I do run the PC with the cover “open” - the side panel detached and just leaning against the main case. The fans all run - I feel the breeze from each. (nearly lost a fingertip to one of them the other day, but it didn’t seem to hurt it to any greater degree) - I’ll check the power lead.
I didn’t install the CPU myself - the problem at the time was so baffling to me that I took it to professionals - who got me the new mobo and CPU.
No similar problems with other games, but it’s worth noting that I haven’t played many other graphics-intensive games since the incident. Diablo II and Neverwinter Nights don’t exactly create the graphics demand of City of Heroes.
Did you specifically check the fan attached to the videocard? My Ti card has a factory heatsink and fan on it.
Neverwinter Nights would be a better test than Diablo II, I think, especially some of the big fight scenes. At hi-res, it should tax your card almost as much as CoH. If memory serves, ours was the current generation of cards when NwN was new. It could be that CoH is referencing a fried memory address on the card that isn’t getting referenced by other games, but I couldn’t begin to tell you how to debug that.
The 9600 Pro would likely give you marginally better performance than your current card and, if memory serves, it is a true DX9 card. It’s a shame though, because you have a good card, when it works properly.
NCSoft Tech Support hopefully already asked you to do this, but have you done a thorough, time-consuming HD scan on your PC? This will check for bad disk sectors.
NWN seems to run pretty darn well on my machine - I can even multitask with NWN. (It doesn’t like it much, but I’ve had a single crash while Alt-Tabbing, and that’s it)
It is a shame - and I wish the problem were consistent each time. And it may be a confluence of problems, complicating the matter.
For you, or any other dopers reading this who may not know (in case you do and I’m repeating the obvious):
Go to “My Computer”
Right click on your hard drive (usually C:)
Choose “Properties”
Go to the “Tools” tab
Under “Error Checking” choose “Check Now”
Check off all options.
I’m pretty sure with the options checked, it will prompt you to reboot and will run the scan before loading windows.