WTF is wrong with my computer

General
1

I need help.

I recently got Steam up and running with Portal, everything working fine. I then found out about Garry’s Mod, and promptly got that, installed it, etc.

HOWEVER!

Whenever I load GMod up, I can get to the Select Screen, then as I load a level, I get a bizarre error message,

internal driver error in IDirect3DDevice9::Present()

of which I’ve checked Google, to no comprehensible effect. The MSDN site doesn’t make things any easier, as it puts everything into C++, and me an illiterate barbarian.

Any help? I’ve been here a while, so I know that at least one of you knows what I be talkin aboot.

Specs:
Pentium 4 3.0Ghz
Radeon X300
1 Gig Ram
Latest Updates to Radeon and Direct X installed

Edit: Now, the error is merely “hl2.exe has encountered an error and needs to close.”

However, this is still perplexing, so I still need the help.

2

I blame the X300 ATI sucks

3

Well, the oddest thing is, every once in a while, the blasted thing works. And then when I try it again, it fails.

As for the ATI Failure idea, well, I’m kinda stuck with what I got for the moment, and I know it can be worked around; how, though, is beyond me, which is why I ask you for help.

4

The problem is indeed your graphics card, but I can’t help you much farther than that. Try reinstalling your graphics drivers?

5

A problem in direct x 9? <_<
Not that I know how to fix it, even though I fixed it myself recently… interestingly, with a Radeon X1550.

Try installing DX9 again?
Sorry, that’s all I got.

6

Drivers
Direct X 9c

for all the good it may do >_>