I would recommend you post this in the dimension video section. The people there are very helpful.

GreeneThorne,

Thank you for using the DellTalk forum.

If the last thing you did was to load Direct-X 8.a, then
you should remove it, and go back to Direct-X 8.0.
Some older games do not support the new Direct-X versions,
and some hardware devices, (sound cards) have problems
with the new Direct-X software. Here are some possible
solutions.

1.Download and install the latest Nvidia video drivers,
from the Nvidia web page.
2.Download and install the latest sound card drivers,
from the manufacturer of your sound card. Either (Creative Labs) or (Voyetra).
3.Download any patches for your games, and install those.
4.Use MSconfig to close all applications running in the background, to see if another program is making the system crash.
5.Uninstall Direct-X 8.a and go back to 8.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to use Msconfig.
Left-click on START | RUN.
Type in "msconfig" in the "Open" dialog box and left-click on "OK."
When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, the "General" tab will be visible. Left-click on "Selective Startup."
Remove the check marks from each choice except "System.ini," by left clicking on the check marks.
Click the Startup tab.
Uncheck every entry except (SystemTray)
Left-click on "Apply" and then left-click on "OK."
A message will appear stating that "For the changes to take place, the system must be restarted." Left-click on the "OK" button, and the system will begin the restart.

If the problem stops, then try using the steps below, to isolate the program that
is causing the problem.
Repeat the steps above, but instead of un-checking the entries, re-check one entry at a time until you have identified the category that is the cause of the problem.
After you have isolated the application, utility, or device driver that is causing the problem, you will be able to proceed with further troubleshooting. One of the easiest methods to attempt a resolution is to reinstall the problematic application or device driver. The entry causing the problem can be left disabled if it does not affect system operation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find programs to remove Direct-X on the following
web page:
http://www.3dcenter.de/downloads/
Be aware that there is always room for problems.
You should backup any important information before trying
to uninstall Direct-X. These are 3rd party programs and applications, you use them at your own risk.

Thanks for the help and the page. I have a feeling this is going to turn into a full-day project... I guess it is a good thing I have all day to do it...

Have Fun

GreeneThorne WolfFang

Yikes! I'm having the exact same problem!

My wife received her Dimension 4100 last Christmas. Everything was working great until about September, when the system started crashing during games. Now, I don't recall upgrading DirectX, but as you will see below, I think it's hardware related.

At first I figured, oh, it's my turn to start experiencing dreaded problems associated with Windows ME. Rather than deal with repairing the OS, I decided to upgrade to XP. *sigh* XP blue screens during the install process right before/after the F8 License Agreement stage. I've called Dell, they say to put WinME back on since that's what was sold with the system and they won't support XP. Trying to be proactive with the Blue Screen error messages (looked them up on MS Knowledge Base), I replaced the RAM and hard disk. Still got blue screens upon installation of XP. Following MS's KB suggestion, I tried unhooking every accessory and add-in card before retrying the upgrade, but still got blue screens.

I even had the Dell Diagnostics program crashing regularly and show up with errors (to which Dell's Tech Support said "Oh, those errors are to be expected).

So, I did a fresh install with the Dell-supplied disks. System ran okay for a little bit, then started blue screening again. Mostly in games, but even just surfing the web.

Okay, I've had enough with ME, I thought. Let's put an industrial-strength OS on the system. I installed Win2K Pro which has served me well on my other home system and at work.

Now, I get a quick blue screen of death followed immediately by a system restart. This can happen all by itself -- I've actually witnessed the machine restart by itself with no one sitting at it doing anything.

The problem will ALWAYS happen, but at different times, when the kids play their games (they're so anxious to be able to play for >5mins). Web surfing can also crash the system (my daughter gets upset everytime Barbie.Com winks out). Thinking about crashing the system will crash the system.

Being the techie that I am, I'm starting to suspect motherboard related items (controllers, processor, power).

Dell systems are usually great (we've bought hundreds for work), so I cringed when my wife says "hmmm...maybe we should have bought a G**eway.

Any one else with suggestions on how to proceed? My family is going bonkers over this!! Is there a reliable 3rd-party tool to diagnosis system components? My goal is to be able to call Dell up and say, "So-and-so is definitely broken, please ship me the replacement!"

