Annoying Screen Blackouts

[Paceyourself]

<span class="postbody">Hello!I just received a new computer and installed EQ2. So far so good...Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3.0GHz, 1333FSB 6000K4GB PC6400 DDR2 800 Dual ChannelGeForce 8500GT 512Mb PCI EXpress 16X500.0GB Hitachi/ IBM 7200RPM SATA2, UDMA 300 8m cacheOkia 500W ATX Power SupplyMicrosoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64bitHere's what I've noticed. I'll be running around at between 60-80 fps and all of a sudden the screen will freeze, then blackout for a second and then come back on... The fps counter appears to continue at its normal rate. I'm running at "balanced" in full screen with no other modifications.Any suggestions?EDIT: This has happened in zones with no populations (that I can see) like the wide open plains of Antonica...</span>

[Zeroimagination]

<p>This sounds sorta similar to a problem I've been having.</p><p>Just to ask, are you using a DVI cable?  My computer acts quite like what you describe, but only when I use the DVI cable for my monitor.  If I use the standard VGA cable, it works perfectly.</p><p>It's not a fix - I want to use the DVI cable.  But it makes the situation tolerable.</p>

[Paceyourself]

No, using a standard VGA cable on a CRT monitor.

[Zeroimagination]

<p>Then I guess I'm still the only one I know having my problem, LOL.</p><p>Oh well, I can't get linux to recognize the DVI cable anyhow... so I've been using the standard VGA cable for that while I sort that out.</p><p>Sorry I couldn't help you and good luck!</p>

[Singsong]

I think what is happening is this. In Windows XP when you had a driver crash it would cause the system to reboot. In Windows Vista it will just try and restart the driver. I noticed on my machine when I was running Vista that when this happened it was because the video card driver had crashed and then reset itself. If you look in Vista it should tell you of the issue, I am just not 100% sure where it is at right now.

[megasajan1]

<p><a href="http://forum.cabalonline.com/showthread.php?t=26782" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://forum.cabalonline.com/showth...ead.php?t=26782</a> </p><p>Try this. Seems to be a Problem with Vista and Forceware,had the same Problem.</p><p>Edit: Stupid Forumsoftware btw </p>

[Paceyourself]

Sorry to hear that Zero, thanks for your input! I hope you get that fixed. <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />I think both Bronwen and <span class="name">megasajan1 hit the nail on the head for me. I remember seeing that error (I think) after exiting Everquest but I was up and going and saw it out of the corner of my eye. Thanks for the insights and the link. I'll give that a try and see what happens.</span>

[Paceyourself]

Ok, I tried the suggestions at the above link and then went to RoV... The most godawful place in the game for me. On my old system (even at "extreme performance&quot<img src="/smilies/8a80c6485cd926be453217d59a84a888.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> it was a crapshoot as to whether I'd crash and burn in there. Anyway, I ran completely around the place twice at balanced and suffered no blackouts or screen freezes. Not only that, I completed 2 collections! <img src="/eq2/images/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />Thanks!