Want to see how the PC and PS4 versions of Project Cars compare? Watch in the video below.
The game is due for release November 21 in Europe on PS4, PC and Xbox One. A Wii U version is due in 2015.
Source: IGN and Project Cars News.
Published by: 20th CNetwork.
The rumors were right. Today, Square Enix officially announced Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, a remastered version of the 2012 action game from Canadian developer United Front Games. The game launches on October 10 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, and includes 1080p resolution, 24 DLC packs, “tuned gameplay,” and upgrades to the original’s audio and visuals.
Square Enix says Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition will showcase a “shinier and grimier” Hong Kong, the game’s setting. “The capabilities of today’s hardware have truly brought the vibrant Hong Kong experience to life,” the company said in a statement.
Continue reading Sleeping Dogs Definitive Edition coming to PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo is just weeks away, and just like you, GameSpot’s editors can’t wait to see what’s on tap in the hallowed halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The expo will potentially reveal new games that use Microsoft’s and Sony’s new motion controllers, updates on the new Nintendo 3DS, and new information for upcoming games on all platforms, including PC, console, and handhelds. Read on to get our editors’ picks on some of the most promising games at the show, and join the conversation by leaving us a comment with your top picks. So let’s look at what the editor’s of Gamespot are looking forward too and what are the games they are waiting for…
While there’s a lot to look forward to at this year’s E3 (as evidenced by the small novel I’ve written here), Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is probably my top pick. Yes, I’m sure that probably sounds nuts with all the hot stuff set to hit at the show, but I’ve got an old-school streak in me that loves fighting games, plus I’m still a comic nerd, so in this case, they had me at “hello.” But I also have some very fond memories of fantastic Mickey Mouse games from back in the day, such as Castle of Illusion, Mickey Mania on the Sega CD, and Capcom’s nice run of Mickey games, so I’m very excited to see the mouse get a proper makeover in Epic Mickey for the current crop of consoles. The fact that Warren Spector is involved is icing on the cake. The man is brilliant and has worked on games that I have spent countless hours getting lost in. If anyone could make Mickey the all-ages player he deserves to be in games, it’s Warren and his team, so I cannot wait to see what the results are.
Also, the Golden Sun games on the Game Boy Advance were easily among my favorite role-playing games on the platform. They were a modern take on the classic 16-bit RPGs I cut my teeth on, especially developer Camelot Software Planning’s Shining Force series. So when Golden Sun DS was announced at Nintendo’s E3 press conference last year, complete with some teaser footage, it wound up overshadowing the Metroid and Mario announcements for me. I’ve been patiently waiting for more on the game because I expect something awesome and epic. Oh yes, and I was also a big fan of the original Little Big Planet because of the possibilities the game opened up to aspiring game designers. As someone who still checks up on all the user-generated content that’s still being actively created, I’m eager to see how all the new tools Media Molecule is adding to the mix are going to work and what the story mode is going to be like in Little Big Planet 2.
Finally, I’m also looking forward to some updates on all the motion control hardware that was revealed last year. For instance, while I can’t single out a specific Natal game, outside of maybe Milo, as something I’m looking forward to at E3, I can say I’m very curious to see what Microsoft and other third-party studios are going to bring to the table. We haven’t seen much since last year on the upcoming peripheral, so I’m looking forward to hearing more about what’s going to be done with it. The tech is interesting, without a doubt, but, like all things, the proof is in what gets done with it, so I’m eager to see what will be on display. I’m also looking forward to the PlayStation Move for similar reasons–I can’t single out a specific Move title that’s my must-see at the show (because Sony has kept stuff under wraps since the motion controller’s debut at the Game Developers Conference), but I’m ready for the big guns that Sony and third parties are likely rolling out for it. We’ve had a taste of some of the stuff you’d expect from a controller like this, but I want to see some first- and third-party stuff that sells the hardware.
Which game am I most looking forward to seeing at E3? That’s easy. Civilization V. I’m a big fan of turn-based strategy, and I’ve enjoyed the entire Civilization series. Civ IV was a terrific strategy game that was super-addictive but perhaps not as welcoming for newer players.
