Windows 7 Win 7 64 bit freeze when using flash based online videos

[Toolbox]

Hello everyone,

I got a new Acer Aspire 7745G just a week ago, with a pre-installed Win 7 64 Bit system.
I can go on and on about what I installed on it so far, but I doubt it'll do much difference since I think I narrowed down the problem.
Basically whenever I try to watch online videos that are based on flash (for some reason it didnt happen to me with flash based online games) the computer freezes, screen goes black and there is an irritating sound from the speakers (depending on the last sound that was playing on the movie).
For now the problem seems to appear only on Firefox and Chrome, as the Internet Explorer seems to have worked around it and do fine... But I prefer using Firefox and this issue is very annoying.
I tried to look everywhere and noticed other people having similar issues but found no cure.
At one of those freezes, instead of freezing I got a popup message saying the ATI driver has been restarted which led me to believe it's either the graphic card or the driver.
Heavier games such as Fallout 3 work without an issue for a few hours on the computer, so I can only assume my Radeon Mobility HD 5850 is fine. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers from Acer support site but the problem persists.
Obviously I also tried uninstalling the Flash player, and it didnt solve anything.

My computer has a function of switching the cards, from the HD 5850 to the Intel onboard one... Tried that, problem solved !
Only I dont feel like keep switching back and forth, plus for some reason the computer sometimes changes back to the HD 5850 automatically after a period of time.

Still a bit scared it's my gfx card that has an issue (heard about those HD 5850 coming with defects), and if it is I should figure it out and go back to the shop to get the thing replaced while I'm still within my 14 days period of warranty. Then again, games and practically every other aspect of the computer is working fine... So I doubt it's that.

My current guess would be the ATI drivers, seeing as it all works fine on the intel based ones- But I dont know where to find different ones...

Ideas anyone ?

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you are facing a specific issue with your Acer Aspire 7745G laptop when watching online videos that are based on Flash. The problem manifests as the computer freezing, the screen going black, and an irritating sound coming from the speakers. Here are some suggestions to help you address this issue: 1. Update Graphics Drivers: - Since you suspect that the issue may be related to the ATI graphics driver, consider updating it to the latest version. You can download the latest drivers directly from the AMD website or Acer's support site. 2. Clean Graphics Driver Installation: - Sometimes, driver installations can be corrupted. Try performing a clean installation of the graphics drivers. This involves uninstalling the current driver completely and then installing the latest version. 3. Disable Hardware Acceleration in Browsers: - You can try disabling hardware acceleration in your web browsers (Firefox and Chrome) to see if it helps resolve the issue. Here's how to do it: - In Firefox: Go to Menu > Options > General, scroll down to the Performance section, and uncheck the box next to "Use recommended performance settings." - In Chrome: Go to Menu > Settings > Advanced > System, and toggle off the option for "Use hardware acceleration when available." 4. Check for Windows Updates: - Make sure your Windows 7 system is up to date by checking for and installing any available Windows updates. Sometimes, system updates can include fixes for compatibility issues. 5. Monitor System Temperature: - It's also a good idea to monitor the temperature of your graphics card while playing videos or games. Overheating can sometimes cause issues like the ones you are experiencing. 6. Contact Acer Support: - If the issue persists after trying the above steps, it might be worth reaching out to Acer's customer support for further assistance. They may have specific troubleshooting steps for your laptop model. By following these suggestions, you should be able to isolate and potentially resolve the issue you are facing with online videos and your graphics card on your Acer laptop. If you have any further questions or need more detailed instructions on any of the steps, feel free to ask!