Help, Orange Box doesn't work

[Ninjakitty]

Every time I start playin TF2 or Portal it'll load the map, show me the start screen, let me run around for like 2 seconds, then crash. the little error window pops up, somethin like "hl2.exe has encountered a problem and needs to shut down. send error report?"

compy's HP Media Center PC, we got it like 4-5 years ago so it might be too old. what will make the games work for the least amount of money and where do i get it?

[Vashx]

Yah that might be the problem, my computers sumwhat new, but not top of the line and sumtimes I get that error message up if I have too many programs up at the same time with tf2. First I'd make sure you aren't runnin virus scanners and whatnot in the background cuz that slows everything down. Then secondly if that doesn't work put your specs up here and a few of the computer savvy ppl can tell you what you need to upgrade :O

[SSLJ]

You might open up your computer, clean out the dust, and make sure everything is firmly pushed into the slots.

Then you might try updating your video drivers.

After that... you don't want to know ;)

[Randy Lahey[RS]]

I want The Orange Box so baddd!! Too bad its not working for you right now Ninjakitty. I don't know what to tell you other than, well, I know you have red hair now.

[JohnnyLaw[RS]]

;20121']You might open up your computer, clean out the dust, and make sure everything is firmly pushed into the slots.

Then you might try updating your video drivers.

After that... you don't want to know ;)

Buy a 1 gig stick of ram, might also want to consider better video card. that fixes a lot of problems with games.

[Tembel[RS]]

;20124']Buy a 1 gig stick of ram, might also want to consider better video card. that fixes a lot of problems with games.

what he said.

[Ninjakitty]

;20124']Buy a 1 gig stick of ram, might also want to consider better video card. that fixes a lot of problems with games.

The comp has 1024 RAM so thats not it. whats the cheapest video card that'll make it work? all the box says is "directx 9 level graphix card"

[LinDzee[RS]]

okay.. wait. What is(are) this(these) game(s)? I come home last weekend and everyone is playing them? WTF? What happened to halo n CSS?

[SSLJ]

i still play css!

[DA BEARS[RS]]

That's all I play.

[Vashx]

tf2=team fortress 2 fun multiplayer game
portals=freaky single player game

portal finishes rly quickly tho : /

[glenquagmire]

kitty, are you running vent with tf2? I crash if I run vent or any other program with tf2 for some reason. try shutting everything else down. I have a system similar to yours and that worked for me.

[Ninjakitty]

;20153']kitty, are you running vent with tf2? I crash if I run vent or any other program with tf2 for some reason. try shutting everything else down. I have a system similar to yours and that worked for me.

Yea I try it with nothin else running, I even turn off the McAfee virus thing and close all the windows and all that but it still crashes.

[JohnnyLaw[RS]]

The comp has 1024 RAM so thats not it. whats the cheapest video card that'll make it work? all the box says is "directx 9 level graphix card"


That statement is exactly what the problem is with your computer.

[Ninjakitty]

;20158']That statement is exactly what the problem is with your computer.

I'm gunna start a lottery pool on this. Whoever guesses the correct number of people who don't know what the problem with my compy is and still somehow understand what that meant gets a free* cookie.
* Cookie is only free if you have proper cookie-baking ingredients and the willpower to get off your lazy ass and make it yourself.

[SSLJ]

;20158']That statement is exactly what the problem is with your computer.

Just once, Johnny, I hope you can actually be of help and not just be a jackass for the sake of being a jackass. Not everybody is as godlike as you in all areas, nor can everybody walk on water, create life, or send people to hell like you can.

[JohnnyLaw[RS]]

;20175']Just once, Johnny, I hope you can actually be of help and not just be a jackass for the sake of being a jackass. Not everybody is as godlike as you in all areas, nor can everybody walk on water, create life, or send people to hell like you can.

They can't? oh, my mistake.......

I wasn't trying to be a jackass. My point is just that the mentality of putting a cheap as hell bandaid on the problem is part of the problem in itself...perhaps it was a bit esoteric.

[glenquagmire]

;20186']They can't? oh, my mistake.......

I wasn't trying to be a jackass. My point is just that the mentality of putting a cheap as hell bandaid on the problem is part of the problem in itself...perhaps it was a bit assoteric.

*fixed.

I know what you mean John, and I agree, but some folks can't put a lot of dough into their machines, I'm sure you know that. I for one have (some) money, but I also have a wife who feels that as long as the computer works, there is no reason to improve/upgrade/buy a new one. So I can identify with the kitty. Being a compuguru, perhaps you can provide the most cost effective option for her particular problem. Nothing wrong with being frugal.

[DA BEARS[RS]]

compuwhat?

[Vashx]

I think its some kinda of middle eastern food?

[JohnnyLaw[RS]]

ok:

Go to www.download.com (http://www.download.com) and find a free program that helps monitor your computer's RAM usage. You may find that more of it is being used than you thought.

While your there, download and use "Wise registry cleaner". its free and very user friendly. It gets rid of all the crap left behind on your computer from programs that have been installed/removed/etc.

Also download and use "Wise disk cleaner". Its function is self explanitory and its free.

Check and make sure your BIOS are up to date.

Check and make sure the driver for your video card is up to date.

Check and make sure your page file memory is set to 50 percent more than your physical memory.

Check to see what programs are set to start when windows starts. There are often a bunch of lil buggers running in the background that like to eat up CPU and RAM.

Unless I missed it, you haven't posted the stats on your computer, so take care of the above, post the stats on your computer, and I'll give you the best advice I can towards inexpsensive improvements.

[Ninjakitty]

Thanks johnny, sorry im not magic like you. Guess its hard to be so awesome sometimes =@.@=

[Hal Storm [RS]]

nice tip on the reg. cleaner

thanks

[SSLJ]

Also you can go Start->run and type in msconfig

This will show you everything that runs at startup and the services that load. Be a little careful turning stuff off here, try just one or two at a time and don't mess much with the .INI tabs, just the Services and Startup.

Once you turn stuff off and everything still works ok, you can disable the service permanently in the Control Panel->Administrative Tools->Services, find the service by name and right click-> properties and change it's state to disabled.

Most people should do something like this, since there are a lot of services which start that really don't need to.

-lj

[DA BEARS[RS]]

If you really want to speed up your pc, turn of all your security, firewall, spyware blocker,ect... and go to a website that says "%100 FREE PORN, NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED!" (not that I've done this) and click yes to every pop-up add that comes up, download every possible thing available, after that your pc should be running nice and smooth.

But I guess if you want you could just do what Johnny and SSLJ suggested, (not as much fun though).