Civ V will introduce some of the streamlined interface features from Firaxis’ console game Civilization Revolution, and more interestingly, it’ll shake up the basics of Civ gameplay with a hex-based map and some very different combat mechanics. I was skeptical at first after hearing about some of these changes, but after seeing the game at GDC, I’m a believer, and I can’t wait to see more at E3.
For most E3s, I find myself looking forward to the things I don’t know about, rather than focusing on previously announced games. This year is a bit different. I can’t wait to check out Marvel vs. Capcom 3 .
The second installment in the series is perhaps my favorite fighting game of all time, and I had given up hope of a true sequel because of pesky licensing issues. Now all I want is a roster full of unconventional choices, with new characters added every week through downloadable content.
By: 20th Century Games.
Sports Interactive’s annual juggernaut storms to top place; neither new Bond game shakes or stirs top 10.
Football Manager 2011, the latest iteration of Sega’s football management sim, debuted in first place in the UK sales chart for the week ending November 6, with FIFA 11 holding in second and Fable III dipping from first to third.
Neither of Activision’s just-released James Bond duo, GoldenEye 007 for the Wii and the multiformat 007 Blood Stone, landed in the top 10. Blood Stone, an action adventure game with driving segments, came in at number 18. GoldenEye, a shooter based on the classic 1997 Nintendo 64 game, fared better, entering the chart at 13.
Blood Stone’s muted reception comes after a relatively low-key marketing campaign, without the benefit of being a tie-in product for a high-profile movie; though it features Daniel Craig as 007, Blood Stone isn’t connected to any Bond film. By comparison, the tie-in game for 2008’s Quantum of Solace, released in late October 2008, entered the UK chart at number seven. GoldenEye, on the other hand, enjoys the recognition of being a “reimagining” of the well-loved N64 title.
Top 10 Entertainment Software (All Prices), Week Ending November 6, 2010
1. Football Manager 2011 (SEGA)
2. FIFA 11 (EA Sports)
3. Fable III (Microsoft)
4. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
5. Professor Layton and the Lost Future (Nintendo)
6. New Super Mario Bros Wii (Nintendo)
7. Fallout: New Vegas (Bethesda Softworks)
8. Medal of Honor (EA Games)
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (LucasArts)
10. The Sims 3 (EA Games)
Source : Gamespot
By : 20th CGN.
By : 20th CGN.
Source : VISO Games.
In a quarterly financial briefing, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick had this to say about the upcoming 2013 fiscal year, which runs from April 1st 2012 to March 31st 2013.
“While it is still very early to discuss fiscal 2013, we have a very strong pipeline of titles in development and currently expect to achieve substantial earnings growth, including Non-GAAP earnings per share in excess of $2.00.”
— Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two
While it is still too early to tell if this means we will be seeing Grand Theft Auto V in 2012/early 2013, one thing is clear; Take-Two definitely has something big planned, as the last time Take-Two made such profits was in 2008, right after the release of Grand Theft Auto IV.
By : 20th CGN.
E3 2011 kicks off in Los Angeles in a week’s time and, as always, there is no shortage of rumors about what we’ll see at the show. Last year we saw the announcement of a new Xbox 360 model, Valve’s Gabe Newell shocked everyone by showing up at Sony’s press conference, and the 3DS was officially unveiled.
This year we’ll be seeing the reveal of another Nintendo platform, codenamed Project Cafe. There’s been no shortage of rumors surrounding it, but which are true? Will it have a touchscreen-equipped, portable controller? Will it brew you a cup of coffee?
The scuttlebutt is hardly limited to Cafe, either. Listed below are many of the big rumors connected to this year’s E3 along with some thoughts on whether or not we’re likely to see them. We’re bound to end up being wrong about something, so feel free to share your thoughts and make your own E3 predictions in the comments below. During E3 week, be sure to check back with 20th CGN for news, impressions, and videos of all the happenings in LA.
The most significant aspect of this rumor has already been confirmed by Nintendo — a new console is in the works and will be out in 2012. It’s said little more than that, and in the place of official comments have been rumors about its name (Project Cafe? Nintendo Stream?), specs, and feature set. It’s rumored to lack a hard drive and feature two control options: a Wii remote-style controller and an all-new controller with a large touchscreen and a camera.
