Games freeze... Help please.

I built a computer about five months ago and since then I have been trying to figure out why it freezes when I play games. Here are the specs:

E8400, 8600GT 512 MB, 4 GB RAM, 650w psu, Asus P5K mobo, Windows XP. Don't really know what else to add.

I have tried many games and they all have freezing problems. I can play the games for a short period but eventually it will freeze up during gameplay, at which point the sound loops and I must restart the computer. I checked the ram using memtest86 with no issues.

I don't think overheating is the issue. Here are the temps I observed with Everest following a freeze up:

GPU: 57c Mobo: 37c HDD: 36c

That sounds good right? From what I've read elsewhere those are relatively cool temperatures.

I have the latest GPU driver from the manufacturer, and I have tried switching from on-board sound to a sound card but to no avail. I'm inclined to believe that it's a problem with the video card, since occasionally there are also graphical glitches when a game actually works, but alt-tabing out and back in usually corrects the problem.

This issue has been especially frustrating considering I originally built this machine to be used for gaming. Everything else works fine, but when I enter a game I have only managed maybe 30 minutes max gameplay before a freeze.

Any ideas?

 

You may need a better version of Direct X. I would check to see what level you would need. It goes up to Direct X 10. I use Direct X 9c for my games.

 

what are the temps for the CPU? What games are you playing? From what you have said it sounds so much like overheating... What brand is the PSU? how many amps does it have on the 12V rail? Does the computer freeze on other games or any other stressful applications like burning a DVD ect.?

 

Hey guys thanks for the replies.

@chasbolt: I'm using Direct X 9c.

@sup2a: Right now CPU temps are 37 and 40... haven't checked them during gameplay.

I've played Oblivion, Morrowind, Sims 2, Black and White 2, Dawn of War, Fable, Neverwinter Nights 2, Spore, and Star Wars KOTOR since building this comp and all have frozen at least once.

It's a Corsair PSU. Says on the box "combined 50A on +12V rails."

And the computer only seems to freeze during gameplay.

 

Have you checked all the temps during the time of the crashes? if not do so, it certainly does sound like the graphics card, try running a memory test besides that i dont know what to suggest. Try testing the card on another computer