Deluxe and the Update 2. Whenever i try to play the game, whether it is 10 seconds or 5 minutes into the game, my computer RESTARTS itself. A Microsoft report box comes up and I send a report. It says that an UNKNOWN DRIVER is causing the problem and that Windows shutdown to protect itself. My CPU usage is constantly at 100% when I play SC4 and my Page File Usage History is at 250-400 MB, usually around the 279-280 MB mark.  My computer is:

 

Microsoft Windows XP

Professional

Version 2002

Service Pack 2

 

Intel®

Pentium® 4 CPU 2.00Ghz

1.99Ghz, 1.00 GB of RAM

 

If that isn't enough info, please tell me how to find out the information you want.

 

Please help, thanks.

[Constantina 5]

Welcome...

Your RAM size is quite good, but you might have not mentioned the Video and Sound card statistics. That might be where the problem is.

[Voar Tok 4]

You're not allowed to talk about CD cracks on this site.  I suggest that you read the Forum Rules before you do any more posting.  Also, the problem could be any number of things, so we would need some more details about your system.

[sim1234 62]

We need more information (sound card,video card) about your computer and as Voar Tok said, don't talk about CD cracks on this website as this is the main forum rule:

1. Absolutely no talk about pirating/copying the game. There will be no discussion about pirating this title. Do not ask where to download it, do not offer URLs to wares or cracks. Posts of that nature will be deleted.

NOTE: Requesting/posting cracks/cd-keys will result in instant smiting by bunnies.  

quote>

[1dera3 28]

Recently I installed SimCity 4 Deluxe and have downloaded a no-cd crack (hate cd's) and the Update 2.

quote>

There's your problem right there. NEVER trust those things. I always dish out the money so I can guaruntee the thing will actually work. I mean, it's just $30! (at least here it is...) Nearly anyone can afford that! Just dish out the cash and buy it the LEGAL way.

//1D3

EDIT: Hold on, wait a minute. I've experienced this before on my old computer... You must have an ATI graphics card. That's your bigger problem. It probably imcompatible, I suggest getting a new one, like an Intel one. And get a real game, not a no-cd crack.

[121759 2]

Most likely SC4 has installed an out of date video or soundcard driver on your system causing conflicts. Try updating them and see what happens.

[+Guest]

Just jumping in here. The guy didn't say he had pirated the game, just that he used the no-CD crack. I own the game, but I use the no CD crack because I don't like throwing in the CD every time I go to play it. It works out nice, because the more you take your CDs out to play the game, the more chance of them getting scratched, and once they're scratched that's it. The game you paid good money for is gone, and there's no legal way to get it back. If you read the parent post carefully, that's what it sounds like this guy is up to (says he uses the CD crack because he hates CDs).

Pirating software is illegal. Buying the software is not.

Getting on to your actual question: I had the same problem with my computer. I ended up reinstalling my video drivers (it seems like ATI releases a new version every week, and some do well and some don't) and reinstalling the game (from the discs I *own*), and installed a particular *ahem* legal modification that makes it so I don't have to pull out those CDs I *own* every time I go to play the game, and that fixed the problem. I'm not sure what part of the above procedure did the trick, and if I had to guess, it was the video driver.

One other thing, with my ATI card I have three outputs: A standard computer monitor output, a DVI, and an S-Video TV outlet. I have a standard computer monitor plugged into the computer output and I have a big screen TV plugged into the S-Video. For some reason games (games I *own*) don't like the second TV hooked up, and if I try to play them the computer will either crash or restart. If I disable the second display, they run without a hitch.

Good luck.

[extreme kano 0]

Hey guys, sorry i was sleeping...

 

As i said in first post could you PLEASE tell me how to find out my video drivers and sound cards cause i dont know how, sorry...

 

Thanks

[extreme kano 0]

Oh, i have DirectX 9.0c by the way.

 

I have NVIDIA but i dont know how to find out what version.

 

Thanks

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

OK. Right click on your MY Computer icon and chose properties. Then go to the hardware tab, choose the device manager and follow your nose. You will find out all about your machine.

While you are in the properties dialog also chose the advanced tab and go into Startup and Recovery, click Settings and turn off the Automatic Restart. When you crash next time, instead of a restart you will get a Blue Screen of Death which will tell you which driver failed. You have to do a manual power off to reboot from here.

Make sure you have DirectX 9.0c (download it from Microsoft if need be) and run the diagnostic (Run box: DXDIAG ). Here is information overload in a big way, but you can test your media equipment.

[extreme kano 0]

Yep, all my sound tests were perfect and the graphics tests were successful (DirectX)

Just doing the device manager now.

[screamingman12 30]

Well, I can assure you that it isn't an ATI graphics card causing the problem, because on my laptop, I have an ATI X600 (128 MB), I would also suggest get a legal copy of the game, and also, what is yor hard drive cappacity?

[extreme kano 0]

OK this is what my device manager says under the sound, video and game drivers:

Audio Codecs

C Media AC97 Audio Device

Legacy Audio Drivers

Legacy Video Capture Devices

Media Control Devices

MPU-401 Compatible MIDI Device

Standard Game Port

Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device

Video Codecs

 

This is what is under system devices if you needed to know this:

 

ACPI Fixed Feature Button

ACPI Sleep Button

Direct Memory Access Controller

ISANP Read Data Port

Microcode Update Device

Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System

Microsoft System ManagementBIOS Driver

Numeric Data Processor

PCI Bus

PCI Standard Host CPU Bridge

Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator

SIS PCI to ISA Bridge

SIS Processor to AGP Controller

System CMOS/real time clock

System Speaker

System Timer

Terminal Server Device Redirector

 

AND

NVIDIA GeForce 2 MX/MX 400

 

If you need anymore, please ask and ill try and find out.

 

Thanks.

[extreme kano 0]

Hard Drive is 37.8GB

[coolotter88 2]

is it a dell?

[extreme kano 0]

nope

[extreme kano 0]

re-installed it AGAIN... Why can't this gmae just work

[extreme kano 0]

im going away for a day, i wont reply, thanks for all your help everyone, if u have any ideas please post as i will read this when i get back, thanks again

 

extreme kano.

[Constantina 5]

Yes, but no mention of CD-cracks next time. Ever.

Remember I hated piracy?