G51Jx-X2 Locking Up

This just happened recently, I'm running Windows 7 64-bit and everytime I run Steam.exe, my system completely locks up and I'll have to hard shut down when it happens by holding the power button. I just tried a live CD of Ubuntu, and it'll get past the Welcome sound but there's no desktop, the whole screen is just a distorted image of my Windows desktop background. There isn't a menu or mouse or anything, just the distorted picture on the whole screen. I just updated to BIOS 208 because I thought it would fix the Steam issue, but it didn't. I didn't try the Ubuntu idea before I flashed. What could be wrong?

 

If you have Realtek audio, update your drivers.

 

Would sound drivers be the cause of a Live CD failing to work?

 

The ubuntu problem is separate, a LiveCD will load its own environment independent of your hard disk, it's probably some sort of incompatibility with the version you're using. A different (earlier or later) release or some boot options (like safe graphics mode) might fix that.

Your steam problem is different, have you tried running chkdsk on your drive, or reinstalling steam?

 

I'm using the newest Ubuntu 10.10 x64. Should I try reflashing my BIOS to 206?

Yes I have tried reinstalling steam. I'm thinking about reformatting completely, or dual-booting if I can get Ubuntu working.

 

I'm not sure flashing the BIOS is going to make much of a difference with steam locking up when it launches.

You should try checking your disk for errors with chkdsk before you think about reformatting.

You're not getting a BSOD, just a soft lockup? Check your event viewer and try to pinpoint the time your system halted to see if anything shows up in the log. You might also want to try reinstalling your intel platform drivers and removing any peripherals, since lockups can be caused by all kinds of things, it's best to whittle down the possibilities.

The Ubuntu problem should go away if you hit F4 at the boot screen and choose safe graphics mode:



https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BootOptions#Changing%20the%20CD%27s%20Default%20Boot%20Options

If you install Ubuntu you shouldn't have a problem with the proprietary NVIDIA driver.

 

That option doesn't exist for the Ubuntu 10.10 Live CD. I just booted up Ubuntu 10.04 live CD without a problem. This must be a problem with Ubuntu 10.10?

 

Sorry, on 10.10 you want the nomodeset option from the F6 menu instead since the safe graphics option is gone now.