Help with NL computer problem

I've been running NL for several years now, and never had any problem. Last night, though, a problem arose, and it seems to not be going away. It doesn't matter which coaster I'm running in the sim mode - the computer suddenly freezes and/or turns off and reboots. Clearly, something has gone wrong. How do I determine if it's a computer problem (it's a Dell under warranty so I can call Dell) or if it's a NL problem? Any suggestions or ideas? I'm not terribly great with computers, so I'll appreciate some help, but need it to be in "layman's" language. Thanks!

Is it ONLY when you run the NL sim, or does this happen with other 3d applications, too?

Originally posted by boneplaya

Is it ONLY when you run the NL sim, or does this happen with other 3d applications, too?

I don't know that I use any other 3d applications. I said I don't know much about computers. What other 3d applications might I try?

Thanks for the response!

If you make 3ds for your rides, whatever program you use to make those is a 3d application. Does the computer crash when you use those?

maybe you should update your drivers?

Thanks for the suggestions. No, I don't run any 3ds programs, and I hate to admit that I have no idea how to update drivers. I googled that, and looked at the device manager, and was completely confused. I think I'll call Dell, since I paid extra for a customer support warranty.

[Oscar]

Since you paid extra for the customer support warranty, it would be best to call them up and explain to them and see if they can walk you through updating your video drivers and see if that works. It's odd that all of a sudden it would start freezing.

Just to provide further information, it appears the problem is more serious than I thought. Yes, it came up very suddenly. It started Tuesday evening. Wednesday, it happened most of the time with NL, but not every time I ran a ride. Today, I found the "blue screen of death" (someone failed to turn the computer off last night), and when I rebooted it - twice - all I could get was a flashing screen of black. So if I pulled up "my documents", I'd first get a black screen, then it would freeze. And that was the case with everything. I never got to my email. Not good. I'll never buy a Dell again. This is about the 5th time in 5 years that it's crashed. It may not be a crash, but I'm not happy.

[Oscar]

That seems like there is a problem with the RAM. Did you write down the error message on the blue screen of death? If you didn't, next time it happens, write it down. Tech support is likely to ask you what it said when you call them. I had a similar problem on a Dell and it turned out to be a bad RAM chip.

I will write down the error number; you're right - I should have. I was just so surprised to see that this morning.... It'll probably be a couple of days before I get to call Dell so it'll probably happen again, if it will allow it to boot up far and long enough to have that screen appear.

Well, I got the blue screen again and wrote down all the info. I'll call Dell tonight. I think it has something to do with the video card. Unfortunately, I can't do anything because the computer boots up and then basically freezes. The error code is "nv4_disp", which, according to Google, seems to be video card-related. Wish me luck.

[Oscar]

oh, that sucks. yay to new video card! boo to down time!

Well, if it's a video card, and if Dell considers that to be hardware, my warranty is in-home fix. So I'll like that. If they consider it to be software, I have to do it over-the-phone, which may not be too good. I'm no computer whiz (but know more than my wife who, with a new computer at work, had to have "google" bookmarked because she didn't know how to find it or her employer's website).