Aside from the device’s increased horsepower, A number of sources have corroborated that it will have a controller with a big touchscreen in the middle. The controller could end up being the biggest selling point for the system — besides acting as the console’s equivalent of the DS touchscreen (with the TV being the top screen), there is a notion that you can “stream” games to the controller and use it as a handheld gaming system. That’s a remarkable idea, but for a company that is involved in the handheld gaming space, why would it want to sell what could be perceived as a competing product to the 3DS and DS? That’s to say nothing of a controller with regular-sized analog sticks and buttons not being portable or the cost of an accessory capable of playing games on the go.
The lack of a hard drive is somewhat peculiar. While Nintendo has gotten away with it this generation, launching a new system in 2012 without a feature that has been standard in both currently HD consoles for a half-decade could put it a major disadvantage. But if Nintendo doesn’t think it’ll be offering high-definition games for download — or it plans to stream them — it’s not impossible that we’ll make it through E3 without any sign of a Cafe hard drive.
There’s also a matter of third-party support. Nintendo tried to feature third parties at the 3DS’s launch, something that hasn’t worked out particularly well. Regardless, if it’s now going to have a system as powerful as the competition, it’ll definitely seek the same support the 360 and PS3 currently enjoy. Rockstar Games, makers of the Grand Theft Auto series, are reportedly on board with the system. While it doesn’t look like Grand Theft Auto V will be announced at the show (more on that later), bringing Rockstar, or a company of that level, on stage to pledge support would be a really smart way to show the hardcore crowd that this is a system that will offer more than just Nintendo franchises.
There were rumors before last year’s E3 that Sony would announce the successor to the PSP. Instead, we had to deal with another six-plus months of rumors about it (and the Xperia Play, leading to plenty of confusion), and it wasn’t until this past January that it was finally unveiled. We know all of the basics, like its rear-facing touchpad and dual analog sticks, but nothing about its release date, price, or name — “Next Generation Portable” isn’t going to cut it, yet the rumored PS Vita is a bit odd.
The NGP is expected to be released in at least one territory by the end of the year, so getting many of the particulars out at E3 makes sense. A name and release window are probable, and perhaps some word about its specs (which are rumored to have been downgraded). With all of the claims that it’ll be a PlayStation 3 in your hands, that sort of capability won’t come cheap — and the 3G-capable model will be even pricier than the base model. As such, Sony might keep details on price close to its chest until closer to release. After the flak it took when it announced the PlayStation 3’s price, Sony’s not likely to want to detract from an otherwise strong E3 lineup by announcing a $300+ price for the NGP.
These are being lumped together because they’re both downright ridiculous. There was a report earlier this month saying that EA already had its hands on the Xbox 360’s successor, but it’s been categorically denied. That suggestion flew in the face of an earlier report that said new consoles from Microsoft and Sony aren’t expected to be out until 2014, or 2013 at the earliest.
Microsoft is the more likely of the two to announce a new system first — 360 was out a year before PS3 and Microsoft doesn’t have the track record Sony does for extending the life cycle of its systems. It makes little sense, however, for Microsoft to announce a new system right now. Kinect came out last fall and was positioned as a way to extend the life cycle of the system and appeal to the casual crowd. The 360 and PS3 are both capable of continuing to evolve through system updates in a way that previous generations of consoles could not, and with Xbox 360 routinely outselling the competition in the United States as of late, there’s little reason to believe Microsoft would undercut its own success by prematurely announcing a new system.
The idea that a Zelda game could be delayed so it can be brought out alongside a new platform isn’t without precedent. That exact scenario happened with Twilight Princess: it was intended to come out in late 2005 for GameCube but was delayed until the end of 2006 so that it could also be brought out for Wii. It actually ended up coming out on Wii a few weeks before it did on GameCube in North America.
We now find ourselves in almost the exact same position. A new Zelda is coming out for Nintendo’s current console later this year with a new system planned for release next year. If Skyward Sword does come out this year, it’ll be a long wait before the next game in the series can be developed for Cafe. With the 3DS struggling out of the gate due in part to a weak first-party lineup, holding onto what’s sure to a big seller like Skyward Sword for the Cafe’s launch would be an understandable decision. Nintendo hasn’t given any indication that it plans to delay the game, but don’t be surprised if we end up without a 2011 release date being announced at E3.
