help??

[steve]

hi all, dunno if you guys can help with this or not, but here goes anyway.
start up my comp, it runs really slowly, there are no apps running and if i
"ctrl alt del" it shows that explorer .exe is running at 92%.
its quite a new install, (about a week) and ive only installed my usual
software,

winxp
service pack 1
zone alarm
norton antivirus

athlon 2200
512 ddr
epox mobo
100gb hd
60gb hd
plenty of space left

any ideas

steve

 

[Tj]

1. win xp is buggy and slows you down. Might want to uninstall
2. Run Spybot and Adaware to check for spyware. These are free and you can
get them from www.cnet.com
3. Go to start then run and type MSCONFIG. Go to tab to far right ....then
startup. This shows you what is running in background. Turn off everything
(uncheck) and reboot.
4. Are you using antivirus?

 

[steve]

yea, i just installed the updates norton and then ran it but it turned up
nothing, i think i`ll try sisoft sandra to see if theres a hardware fault.
failing that i`ll go to my laast restore point. i ran adaware and xp antispy
but found nothing that would slow the machine down that much.
i`ll let you know what happens.

cheers for the reply

steve

 

[steve]

ok i ran sisoft sandra and it turns out that my mainboard is too hot. i
guess that could be part of the reason......
i`ll keep checking.

steve

 

[steve]

SiSoftware Sandra

System Summary
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Mainboard Information
Analysing...
CPU Temperature : 91.0°C / 195.8°F td
Notice 224 : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Tip 2511 : Some memory slots are free so the memory can be easily upgraded.
Warning 2518 : Mainboard temperature is too high.
Finished Successfully : Yes

CPU & BIOS Information
Analysing...
CPU Temperature : 92.5°C / 198.5°F td
Notice 224 : Processor 1 : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Warning 238 : Processor 1 : Cooler system thermal resistance too high. Check
cooler/transfer material!
Warning 239 : Processor 1 : Cooler system thermal resistance higher than
recommended. Check it!
Warning 215 : Processor 1 : CPU temperature is too high! Check fan(s)!
Notice 224 : System BIOS : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Tip 207 : System BIOS : A SMBIOS/DMI 2.3 or later compliant BIOS is
recommended. Check for a BIOS update.
Tip 212 : System BIOS : BIOS can be shadowed so check whether it is.
Tip 211 : System BIOS : BIOS is flash-able and socketed so it can be
upgraded when needed.
Finished Successfully : Yes

APM & ACPI Information
Analysing...
Notice 224 : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Finished Successfully : Yes

PCI, AGP, CardBus Bus(es) Information
Analysing...
Tip 1202 : Epox Computer Co Ltd VT8233A AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller :
Device does not support bus mastering.
Finished Successfully : Yes

Video System Information
Analysing...
Tip 322 : Primary Display Driver (display) : Turn off screen savers. Use the
monitor power saving mode.
Tip 323 : Primary Display Driver (display) : Remove the desktop wallpaper to
save memory and improve performance.
Tip 322 : NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 (\\.\DISPLAY1) @ \\.\DISPLAY1 : Turn off
screen savers. Use the monitor power saving mode.
Tip 323 : NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420 (\\.\DISPLAY1) @ \\.\DISPLAY1 : Remove the
desktop wallpaper to save memory and improve performance.
Tip 316 : Default Monitor : Use a Energy Star (DPMS) power saving monitor.
Warning 332 : Default Monitor : Use a Plug & Play/DDC compatible monitor and
video adapter.
Finished Successfully : Yes

Windows Memory Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Drives Information
Analysing...
Tip 1821 : 1.44MB 3.5" (A : Label (name) drive.
Tip 1821 : Hard Disk (C : Label (name) drive.
Warning 1800 : elin (D : Increase free disk space. Some programs may run
out of disk space.
Warning 1825 : elin (D : Consider compressing the drive. Compress or
delete unneeded files to increase free space.
Warning 1800 : steve (E : Increase free disk space. Some programs may run
out of disk space.
Warning 1825 : steve (E : Consider compressing the drive. Compress or
delete unneeded files to increase free space.
Warning : CD-ROM/DVD (F : Cannot obtain drive information; check that a
disk is in the drive and it is correctly formatted.
Finished Successfully : Yes

Ports Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Keyboard Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Mouse Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Sound Card Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Printer and Fax Information
Analysing...
Error : No printers detected. : Could not initialise the Print object!
Finished Successfully : Yes