You should do your own post. If you can't help then don't post. Now to get to your problem. You are installing OS over OS over OS, all dirty installs. Try a Clean install of XP. Most of your problems have been seen and addressed all over these boards. So try here...... and save yourself time and headaches

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

Pentium 4 1.9 Gig / 478 pin 400Mhz FSB
Shuttle Motherboard
Via chipset P4x266 VT8233 DDRam Support
Windows XP (home edition - Clean Install!)
DDRam 768 Meg - WD 80 gig HD ATA 100
Gainward GF3 Powerpack Golden Sample/64 meg
LiteOn 24x10x40 CD-RW - Pioneer DVD 500m
Pinacle Firewire Card - Linksys Lan 10/100
Santa Cruz Sound Card (4127 beta drivers)
Dell 991 Monitor - Altec Lansing 885 Thx Speakers
Microtek 3700 Scanner - HP 1100 Printer
Altec Lansing 885 Thx Speakers

Other:
XPSB1000r ,XP home, Gforce 2 pro 64meg
384 megs PC700 Rdram - 60 gig maxtor HD
DVD-Rom - Sony CD-RW

RE: Previous message from Dre53

Since GreenThorne's message seemed extremely similar to mine, I thought it made sense to continue to thread. The purpose of such forums is to work towards a solution. By posting my situation, we now have more information to come up with a fix for possibly two if not more Dimension 4100 gamers. It doesn't make sense to have everyone create their own thread if the problems are so alike.

And you should not jump to conclusions, I NEVER did a dirty upgrade -- I ALWAYS reformat the hard drive and start clean (even if using upgrade media). OS over OS? Hardly. I'm sorry that I didn't list each exact step that I followed; having done this for so many years, I tend to overlook the fact that not everyone does this the same way that I do.

And this is not an XP problem, it's a Dimension 4100 gamer problem (and perhaps more). So please stick to the topic if you're going to post a response! My discourse on XP upgrade woes was included to illustrate the fact that no matter what OS I put on, the problem has remained. Games crash the system. I don't know why.

Since this is the first time I've ever been to this forum, my searching hadn't revealed any particular solution that a long time viewer may have seen. I was so elated in having found someone with such a similar problem that I haven't dredged the bottom of the forum pool for every bit of esoteric information that might resolve the issue.

But thanks anyway for taking the time to offer your 2 cents. It's encouraging to know there are people out there trying to help.

tgfisker wrote:
- Yikes! I'm having the exact same problem!
-
- My wife received her Dimension 4100 last Christmas.
- Everything was working great until about September,
- when the system started crashing during games. Now,
- I don't recall upgrading DirectX, but as you will
- see below, I think it's hardware related.
-

That is the exact same time I bought my system and the exact time my system began to have serious problems as well.

- At first I figured, oh, it's my turn to start
- experiencing dreaded problems associated with
- Windows ME. Rather than deal with repairing the OS,
- I decided to upgrade to XP.

Heh, wow, me to, except I did a format and installed Win 98, of course this did not work either.

- Being the techie that I am, I'm starting to suspect
- motherboard related items (controllers, processor,
- power).

Yeah, I am a techie as well and this is what I am beginning to suspect too, but the Dell Diagnostics stuff that shipped with my system did not turn up any errors, and after hours of tests, I hope it would be accurate.

- Dell systems are usually great (we've bought
- hundreds for work), so I cringed when my wife says
- "hmmm...maybe we should have bought a G**eway.

Heh, yeah, I am the same way. My motto: "Gateway, the other dark meat."

- Any one else with suggestions on how to proceed? My
- family is going bonkers over this!! Is there a
- reliable 3rd-party tool to diagnosis system
- components? My goal is to be able to call Dell up
- and say, "So-and-so is definitely broken, please
- ship me the replacement!"

This is what I have been hoping for while running tons of diagnostics that still turn up nothing.

At any rate, I have isolated all the software stuff, by booting up with the bare minimums for DirectX, Installing all the latest drivers for my hardware, and my system still crashes during games except a few older ones I have (Starcraft, Diablo, Homeworld, Freespace). I even went so far as to uninstall DirectX 8A and install an older version, but that didn't help either.

The only thing I have found so far is in the log of Descent 3. When it crashes on me and I have to reboot, the log says there was an out of memory problem. At first I though this was just a massive memory leak in the program, but when it began to spread to all my other games, I began to worry.

Any other help anyone can give, would be very, well, helpful, and appreciated. Thank You

Have Fun

GreeneThorne "The Plaid Mentat" WolfFang

I've been trying to solve this same problem for almost a week now. I've updated all the drivers I can think of, installed directx 8.1, removed it and gone back to the 6.0 that came with the game (a process which has tinted my screen a beautiful shade of pink when I'm in windows or in the game) and tried all the suggestions you made to try to solve it to no avail. I'm still getting something like, "Exception OE in CDFS(03)" and something about "Voltrack."
Any further help that you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks