Warhammer crashing, comp overheating? help

Question

Level 1

8 points

Warhammer crashing, comp overheating? help

Hello!

I just set up Boot Camp a week ago to play Warhammer Online. It runs fine until, it seems like after an hour or so the screen will turn totally black (I can still hear some sound) and I'm forced to press the power button. When I try to reboot there's this LOUD fan noise but nothing happens, the screen remains black. So I leave it off for a few minutes and then it will boot up fine. I attribute this all to the video card overheating but I could be wrong. Also when playing some intense "scenarios" (pvp areas) it will guaranteed crash before it is over.

I have a Mac Pro Quad 2.66GHz with 4 GB ram, ATI RadeonX1900 512 MB.

So I tried a few things already: installed the new RadeonX1900 firmware (via Mac OS), installed the new display and control drivers in Microsoft XP, installed Speedfan in XP to check temperatures, etc. On Speedfan I don't think I was able to see the temp of the graphics card, but I checked the DIMM slots once after I rebooted and some were at 72c. I remember playing WoW in the past and there would be problems with the graphics after a while which seemed to be a result of the card overheating, and I remember people complaining about similar fan issues with the card. Would a solution be to get a new fan? If so where/how? Or could there be a software solution? Thanks!!

Mac Pro Quad 2.66GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.5), ATI RadeonX1900

Posted on Sep 22, 2008 6:47 AM

Reply

Answer 1

bilfaulk

Level 1

0 points

Sep 22, 2008 7:53 AM in response to stevetobias

I also have the same problem. And from reading the forums on othe sites, you and I are not alone. I can play for a max of 10 min before I CTD, I have not had the black screen yet, but from what i've read many others have. I also run the game on my PC and it runs fine, but i'd prefer to run it on my mac (EA RELEASE A MAC VERSION, PLEASE).

I wish I had a solution for you, but i'm just as stuck.

Reply

Answer 2

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Sep 22, 2008 7:59 AM in response to stevetobias

Try boosting the fans with InputRemapper.
For now, SpeedFan doesn't report or control fans on Mac Pro.

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=58373&st=0

And all the normal X1900 maintenance like cleaning out the card's chamber of dust and such.

Reply

Answer 3

Sep 22, 2008 1:28 PM in response to stevetobias

I have had the black screen a couple times and have had it turn back then quit. You say it runs fine. I am having really bad problems with lag. I am using a Mac Pro and it dosen't seem to be holding up to even the less populated areas.

Reply

Answer 4

stevetobias Author

Level 1

8 points

Sep 22, 2008 4:14 PM in response to stevetobias

Thanks for the feedback all. I finally took apart the comp and cleaned the dust out, there was ALOT caked onto the back of the ATI card, way more than I thought there would be, so I went at it with a toothbrush and blew in straw for air. It works fine now, even better, the fan is always on the lowest speed where before it was always blasting! Haven't gotten the black screen yet, but I'll be looking for it.

So, if anyone else has this problem I recommended cleaning the dust off the appropriate part on the card. Also I had installed the new drivers, so that may also be a first step.

Reply

Answer 5

Oct 10, 2008 7:31 AM in response to stevetobias

What if I have an iMac and it's been doing it pretty much since new? It only crashes in Windows while running games, and crashes the same way... I'm guessing its an overheating video card issue... When I reboot into OSX the GPU diode is 60 deg C.

The crash happens in games, the sound stutters, the mouse freezes up and the screen freezes. I have to hard boot to fix it. It's happened alot in Warhammer Dawn of War, and it just happened now in Diablo II (when I was fighting Diablo at the end of the game!!! grrr!) This game is 10 years old and well below specs, so I'm guessing if the computer isn't cooling properly, anything could lock it up. But I can't have any dust in my mac because its only 3 months old... And I can't get inside it without voiding my warranty.

Reply

Answer 6

Oct 13, 2008 8:58 AM in response to bilfaulk

try installing 177.81from laptopvideo2go.com
I had the same problems on my MBP and since I installed that driver I have played without a single crash or problem. Really solved my freezing & ctd. It also seems to run cooler too.

Reply

Answer 7

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

Oct 15, 2008 12:07 PM in response to Twilight

Your Mac Pro and x1900 needs the dust cleaned; fans boosted (InputRemapper).

Maybe time to look into the 3870 or 8800GT though. Or a PC/Windows only card for when you boot Windows. I wish Nivida would now follow up with a Mac EFI edition of GTX 260 or even 9800GTX+.

Reply

Answer 8

Twilight

Level 1

5 points

Oct 15, 2008 11:36 AM in response to Prophet_83

Definitely depend o the graphic card temperature. I monitored it with warhammer and it always freezes around 82-84 C°
Ati has been a wrong choice for mac.

Reply