System Crash: Hardware or Software?

  • Thread starter Thread starter maxf15
  • Start date Start date
M

maxf15

My computer freezes while using certain utilities. I am trying to
narrow it down. System:

Mobo: Biostar M7NCG
Chip: AMD Athlon AMD 2500+
RAM: 1.5 Gig
HD: (1) WD 120 Gig
(1) WD 60 Gig
OS: Win XP Home
Video: ATI All In Wonder Radeon 7500

While typing a message in outlook, my computer will just freeze, no
cursor movement, can't Ctl-Alt-Delete reboot, just a frozen screen. No
error message either. Event viewer doesn't record anything. I have
run some memory diagnostics, RAM pased all the tests, as did the Hard
drives. I am thinking perhaps it's the mobo? Can anyone offer any
advice on troubleshooting?

Max
 
My computer freezes while using certain utilities.
I am trying to narrow it down. System:
Click to expand...
Mobo: Biostar M7NCG
Chip: AMD Athlon AMD 2500+
RAM: 1.5 Gig
HD: (1) WD 120 Gig
(1) WD 60 Gig
OS: Win XP Home
Video: ATI All In Wonder Radeon 7500
Click to expand...
While typing a message in outlook, my computer will just freeze, no
cursor movement, can't Ctl-Alt-Delete reboot, just a frozen screen.
No error message either. Event viewer doesn't record anything.
I have run some memory diagnostics, RAM pased all the tests,
as did the Hard drives. I am thinking perhaps it's the mobo?
Can anyone offer any advice on troubleshooting?
Click to expand...

Unfortunately for you, you can get that
result with both software and hardware.

I'd personally Ghost the install and do a clean reinstall and
see if you get the same result with the clean install with
whatever you do that gets that freeze most of the time.
If the clean reinstall fixes the problem, its software.

The tests dont prove a lot with hardware, and it depends on
what you used to test the ram. MEMTEST86 is the best for ram.

Its unlikely to be the hard drive with that symptom.

Does the motherboard have visibly bad capacitors ?
These are the usually blue or black plastic coated
posts sticking up vertically from the motherboard.
If they are bad they are usually visibly bulging,
particularly the flat metal tops arent flat anymore.
You can get visible leakage if they are very bad.

It'd be worth trying a simple basic video card too.

Make sure the system isnt overclocked too.
 
Bob said:
(e-mail address removed) wrote
Click to expand...
That's the reason.
Click to expand...

Complete pig ignorant drivel.
If you can read this, thank a teacher.
Click to expand...

More drivel. Not everyone got taught to read by a teacher.
If you are reading it in English, thank an American soldier.
Click to expand...

More drivel in spades. If you yanks had chosen to
just brush off Pearl Harbour like a dead fly, let the
Japs have it if they wanted it that bad, there would
still be plenty who superficially speak english even now.
 
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