It’s hard to say whether or not we’ll hear about the next Grand Theft Auto at E3. On the one hand, it’s been more than three years since the last game came out, and there’s been no shortage of evidence that it’s being worked on from domains to casting calls to the man-boy love activist.
Besides the fact that Rockstar could announce a new GTA at any point — it doesn’t need to be a part of E3 — Take-Two’s recent financial results showed no signs of a GTA release in the current fiscal year. It does, however, look as if a GTA-sized game will be out in fiscal ’13 (running from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013). As a result, it’s not necessary to reveal the game this soon, and it probably makes more sense for an announcement to be held off for at least a little while longer.
Microsoft could opt to cut the price of the Xbox 360 at any time. In light of how frequent those “$50 gift card with Xbox 360 purchase” offers are, a price cut is only a matter of time. The attempts with Kinect to lure the casual gamers to Xbox 360 would be made a whole lot easier if Microsoft could say its high-def system is as cheap as any console (Wii included) on the market. A price drop would also stick it to Sony, particularly if it comes out that the NGP will cost twice as much — and you know Microsoft would love to do that.
Bungie said earlier this month it won’t “officially be at E3 this year.” That’s pretty damning to hopes that it will reveal its new, Activision-published game at E3, but it doesn’t prevent them from showing up during, say, Sony’s media briefing to surprise everyone like Gabe Newell did last year. There’s been talks about it being an MMO named Destiny, but whether or not that’s actually the case, we probably won’t be finding out about it next week.
Bungie has moved on to new things, but that doesn’t mean Halo is gone by any stretch of the imagination. A new Halo being shown at E3 will likely depend on your definition of “new” — a remake of the original Halo has been rumored for some time now. It’s said to be coming later this year, which makes sense because the series’ 10-year anniversary is coming up in November. Gears of War 3 will keep Xbox 360 shooter fans occupied this fall, so a full Halo release isn’t really needed. Microsoft does need first-party titles to show at E3, and a Halo remake would definitely fit the bill without detracting too much from the attention Gears will get later this year.
There has been surprisingly little talk about Respawn Entertainment, the company founded by the former heads of Infinity Ward. And that’s probably with good reason — although the studio has now existed for more than a year, the scale for its first game was said to be on par with a “huge, summer blockbuster,” and that isn’t the sort of thing a new studio brings together in a year. That’s not to mention the fact that its publisher is Electronic Arts, the same company that’s currently busy trying to beat Call of Duty with Battlefield 3.
Whether or not that’s a realistic goal, the early response from the press to Modern Warfare 3 hasn’t been as glowing as one would expect, whereas Battlefield 3 — at least as far as its visuals go — has generally left people blown away. There’s no reason for EA to take the wind out of BF3’s sails just as it seems to be generating a more positive buzz than Activision’s heavy hitter.
There’s also the fact that Respawn has outright said it won’t announce anything at E3.
Metal Gear Solid: Rising looks different from your average MGS game and, as a result, not everyone is terribly excited for it. In an interesting twist, it’s been suggested by former gamespot editor and knower-of-things Shane Bettenhausen that Platinum Games — developer of MadWorld, Bayonetta, and Vanquish — is secretly developing Rising. It’s currently working on Anarchy Reigns for Sega, but looking at the fairly short gaps between its previous releases, it’s shown it has the capacity to be at work on more than one project at a time.
If true, it would mark the first time the company has done a game for publisher other than Sega. As an independent studio, though, it’s free to work with whomever it wishes, so this might very well turn out to be the big new reveal when the game is shown for the third E3 in a row this year.
After word reached Japanese websites, Platinum’s Hideki Kamiya said (via Andriasang) on Twitter, “So this rumor has also come to Japan,” to which Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima responded, “But it would be nice if it were true.” You would think they would avoid commenting on the matter if it’s true, or maybe this is misdirection and it really is true.
Okay, so this one isn’t so much a rumor as it is wishful thinking. Valve isn’t opposed to surprises, as it proved with the aforementioned appearance by boss Gabe Newell at Sony’s media briefing at E3 2010. It’s already made it clear to the press that it won’t be showing any titles at this year’s show — not even Dota 2, which we know is in development. But if there were anything Valve could do to top last’s year surprise, it would be to announce Episode 3 (or, better yet, Half-Life 3 proper). Such a reveal seems incredibly unlikely, but that won’t stop me and every other Half-Life fan from praying Valve shocks us all again this year.
