Not sure if 98se problem, but....

Well, I did my yearly format and re-install, ran all the updates. Everything went smooth. Now I have only 1 problem and not sure if it is an OS problem....

I installed ET (Enemy Territory) which I have beem playing since the game was released and 2-3 formats and re-installs. Now when I play, I get "Invalid Scan Freq." followed by "Invalid Sync." Based on the sound I still hear, it looks like the game is "studdering" and freezing.

I have removed and re-installed the game 12 times. Updated the drivers for the FX5700 vid card. Basically everything I could think of except formatting again (which I am considering). The system is set for adapter default as well. Running the screen at 1152x864 32-bit. System spec below:

GigaByte Motherboard GA-8ITXE
P4 2.4 Northwood (400 FSB) @ 2.76 (460 FSB)
768 Megs PC800 ECC RD-Ram - (2) 256 + (2)128
FX5700 8x AGP - 128 Megs (VGA/DVI/S-Video)
Creative SB Live 5.1
MS 2-button scroll mouse
Gateway Special Keyboard
Maxtor 2.0 USB 4+1 PCI Card
Belkin 3-Port Firewire Card 1394 F5U501rw
Promise Ultra 100 TX2 IDE Controller card
Linksys 100TX NIC v.5
Black Floppy Drive
WD 20 GB BB 7200rpm HD (Controller Card)
WD 40 GB JB 7200rpm HD
WD 60 GB JB 7200rpm HD
WD 80 GB JB 7200rpm HD (Controller Card)
WD 120 GB JB 7200rpm HD (Controller Card)
WD 120 GB JB 7200rpm HD (Firewire)
Buslink CO-80-U2FE 80GB HD (USB/Firewire)
Toshiba 32x CD XM-6402B
Hitachi 16x DVD GD-8000
Plextor USB CD-RW 48x24x48
Dual-Mode Digital USB Pen-Camera
Artec AM12U Plus Scanner
Lexmark Z25 USB Printer
19 inch Hitachi Monitor VX900 CM751U
430watt Enermax PSU (Duel Fan)
Black Ultra Media Dashboard
Blue sound-activated cold-cathode case mod light
5 Case Fans (1 blue LED fan)
Full Tower Silver-Gray Modded Case


Now, I have been running this setup for about 2-3 yrs and never had a problem. Is it a 98 problem or ??? Can someone give me some ideas here? It only happens on ET from what I can see...

 

Well, I did my yearly format and re-install,

I just have to ask.

Why the yearly format and re-install ?

BillyBob

 

Keeps the system fresh and fast. I do overclock the CPU and ram as you can see from my system specs. It also helps the system be rock solid stable. Over the yr, I get an avg of 1-2 BSOD's only. In all, it is just GOOD system maintance practice...

 

To each his/her own. But I 100% disagree with you.

The 80gig HD that is in this machine with XP Pro is a copy of the 40gig HD ( ccomplete C:- H: ) in a 98SE machine that started out with Win95, then 98FE then 98SE. Then when put in here it was upgraded to XP Pro.

I have no Idea what a BSOD even looks like. And the only time or two that I have had problems I ( the user ) did it.

I upgraded over top because of the fact I have programs that I may not even have the disks for anymore. And I could not see any sense in having to re-install everything anyway.

BillyBob

 

What can I say, I change hardware a lot. But this is off topic and does not help me with my problem...

 

Cool system . A lot of hardware (and a lot of 98 drivers installed ).

Have you upgraded DirectX?

Have you upgraded to the latest chipset drivers from Gigabyte (they may redirect you to the Intel site).

For an install/reinstall, the driver installation method should be:
Install Windows.
Install the motherboard/chipset drivers.
Install the graphics drivers.
Install other drivers.
I would then upgrade DirectX, Windows Media Player and any other Windows "basics ".
before....
installing software programs/applications.

Matt
PS if you have upgraded or installed the latest graphics drivers, try running a "not so new" version or check the gaming forums for their recommendations for the best set of drivers for your model.

 

I do not think it is a bit off topic. You asked for help and ideas.

Everytime you make a change ( hardware or software ) it may well have and effect on the BASIC OS right from power up on up.

Mattman.
I hear loud and clear what you say about latest and greatest. I updated the Video drivers on my Wifes machine. All was fine UNTILL she found that one of her favorite games would not work.

And what drivers that work on one system may well kill another one dead.

BillyBob

 

I am using the same drivers as I was using before. Like I stated, this only happens on 1 game (well, the only game I play). DirectX is 9.0b and yes, I DID try 9.0c. I even tried different versions of the Nvida drivers. Tried a different video card as well... GeForce4 420MX 64 meg and still the same problem... I thought maybe the monitor, but the I am not even close to maxing it on the resolution.

