Problem with loading levels in HL2

[halflifeguy]

So I start playing.......everything is going great. I get through about 4 load points and then it seems like the game just freezes....wtf? I can exit back to my desktop but that takes like 3-5 mins for reasons unbeknownst to me. I think it might be overheating of my videocard. It's been doing that quite much lately so im trying to get a hold of a another fan to suck the the hot air out of the card.
Those 9800 pros get pretty hot, but i was wondering if it might be a problem other than over heating? Because it sometimes "Freezes" right in the middle of gameplay. Could it not be overheating? or did i hit the nail on the head and it is overheating?

 

[Beerdude26]

Yeah, sounds like overheating alright. What you could do is leave the case open and maybe put an external fan (those portable ones you use in the summer) in the direction of your open case. That kept it cool for me when my old computer lost its CPU fan.

Be warned that you will gather a LOT of dust in the case if you do this too long

 

[halflifeguy]

well i was thinking of doing that but since its cold in my basement i dont want me feet to freeze right next to the fan.
But i have to extra fans to put in my computer, but i have a f**king Dell so the mobo doesnt have any extra places for fans, let alone sockets to plug it into. But my friend was gonna lend me a conerter from a 4 pronged socket to a 3 so i can plug it in. and then ill just place it right under my video card to suck the air out