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Question

PC freezing exclusively when connected to/using internet

Mar 10, 2017 8:11AM PST

Hi, I have had an issue since upgrading from windows 7 to windows 10 (x64) and have scoured the internet for solutions to no avail, with this in mind I may be in need of new hardware, but I'm hoping not.

When watching videos online (youtube etc.) or scrolling large pages of text/images, my computer would blue screen with an error related to my nvidia drivers, I forgot the code provided but I found a sort of fix in the form of reg entry (which I have also forgotten). My computer no longer blue screens but still freezes, the screen will often flicker once, the image will then be frozen and I can still move the mouse for a few seconds before that freezes too, requiring a hard reset every time. This also sometimes happens when watching video from my HDD/browsing computer but only when connected to the internet.

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System Information
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Time of this report: 3/10/2017, 15:50:53
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 14393) (14393.rs1_release.161220-1747)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 2100MB used, 6089MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 12
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
Miracast: Not Available
Microsoft Graphics Hybrid: Not Supported
DxDiag Version: 10.00.14393.0000 64bit Unicode

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DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 9600 GT
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Type: Full Device
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0622&SUBSYS_12701462&REV_A1
Device Status: 0180200A [DN_DRIVER_LOADED|DN_STARTED|DN_DISABLEABLE|DN_NT_ENUMERATOR|DN_NT_DRIVER]
Device Problem Code: No Problem
Driver Problem Code: Unknown
Display Memory: 3046 MB
Dedicated Memory: 999 MB
Shared Memory: 2047 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: unknown
Monitor Id: NUL0001
Native Mode: 1280 x 1024(p) (60.020Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll
Driver File Version: 21.21.0013.4201 (English)
Driver Version: 21.21.13.4201
DDI Version: 11.1
Feature Levels: 10_0,9_3,9_2,9_1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.2
Graphics Preemption: DMA
Compute Preemption: DMA
Miracast: Not Supported
Hybrid Graphics GPU: Not Applicable
Power P-states: Not Applicable
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 14/11/2016 00:00:00, 17559384 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: Unknown

Looking over these results, I am confused by 2 things mostly; My Nvidia card should be 1GB, and being as it's a dedicated card, I don't understand why it's sharing memory (and is it the ram it's sharing with?) also, it's saying DX12 is installed, but I'm sure my 7+ year old graphic card doesn't support such a recent version of DX. Any help would be appreciated! My computer also struggles greatly with games as old as 10 years, whereas it used to be a "Crysis killer", able to run Oblivion with everything maxed - now it struggles on the lowest settings. I need to apply a fresh lick of thermal paste to the GPU but other than that, what's going wrong?!

Discussion is locked

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Answer
I worry about that video card.
Mar 10, 2017 8:36AM PST

It's of a model that was known to die. Of course games will struggle on that GPU. It's very very old tech.

I have an old C2Q HP d5000t with similar and it's just a slug at today's and even older games.

Nothing wrong about this setup. Just outdated. Use it as long as you can or try a nice new Nvidia 1050 GPU.

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Answer
PS. Next time, share a WEB SPECCY.
Mar 10, 2017 8:37AM PST

Post was last edited on March 10, 2017 8:49 AM PST

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Speccy report
Mar 10, 2017 8:53AM PST

Ok thanks for the info, I figured the card might be dying. I'd lent the computer to my mum for a number of years, eventually the HDD died and it was left for about a year until I gave it a clean up, new drive etc.

Shortly before the drive died, the graphics card was still running like a beast and only since fixing it up have I had issues; only changes being a new SSD and upgrading from Vista to 7 and from 7 to 10. It just seems strange that it's starting dying so suddenly with little provoking on my part. I'm also still wondering whether it's worth rolling back DX to an earlier version, and figuring out why my card is sharing memory?

Anyway, here's the speccy report, thanks for your help so far.

http://speccy.piriform.com/results/Ksge045JuLfcb8fDl26wwpW

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As to sharing memory
Mar 10, 2017 8:56AM PST

1GB today is just not going to cut it. So video card drivers implement this. This is not a bug and not something I'd fix.

Windows also uses the GPU for acceleration so that can eat some video card resources. It's not so much dying (it could be) as it's from another era. And far past its expected life span.

Let's read that Speccy. (next post.)

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Drivers
Mar 10, 2017 11:23AM PST

Where did you get the mobo drivers to support w10?
The maker's site does not supply them.

Did you notice the ssd is using sata 1, it should be sata 2.
I'll guess that's a driver or bios issue.

Bios is very dated.

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Answer
Speccy reading.
Mar 10, 2017 9:13AM PST

1. 4GB RAM.
a. In dual channel mode. Good.
b. Only 4GB. Slim for today's user expectations.
c. DDR2. Can be pricey to upgrade.

My view. You have the boot HDD with a SSD. I have a 2GB d4999t with C2Q that got an 120GB boot drive. Power up and on the web in 30 seconds. For 35 bucks, this moved this from a machine nobody wanted to a nice office work horse.

2. DAEMON Tools
One of a list of software I eject on machines that lock up.
These go until the machine behaves.

3. DNS.
Try the DNS of 8.8.8.8 or 4.2.2.1 to get a little edge on lookups.

Nothing really looks off in this reading. Just a dated machine which I own one of (had 2, now down to 1.)

Post was last edited on March 10, 2017 9:15 AM PST

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Thanks
Mar 10, 2017 9:51AM PST

My computer enjoys similar boot times thanks to the SSD, but I will look in to upgrading the RAM to the one you suggested. As for the video card, is there a cheaper option than the 1050 that'll get me up to speed? I'm not overly interested in gaming any more, maybe a bit of PS1/2 emulation, Oblivion, some newer but non-demanding games like Binding of Isaac, Hotline Miami, Don't Starve etc.
Thanks again for all the pointers. Happy

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How about Tom's list.
Mar 10, 2017 12:02PM PST