If I can't get this figured out, I am going to have to re-format again...

 

If I can't get this figured out, I am going to have to re-format again...

Are you sure that is going to help ?

Isn't that what created this problem ?

I think it is because apparently all was fine until you did the format.

Another thing that may or may not be relavant.

If you install the OS with one set of hardware then change some of the hardware, then format and reinstall again I believe that the OS is going to set itself up differently. Which in turn may well have and overall effect on everything.

BillyBob

 

The hardware I am running is the same hardware from before the last format and is the same from the last re-install. Been running the hardware for a year now and I am running the same programs as well.... this is a NEW problem that I have never experenced before (since I got my 1st system in 1985). The software and hardward changes (switching out the video card and triying different Nvida drivers and upping DirectX) are from the attempts to fix the problem...

I have built many systems over the yrs and have never run across this error...

 

Is there any other order? That is how I always do it!

 

Does the game run at all? If so, I'd have a look at the game's video options. I wonder if the game has a vertical sync setting. Now, I'll be the first to admit I don't know a whole lot about what it does but your error message (invalid sync) make me think of this. I have a couple of games that have vertical sync related settings in the options. One say "wait for vertical sync ", the other I believe is just something like "enable vertical sync ". I also have vertical sync related settings in my advanced properties of window's display settings applet (right click desktop>properties, that one). You might see if you have something similar. I can't really help as to how the settings should be but if the game has an option like wait for vertical sync and it's enabled you could try disabling it. In the games I have it's disabled. I might be way off base here but it's something you can take a look at anyway.

 

If you get ANY BSODs over the year, how can you say the system is rock solid stable ?

I have one machine that goes WAY back to the days of DOS/Win3.1. Has not been formated ( except to install 95 ) and now has 98SE on it. I have yet to have ANY problems with it.

Also you say that you do some overclocking so I need to ask because I have no idea what overclocking effects. Or where the changes are stored.

Before you do a format reinstall is it possible that things need to be set back to normal before reinstalling ?

BillyBob

 

the 1-2 BSOD's were caused by me and were memory related...

Overclocking is when you have the CPU running faster than listed. I have a 2.4 and running it at 2.76. This is done by upping the FSB from 100 to 112

The system have been set this way for the last two format/installs and never had the probelm...

 

I missed the overclocking thing. You should really set things back to the defaults there too until you get this figured out even if it's always run at the stated speed in the past. It's one more variable that should be eliminated. I have the same CPU as you and ran it at 2.8 for a year and a half without any trouble at all. Then I installed Halflife 2 and the game would constantly crash back to the desktop. They were memory related errors (different from yours, I know) but once I set the CPU settings back to the default the game ran fine and it's never been a problem. I know it very well might not be your problem but I'd still set things back until you get this figured out. As I said, it will eliminate one more variable.

 

Need I say more about overclocking?

 

I think Zander has answered my suspicions quite well.

The answer to the original question about this being a 98SE problem appears to be NO.

If it is indeed due to overclocking then I believe it could happen in any OS.

And unless I am completely miss-understanding, it is a problem that a reformat/reinstall will not fix.

Also it appears to me that the errors ( BSODs ) were user not OS created.

BillyBob

 

You may be on something here.... going to back the OC off to 2.4 and see what happens. I don't think it will help, but I am going to set the system to 2.4 when I format/install again, THEN OC afterwards. It maybe that the system is not happy with it on the onset where as, afterwards, I can ease it up again and avoid any unstability. Going to wait tho, till I get my new rounded cables in.

Will let you all know the results...

 

Well, I formated/installed again.... NO problems of crashes installing all the drivers and programs. The problem DID come back, when I used Power DVD 5.0!!! Unstalled and re-installed it... Crashed again and again. On 1 of the crashes I just caught the "Invalid Scan Freq" error! I removed the program and ran Tune-Up Utilities to get the left overs. Watched a DVD using Multimedia Classic from K-Lite (GREAT QUALITY!). Tomorrow I will try ET install and play and see what happens. I "think" Power DVD is the problem because my wife's system has been acting flaky since the DVD drive and PowerDVD were installed...

Will post results tomorrow...

 

Well, it looks like you have found the problem.

Just from reading it does seem to be Power DVD 5.0.

And it appears as though it is something that Format will not fixed. Well maybe only untill you install the program again.

Are you going to try removing Power DVD 5 from your Wifes' machine before it crashes it ?

BillyBob