Thanks for the info, David! I went through 3 pages of the recent threads but didn't find anything of similar topic so I thought this problem is something that just surfaced and I was the guinea pig. Will look it up when i wake up tomorrow. Thanks again!!!

Acadia should be renamed wiki-cadia ;)

that sounds like a great tip there Larry, thank you so much! i wrote it down for when i get the new monitor. =)

thank you soooo much for that helpful link, Acadia!!! my monitor is down to it's last few breaths i think. not only does it fluctuate every now and then, the top and bottom has this distorted line on it, lol. i guess it's high time to get a new one soon.

wow, i do have photoshop CS but wasn't aware it has the ability to calibrate the monitor for me, thanks very much for the info, Acadia!!!

i have had people ask me about that. i love my old monitor and really don't like LCD's much because i get massive headaches from them (don't know why exactly). i have worked far too long with my screen and have gotten so used to it that each time i view my renders in someone elses computer using an LCD i'm always amazed at the difference.

here's one from rebelmommy, i know i will be getting her when she's available for purchase ;)

http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/index.php?image_id=1345610

Oh,  this thread is still alive? Wowza!!! I actually hung the towel to dry right after my last post because as you can see not all of us agree with one another about this issue and really, I am wasting enough time as it is. But just for a few minutes more...

As far as constructive criticisms go - I am for it...nobody really is perfect and so we cannot create anything flawless. Renderosity WAS my main gallery but have since decided to venture elsewhere. I have made plenty of friends here which is why I am compelled to still post my renders here. So this place holds a sentimental value to me. My present main gallery is a totally different world to me. I love it for what it is and "friends" out there may one day think you did a great job but will definitely tell you when something's amiss. So I am constantly on the look out for simple little things I may have missed before posting.

Now, with criticisms, I need something I can compare it to. It's harder for me to take someone's critique without any credentials attached to the name. For all I know I may be following someone's crappy ideas of how my render should look. I don't want a case of the blind leading the blind - how else can one step forward an inch if the one leading the other is as blind as a bat with a peg leg to boot? I have plenty in my other gallery though - most of them know the ins and outs of the 3d world (those I listen to and listen hard). Some don't know a thing about it but are still intent to tell me what I should have done - those I rarely listen to. The others have a gallery (dare I say) that could use some work a lot more than mine but still thought mine needs critiquing a lot more than theirs - those I cringe at. So what I am saying is - critique all you want but if one thinks I should listen - then show me something I can aspire to - preferably one that is made by the critic himself...otherwise I'll be battling on as usual, thank you very much =).

Now, back to cuddle time with my kids....really, I am so done with this thread - no matter how we twist and whine and gripe and demand to be heard - it is still going to be divided. So, I agree to disagree.

So basically you're saying that those who upload their rendered images in the gallery (or galleries) are fishing for attention? Okay, I didn't know that. Bugger all the constructive crisiticisms and the quest to get better in this medium - give me attention damn it!

I think both galleries has it's own sets of pros and cons. Traditional artists would argue that Renderosity caters more to 3D (have heard that a number of times). I have an account in both, however, I get a lot more commissions through DA than here. One thing that frustrates me though is the fact that most would turn up their noses once they hear the P word uttered. If it is indeed an easy tool and people uses "pre-made" figures to create an image then there wouldn't be a single crappy poser image out there right? We all have to start somewhere...it took me months to learn my way around it and it was only because of the people that gave me feedbacks and suggestions on how I can improve it. Instead of being all high and mighty about how big ones software is - why not help those that you think needs their craft improving? Afterall isn't that what a "community" is supposed to be?

yep, i think that was part of the problem and was the first thing we did. it helped a bit but the freezing problem persisted but since we replaced the video card it's been working alright. just need to get an upgrade for it because it is an old video card we had laying around. thanks very much for the input =)

UPDATE:

we replaced the video card with an older one we had laying around and guess what - yep, the freezing stopped and it's now semi-working. i still need to upgrade it though but for the time being i am happy that it has stopped freezing. many thanks to you guys for pitching in with suggestions! big hugs to you all!!!

that's quite funny...when i look at art, no matter the medium i always look for how well it is done and not pile everyone in the same garbage as the others.

i keep hearing a lot of people bash poser, but 75% of them hasn't even touched the software to see it for what it is. whenever someone pops in my gallery at dev art and asks me why i use it, i'd always say "because it is the one software i can afford aside from vue and if given the chance that i can afford the high end ones, i'll probably be better than most of them".  people have preconceived notions just because poser uses what they call a "ready made" figures and props but lemme tell ya, without  an understanding of how the lighting, materials, and all the other things involved in it and let's not forget IMAGINATION - you won't be able to generate a decent artwork. i get a lot of commissions using poser...granted, i only use it to create the first part of the scene and finish it off in vue but i still use it. bottom line to this really is - jealousy. because nobody really fav or watches them as much as people do with other 3d users out there and some of them happens to use poser and that really gets their undies in a bunch.

in closing, like i always say - their software might be bigger than mine, but i know how to use mine ;)

Here is a new wrinkle.  When in SAFE mode, there is no problem.  This seems to rule out the power supply and video card issues.  However, a full scan from Norton Anti-virus revealed no issues there as well.

The registry has been cleaned out and anti-spyware run. 

It could be a corrupt file in some non-vital (not loaded in safe mode) area of windows, but how to narrow it down?  A re-load of the OS would result in the loss of non-replaceable software that has been lost over the years. 

Any thoughts on ways to narrow down the culprit?

wow...i did think about a virus as a possible culprit but i guess i tried to brush it off lol. i will have my honey read this tomorrow when he wakes up and see if we can look into this. thanks very much Angeluscuitry - lotsa hugs to ya!