By : 20th CGN.
Source : 1UP.
DVD Writer Comparison Guide :
Since the introduction of double layer DVD writers, the interest has been quite overwhelming. The anticipation has now turned into down right obsession and it has become a key component in any current or new system build, thanks to the declining prices and continued media hype. Manufacturers are quite aware of the fascination and is why they have each been releasing their own products which excel in at least one area of the testing methodology used in most reviews. This has led to some confusion as to which drive is best suited for the individuals needs. Today, we compare four 16x double layer drives and highlight both the strong and weak points in order to give you a better idea of which drive is best suited for you.
In this comparison guide, we will be looking at four of the top 16x drives to hit the market, the Pioneer DVR-108, NEC ND3500A, Lite-On SOHW-1633s and the new LG GSA-4160B. We will cover everything from design and features to performance and price. Let’s begin with a quick look at each of these drives.
As far as the front bezel design goes, the LG-GSA4160B is by far the most attractive drive of the bunch. However, for those who are looking for a headphone jack, the Lite-On drive is the only DL writer offering a headphone jack, as well as volume control. The Pioneer and NEC drives, in my opinion, are the ugliest drives, with a very plain look that just wants to make you hide the drive period. Although we only obtained the 4160B in black, all these drives are offered with both white and black bezels. If you opt for the more expensive Pioneer “XL” model, it has the most impressive looks of any drive in the market. However, this will come at a very hefty price tag, considering they contain different firmware as well that offer a few extra features.
So, we have determined which is the sexiest-looking drive, but what about performance? I’ve done some extensive testing on each model to determine which is indeed the most impressive of the bunch. But before we show you performance results, let’s briefly look at the features and what they have to offer.
Features
Each one of these drives has there disappointments when it comes to features. Let’s compare each to see what they really offer.
DVD Writing
DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW
LG GSA-4160B 16x 8x 4x 4x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 16x 8x 4x 4x
NEC ND-3500A 16x 16x 4x 4x
Pioneer DVR-108 16x 16x 4x 4x
While all these drives are indeed 16x models, only two will write to both formats at this speed. The LG GSA-4160B and the Lite-On SOHW-1633s only support 8x DVD-R writing. So if you are one who only prefers this format, the NEC or Pioneer would be the best choice. All of these drives support writing to DVD re-writable media at 4x.
DVD+R9 Double Layer Writing
Write Speed
LG GSA-4160B 2.4x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 2.4x
NEC ND-3500A 4x
Pioneer DVR-108 4x
The major disappointment with both the LG and the Lite-On 16x drives is the lack of 4x double layer writing support. Pioneer and NEC seem to be the only manufacturers to jump in and release second generation double layer drives supporting much faster 4x writing. In fact, the jump from 2.4x to 4x is quite substantial as we will show you a bit later in this comparison.
DVD-RAM Support
Supported Read Write
LG GSA-4160B YES 5x 5x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s NO NO NO
NEC ND-3500A NO NO NO
Pioneer DVR-108 YES 2x NO
Now this is where both the LG GSA-4120B and GSA-4160B shine above the rest. In fact, it is what has made these drives the most popular DVD writers on the market. Unlike the rest in the roundup, it is a triple format burner, offering full support for DVD-RAM media. The other drives do not support it, with the exception of the Pioneer DVR-108 which supports reading of DVD-RAM discs at 2x. I personally don’t see the point in offering only read capabilities, but it’s at least one extra feature added to distinguish it from the rest. Fast 5x support of the LG GSA-4160 will actually be tested a bit later in this article.
CDR Writing
CDR CDRW
LG GSA-4160B 40x 24x
Lite-On SOHW-1633s 48x 24x
NEC ND-3500A 48x 24x
Pioneer DVR-108 32x 24x
The fastest CDR writers of the bunch are the Lite-On SOHW-1633s and the NEC ND-3500A. With their support for 48x writing, they make a great all-in-one drive for many users. The only drive lacking in this lineup is the Pioneer DVR-108. Why they opted for only 32x writing is still quite puzzling and is actually why I have found that many are choosing the NEC over the Pioneer. The LG GSA-4160B should not be left out of consideration though. We will show you later that the difference in write times between 40x and 48x is not much to brag about.