MCI Devices Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Windows Information
Analysing...
Tip 1300 : Enter your company name or "Home" instead of "Unknown".
Finished Successfully : Yes

WinSock Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Processes Information
Analysing...
Tip 1601 : MS_WebcheckMonitor : Program consumes a large amount of memory.
Tip 1601 : Kazaa Lite - [Traffic] : Program consumes a large amount of
memory.
Finished Successfully : Yes

Modules Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

DirectX Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Font Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

OpenGL Video Information
Analysing...
Finished Successfully : Yes

Services Information
Analysing...
Tip 2130 : Background Intelligent Transfer Service : Service may be disabled
on Home/Professional OS version.
Tip 2130 : Help and Support : Service may be disabled on Home/Professional
OS version.
Tip 2130 : Messenger : Service may be disabled on Home/Professional OS
version.
Tip 2130 : IPSEC Services : Service may be disabled on Home/Professional OS
version.
Tip 2130 : Remote Registry : Service may be disabled on Home/Professional OS
version.
Tip 2130 : Secondary Logon : Service may be disabled on Home/Professional OS
version.
Tip 2130 : Distributed Link Tracking Client : Service may be disabled on
Home/Professional OS version.
Finished Successfully : Yes

ATA/ATAPI Information
Analysing...
Warning 3104 : ATA device (fixed) : Current mode not optimal. Check
settings.
Warning 3104 : ATA device (fixed) : Current mode not optimal. Check
settings.
Finished Successfully : Yes

Performance Tune-up Wizard
Finished Successfully : Yes

 

[Chris Stolworthy]

OK, you are running to hot.
I would recommend taking off your heatsink, wiping away all the excess
thermal paste, and reapplying. Not sure if you know this already but you
only need a very, very small amount of thermal paste. Just barely enough to
cover the chip. Also check the fan on your heatsink to make sure it is
still working, and blow out the heatsink to make sure there is no dust, etc
in it. Also if you can get the northbridge cooler off, you might want to
pull that off and reapply paste to it as well. I have found that with ALOT
of boards they put waaaay too much paste on for efficient thermal
conductivity. Also what is on your D drive? How much space is left? Try
turning off kazaa, and MS_Webcheckmonitor. Like TJ said before run MSCONFIG
and uncheck EVERYTHING under the startup tab. then add one thing at atime
until you find a *possible* problem component. If you still run too hot
after reapplying paste, get a fan and direct it into the case and see if
that fixes the problem, you may need a better heatsink. Hope this helps

Chris

 

[~misfit~]

CPU & BIOS Information
Analysing...
CPU Temperature : 92.5°C / 198.5°F td
Notice 224 : Processor 1 : SMBIOS/DMI information may be inaccurate.
Warning 238 : Processor 1 : Cooler system thermal resistance too
high. Check cooler/transfer material!
Warning 239 : Processor 1 : Cooler system thermal resistance higher
than recommended. Check it!
Warning 215 : Processor 1 : CPU temperature is too high! Check fan(s)!

CPU is much, much too hot. You say the build is only a week old. I don't
want to insult you as I don't know your level of expertise but are you sure
you fitted the HSF correctly? Don't continue to run it like that!! You are
risking destroying your CPU, in fact it could already be damaged.

Remove the HSF, reapply thermal compound (buy some if you used the thermal
pad that came with the AMD CPU, the pad isn't re-usable). Just use enough to
barely cover the CPU die with a paper-thin layer and smear a bit onto the
base of the HSF where the die contacts it, rub it in with your finger
covered in cling-film to fill any irregularities in the HSF contact surface.
(Clean all the old compound off first, using preferably isopropyl alcohol
or, failing that, meths will do, and a scraping device (credit card or
similar) if needed). Make sure you have the HSF fitted the right way around,
there is a step in it to accomodate the high side of the socket. (Usually
the side you have to clip on is nearest the power supply) Make sure the fan
is plugged into the fan header on the mobo correctly and the fan is
spinning.

Once you have it running install and configure Motherboard Monitor5 and set
it to display your CPU temp in the systray so you can keep your eye on it
easilly.

Good luck.

 

[steve]

i think you missunderstood, the computer is a few months old, i only
formatted and re-installed windows a week ago.
but anyway, as soon as ive had my coffee, i`ll get cracking.

