|QUOTE (zBobG @ Mar 12 2009, 02:08)|
| "Exception Code: c0000005" is almost always caused by bad memory, too overclocked memory or a too overclocked CPU. It may be that the problem is not the overclocking itself but is caused by the resultant overheating.|
The exception means that an attempt was made to access memory that does not exist. Somehow the program was directed to read or write at a memory address that is simply wrong. If this continues to happen at random then the problem is most likely a hardware failure of the memory or a too aggressively overclocked CPU. It can also be a much more serious error caused by a motherboard failure but that is rare. A bad or marginal PSU can also cause this error to occur at random but you would see this error at any time the Computer was under a heavy load.
Your memory - Hyper X - is a high quality part and should be OK even when overclocked. Check in the BIOS or with CPU-Z to see that the memory is using the proper voltage.
1. Remove any overclocking on memory and CPU (and possibly the GPU) and see if the error goes away.
2. Run the DOS (or boot CD) version of Memtest86+ v2.01 to completely test the memory. If the memory can pass this test with no errors it is likely OK.
3. In Windows, run Prime95 (one, two or three instances simultaneously) to test the CPU and memory performance combined. Run the 'torture test' from the Prime95 options menu. Prime95 will fail very quickly, within a minute or so, if there is any instability. Prime95 will display any error in calculation that it detects, if no errors are found then you have passed this test. The Prime95 test should be run for a half hour to an hour with no errors detected to be considered successful.
4. Check your BIOS CPU performance settings carefully. Various BIOSes have performance "speed-up" settings which can cause instability, one setting in particular is intended to enhance the CPU performance over short periods of time but in a game like GTA4 can cause random failures particularly if the CPU is already being overclocked.
Some motherboards have issues with prime95, I would tell people to use intelburntest if I was you. Also the CPU trying to clock it self down will cause issues as well this is known for when you are overclocking. There are so many things here you are missing. He could just need more voltage for his CPU. You mentioned memory voltage suprised you didn't mention this. Asus had an issue running Prime95 on their P45 motherboards and came out with a newer version BIOS that resolved this issue and just yesterday, on extremesystems forums I seen a guy who was describing a perfect case of where prime95 was having an issue with his motherboard but, intelburntest was fine. The lynpack is what Intel uses any way, I would say it is safer to go with what Intel uses.