Out Of Range (melon Melon Melon)

[Sulkdodds]

Posted here instead of in HL2 forums because of A. spoilers and B. I have a feeling it's not a problem with HL2 specifically.

Booted up Episode 1 and played quite far into the first level. At the part when you have to throw the glowy balls into their slots to activate the energy bridges, I suddenly get fro-fro-fro-fro-fro-fro-frozen and up comes 'OUT OF RANGE!' and some resolutions or something. I think "shit." Screen goes away. But then it's replaced by artefacts, green and yellow, and I think "**************** my graphics card" and reset the computer.

On reboot, everything is fine, but I am scared.

I shut down the computer and unplug it before opening it up and putting my finger lightly on the metal heatsink on the ATi Radeon 9600 SE. It's hot. I remember that I left the computer on all day so it would download Episode 1, and it IS summer.

And so I post here - because the problem isn't happening right now, but I haven't yet tried to play Episode 1 again. Does anyone know what might have caused this, how likely it is to happen again, and how I can stop it if necessary?

With the suspicion that it's overheating causing the problem I have resolved not to use my PC between 11am and 1pm. Any other help would be wonderful.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Link]

If its not repeatable, its hard to say what the problem is. It could be a one off glitch, so I suggest you carry on as usual. If it dosen't happen again, then don't worry about it.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Well, two things to add:
1. It was a monitor error - like when I adjust brightness settings - and not a windows or dos error.
2. I completed EP1 today and had no problems whatsoever (after installing new drivers, just in case).

I expect it was just a one-off thing as the PC had been on all day and I WAS experiencing some rendering errors with the game.

Thanks for your help - will post if it happens again.

 

[bryanf445]

Yea crazy stuff like happens all of the time. Usually I dont get scared until the problem happens frequently.

 

[Ennui]

Yea crazy stuff like happens all of the time. Usually I dont get scared until the problem happens frequently.

all of the time == frequently
scared yet

 

[giant384]

ive only had that problem when i changed the resolution of the game to a resolution my monitor couldnt handle