 

[WORK]

well it blew up!.
yup, i took out the cpu, cleaned all the old paste off, re-applied new paste
vacuumed the fans, and stuck it all back together.
i checked all the connections, and switched it on.
firstly it refused to boot at all. i took it to bits again and checked and
re-checked all the connections, put it back together again, switched it on
and saw a small puff of smoke eminate from the processor region - at which
point i lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply and said the word "BOLLOCKS" loudly
and clearly.
i think the word suited the situation perfectly.
i think i will replace the motherboard and the processor this time because a
few days ago i posted a post entitled "cd drive weirdness", where the cd
drives started acting up - both of them. so i have a feeling that all was
not right with the mobo, and this could have contributed to the probs i
have - had.
well at least this machine works.

im holding a memerial service here, in this thread for whoever wants to
attend, in memory to a board and a processor that have been in many
machines, have stood up to many knocks and power failiures, that have helped
me work and play, and have been there im my darkest hours (apart from today
that is).

AMD
(another machine deceased)
amen.

steve

i think you missunderstood, the computer is a few months old, i only
formatted and re-installed windows a week ago.
but anyway, as soon as ive had my coffee, i`ll get cracking.

CPU is much, much too hot. You say the build is only a week old. I don't
want to insult you as I don't know your level of expertise but are you sure
you fitted the HSF correctly? Don't continue to run it like that!! You are
risking destroying your CPU, in fact it could already be damaged.

Remove the HSF, reapply thermal compound (buy some if you used the thermal
pad that came with the AMD CPU, the pad isn't re-usable). Just use

enough

 

[~misfit~]

well it blew up!.
yup, i took out the cpu, cleaned all the old paste off, re-applied
new paste vacuumed the fans, and stuck it all back together.
i checked all the connections, and switched it on.
firstly it refused to boot at all. i took it to bits again and
checked and re-checked all the connections, put it back together
again, switched it on and saw a small puff of smoke eminate from the
processor region - at which point i lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply
and said the word "BOLLOCKS" loudly and clearly.
i think the word suited the situation perfectly.
i think i will replace the motherboard and the processor this time
because a few days ago i posted a post entitled "cd drive weirdness",
where the cd drives started acting up - both of them. so i have a
feeling that all was not right with the mobo, and this could have
contributed to the probs i have - had.
well at least this machine works.

im holding a memerial service here, in this thread for whoever wants
to attend, in memory to a board and a processor that have been in many
machines, have stood up to many knocks and power failiures, that have
helped me work and play, and have been there im my darkest hours
(apart from today that is).

<~misfit~ has a moment of silence>

Sorry to hear.

 

[~misfit~]

well it blew up!.
yup, i took out the cpu, cleaned all the old paste off, re-applied
new paste vacuumed the fans, and stuck it all back together.
i checked all the connections, and switched it on.
firstly it refused to boot at all. i took it to bits again and
checked and re-checked all the connections, put it back together
again, switched it on and saw a small puff of smoke eminate from the
processor region - at which point i lit a cigarette, inhaled deeply
and said the word "BOLLOCKS" loudly and clearly.
i think the word suited the situation perfectly.
i think i will replace the motherboard and the processor this time
because a few days ago i posted a post entitled "cd drive weirdness",
where the cd drives started acting up - both of them. so i have a
feeling that all was not right with the mobo, and this could have
contributed to the probs i have - had.
well at least this machine works.

im holding a memerial service here, in this thread for whoever wants
to attend, in memory to a board and a processor that have been in many
machines, have stood up to many knocks and power failiures, that have
helped me work and play, and have been there im my darkest hours
(apart from today that is).

It certainly sounds like a mobo or (maybe) a PSU problem, and the CPU was
already damaged beyond reasonable use. They are only spec'ed to run at
either 85 or 90°C max. (Depending on model). I still don't understand why
the CPU was so hot though, with a properly spec'ed/mounted HSF with the fan
running and not overclocked/volted I find it hard to believe it actually got
that hot. Unless the mobo was giving it something like 2+ volts. Maybe the
mobo was so poked that the temp sensors were giving a false reading.

 

[WORK]

yea well, whats done is done.
i think it was time for a new mobo anyway, so why not throw in a new cpu
while im there.
cant understand it though, as you say, probably the mobo had something to do
with it.
cheers for all you help.

steve