Mysterious Lockups

  • Thread starter Thread starter Hamman
  • Start date Start date
H

Hamman

Ok, after 2 weeks and various pieces of hardware this PC is still locking up
at random points, for example after 3-5 mins of a game, 'scanning PCI
devices' in AIDA and occasinally on the desktop or in 3DMark.

I have the following hardware setup;

DFI 'LanParty' nForce2 Ultra
XP2200+ TbredA 266FSB
Creative FX5600 128Mb
768Mb PC2700 DDR (3 x 256Mb)
80Gb PATA Maxtor 7200rpm HDD
300w Sparkle PSU

The motherboard is a replacement from a failed KX7-333, but thats another
story.
The CPU has been tested on another board and works fine, the RAM passes
memtest continually for hours.
I have tried another 300w PSU, PCI graphics card and a different hard disk.

Yet it still locks up randomly... any ideas?

hamman
 
Ok, after 2 weeks and various pieces of hardware this PC is still locking up
at random points, for example after 3-5 mins of a game, 'scanning PCI
devices' in AIDA and occasinally on the desktop or in 3DMark.

I have the following hardware setup;

DFI 'LanParty' nForce2 Ultra
XP2200+ TbredA 266FSB
Creative FX5600 128Mb
768Mb PC2700 DDR (3 x 256Mb)
80Gb PATA Maxtor 7200rpm HDD
300w Sparkle PSU

The motherboard is a replacement from a failed KX7-333, but thats another
story.
The CPU has been tested on another board and works fine, the RAM passes
memtest continually for hours.
I have tried another 300w PSU, PCI graphics card and a different hard disk.

Yet it still locks up randomly... any ideas?

hamman
Click to expand...
I just had a new Biostar mobo like that. I run about 7 of the same
model. Swapping out everything but the mobo proved the new mobo was
the problem. RMA'd through newegg and the new setup runs perfect.
 
Andrew J said:
I just had a new Biostar mobo like that. I run about 7 of the same
model. Swapping out everything but the mobo proved the new mobo was
the problem. RMA'd through newegg and the new setup runs perfect.
Click to expand...

Thats what i thought, but this is the second nForce i've tried in the
system.

Thanks anyway.

hamman
 
Ok, after 2 weeks and various pieces of hardware this PC is still locking up
at random points, for example after 3-5 mins of a game, 'scanning PCI
devices' in AIDA and occasinally on the desktop or in 3DMark.

I have the following hardware setup;

DFI 'LanParty' nForce2 Ultra
XP2200+ TbredA 266FSB
Creative FX5600 128Mb
768Mb PC2700 DDR (3 x 256Mb)
80Gb PATA Maxtor 7200rpm HDD
300w Sparkle PSU

The motherboard is a replacement from a failed KX7-333, but thats another
story.
The CPU has been tested on another board and works fine, the RAM passes
memtest continually for hours.
I have tried another 300w PSU, PCI graphics card and a different hard disk.

Yet it still locks up randomly... any ideas?
Click to expand...

....And the OS is?

I once had a stick that passed memory tests but still didn't work
completely alright. So I don't trust memory tests 100%.

Take out one module, see what happens. Memory becomes more sensitive
the more modules you have.

Otherwise, I'd suspect something about your video driver setup.
Something more software related.

ancra
 
JAD said:
have you installed the OB LAN? have set the IP address to static or
DHCP?
Click to expand...
Both LAN cards are setup, i'm using the gigabit nVidia one.
The IP is one of my static WAN IP's from RIPE

hamman
 
ancra said:
...And the OS is?

I once had a stick that passed memory tests but still didn't work
completely alright. So I don't trust memory tests 100%.

Take out one module, see what happens. Memory becomes more sensitive
the more modules you have.

Otherwise, I'd suspect something about your video driver setup.
Something more software related.

ancra
Click to expand...
Sorry, its XP Pro SP1 with all updates.

I just tried all of the modules on thier own, but i'll get some off a friend
incase the stuff i have sent south with the old mobo.

I'm using the 56.72 video drivers and the latest nForce drivers if that
helps.

Thanks,

hamman
 
Thats what i thought, but this is the second nForce i've tried in the
system.

Thanks anyway.

hamman
Click to expand...

In some cases turning off BIOS Shadowing might fix it.
I would use a program to log the voltages. Look at them after a
problem. Asus Probe does this along with others. The 5 volt logs are
often the most important.
 
<The IP is one of my static WAN IP's from RIPE

is that connecting to the server ok? also the other one is setup for
what? Are you running a LAN currently? Router?
 
JAD said:
what is running in the background? software wise
Click to expand...

Background Software Running;

NAV Corporate 7.6
ZoneAlarm Pro
CloneCD Tray / Virtual Drive
HP Deskjet Monitor
nView
Soundstorm controll app

The thing is, it sometimes locks during windows setup, just before the first
reboot of the computer; so i was thinking it was more likely hardware based

hamman
 
JAD said:
<The IP is one of my static WAN IP's from RIPE

is that connecting to the server ok? also the other one is setup for
what? Are you running a LAN currently? Router?
Click to expand...
All of the LAN IP's are external ones, connected to an ADSL router with no
NAT.
Only one of the NIC's is connected to the network

hamman
 
shut down all software except what's needed. Sound is set to 5.1? try
and reduce the settings for a boot or two. what about safe mode? can
you navigate and not experience lock ups? will it boot through and not
stumble in safe mode??
 
I had lock up's when using a 300 watt psu,I went up to a 350 watt and it
went away.
Click to expand...
That would be my guess too. Although if he he has to buy now, he might as
well get a 550W. Amamax sells one that would power my A64 where my 400W
wouldn't. $15 shipped.
 
That would be my guess too. Although if he he has to buy now, he might as
well get a 550W. Amamax sells one that would power my A64 where my 400W
wouldn't. $15 shipped.
Click to expand...

... and that $15 PSU may not even have a true output higher than 300W, and
may fry components trying to exceed that.

I don't know how to break this to you, but the facts count. The fact is
that an A64 uses less power and you've been running yours for a relatively
short period of time, you have no idea if the 'board will be fried a year
from now.
 
.. and that $15 PSU may not even have a true output higher than 300W, and
may fry components trying to exceed that.
Click to expand...
And you'd have some brains if you hadn't crapped them out the last time
you sat on the toilet.
I don't know how to break this to you, but the facts count. The fact is
that an A64 uses less power and you've been running yours for a
relatively short period of time, you have no idea if the 'board will be
fried a year from now.
Click to expand...

Mark your calender and ask me in a year. And if you think the MB/A64 cpu
combo draws less current than the MB/Xp cpu combo, I've got some prime
beach front land in New Mexico for you. The 400W PSU that's been running
my XP system for a couple of years won't run my 64 system. But it was only
$10, so that's the problem. Hmmm... It's already be working over a year.
Does that count? Doies any of the other 300-400 systems I built thats been
running over 3 years count? Don't answer. I really don't care.
 
I had lock up's when using a 300 watt psu,I went up to a 350 watt and it
went away.
Click to expand...

Maybe... But I'm running a 1Gig, XP3000+, FX5900, 80GB hd, two modern
hispeed optical drives, soundblaster, - on a Sparkle 300W (FSP Watts
seem to be pretty 'big'). And he has tried an alternative PSU.

ancra
 
<snip>

Thanks for the help everyone, but it looks like the replacement motherboard
is faulty.

It just sits there making random clicking noises and the diagnostic LED's
going mEnTaL

Now i get to see how good DFI's support is...

Thanks,

Hamman
 
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