Microsoft KB Archive/274629

= Games: Hangs or Slow Performance on AMD System with VIA Chipset =

Article ID: 274629

Article Last Modified on 1/29/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: WWII Pacific Theater
 * Microsoft Dungeon Siege
 * Microsoft Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Impossible Creatures
 * Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Black Knight
 * Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries
 * Microsoft MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
 * Microsoft Midtown Madness 2
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations
 * Microsoft Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots
 * Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0

-



This article was previously published under Q274629



SYMPTOMS
When you play one of the games listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section on a computer that uses a motherboard based on the VIA Technologies chip set, you may experience one or more of the following behaviors:
 * The game may not be able to start.
 * Slow game performance or your mouse may move very slowly when navigating in-game.
 * Game may appear to stop responding (freeze or &quot;hang&quot;) when a single game screen (such as the Star Systems or Orbital View screen) is displayed for several minutes.
 * Your screen may go black.
 * When you play a multiplayer game, you may experience slow performance in your game (lag).
 * Your game may run but you cannot shut down the game and restart the game multiple times without a restart.

When you play Microsoft MechWarrior 4, the game may stop responding or shut down, particularly in the Mech Lab where AGP texturing is first used.



CAUSE
This issue may occur if you have not installed the most recent drivers for your VIA Technologies chip set motherboard.

Delay in multiple-player game play may also occur because of the JS Exception Exploit (trojan) virus.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, install the latest VIA chipset drivers for your motherboard from the following VIA Technologies Web site:

http://www.viatech.com

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information. Important Contact your hardware manufacturer before you install the latest VIA motherboard driver on your computer or make any modifications to your computer's basic input/output system (BIOS) settings.

Also, flash-upgrade your computer’s BIOS. For instructions on how to do this, contact VIA or the manufacturer of your motherboard

Note For motherboards with built-in video adapters, you may be able to reset the video settings to default or optimum in the motherboard's basic input/output system (BIOS) settings. See the documentation that came with your computer or contact the manufacturer for more information.

For information about how to contact your hardware manufacturer, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

Microsoft provides third-party contact information to help you find technical support. This contact information may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this third-party contact information.



How to Identify Your Hardware Chipset by Using Device Manager

 * 1) Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
 * 2) Double-click System.
 * 3) Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me), click the Device Manager tab.

Microsoft Windows 2000 or Microsoft Windows XP, click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
 * 1) Expand the list next to the Hard Disk controllers or IDE ATA/ADAPI Controller folder.
 * 2) If VIA Bus Master IDE Controller is present, your motherboard is based on VIA chipset.

The third-party products that this article discusses are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Additional query words: 1.00 msgame combatfs cfs2 hangs freeze lock up frozen blank dark empty lockup siezes performance display

Keywords: kbconfig kb3rdparty kbdisplay kbprb KB274629

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.