Bitsetting Support
One feature I’ve found that is most important for many users is bitsetting support. Let’s compare these drives and see what they offer.
DVD+R/RW Support DVD+R DL Support
LG GSA-4160B NO NO
Lite-On SOHW-1633s YES NO
NEC ND-3500A NO YES
Pioneer DVR-108 NO YES
The LG GSA-4160B does not offer bitsetting support out of the box. However, it is very likely that you will be able to obtain support through an excellent third-party tool called DVDInfo Pro. Right now, they only support the GSA-4120B, but I’m confident with the author that support for this drive will be likely. LG firmware is very hard to hack, however some select few have been able to do so. Using Lite-On’s booktype utility, you can change the booktype of DVD+R/RW media, however, the firmware does not automatically change booktype of DVD+R DL discs to DVD-ROM like the NEC and Pioneer models do.
Additional Features
As far as other features go, all these drives have a 2MB buffer but offer some sort of buffer under-run protection, which all work exceptionally well. This is especially useful if you will be burning discs at 16x, which I personally don’t recommend just yet. As our individual tests of these drives revealed, burning at this speed is quite unstable, with the exception of the Lite-On SOHW-1633s.
By : 20th CGN.
10 Fast and Free Security Enhancements.
Before you spend a dime on security, there are many precautions you can take that will protect you against the most common threats.
1. Check Windows Update and Office Update regularly (_http://office.microsoft.com/productupdates); have your Office CD ready. Windows Me, 2000, and XP users can configure automatic updates. Click on the Automatic Updates tab in the System control panel and choose the appropriate options.
2. Install a personal firewall. Both SyGate (_www.sygate.com) and ZoneAlarm (_www.zonelabs.com) offer free versions.
3. Install a free spyware blocker. Our Editors’ Choice (“Spyware,” April 22) was SpyBot Search & Destroy (_http://security.kolla.de). SpyBot is also paranoid and ruthless in hunting out tracking cookies.
4. Block pop-up spam messages in Windows NT, 2000, or XP by disabling the Windows Messenger service (this is unrelated to the instant messaging program). Open Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services and you’ll see Messenger. Right-click and go to Properties. Set Start-up Type to Disabled and press the Stop button. Bye-bye, spam pop-ups! Any good firewall will also stop them.
5. Use strong passwords and change them periodically. Passwords should have at least seven characters; use letters and numbers and have at least one symbol. A decent example would be f8izKro@l. This will make it much harder for anyone to gain access to your accounts.
6. If you’re using Outlook or Outlook Express, use the current version or one with the Outlook Security Update installed. The update and current versions patch numerous vulnerabilities.
7. Buy antivirus software and keep it up to date. If you’re not willing to pay, try Grisoft AVG Free Edition (Grisoft Inc., w*w.grisoft.com). And doublecheck your AV with the free, online-only scanners available at w*w.pandasoftware.com/activescan and _http://housecall.trendmicro.com.
8. If you have a wireless network, turn on the security features: Use MAC filtering, turn off SSID broadcast, and even use WEP with the biggest key you can get. For more, check out our wireless section or see the expanded coverage in Your Unwired World in our next issue.
9. Join a respectable e-mail security list, such as the one found at our own Security Supersite at _http://security.ziffdavis.com, so that you learn about emerging threats quickly and can take proper precautions.
10. Be skeptical of things on the Internet. Don’t assume that e-mail “From:” a particular person is actually from that person until you have further reason to believe it’s that person. Don’t assume that an attachment is what it says it is. Don’t give out your password to anyone, even if that person claims to be from “support.”
By : 20th CGN.
10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know :
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy,” it says. “Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications.”
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1. Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow ‘!’ appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as ‘IRQ holder for PCI steering’. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is http://www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2. Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3. BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer’s display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to ‘yes’ to allow Windows to do this.).
4. Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5. Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card’s manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6. Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( http://www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( http://www.symantec.com).
7. Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer’s performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer’s default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8. Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don’t do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from http://www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message “Starting Windows” press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn’t work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9. Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from http://www.computernerd.com or http://www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10. Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
By : 20th CGN.
20th CNetwork: 