Windows 2000 Server - Random Hang/Freeze

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shaun Collett
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Shaun Collett

Hello,

Just built a new system and I'm experiencing random system freezes.
The screen simply locks with no mouse, keyboard, ctl-alt-del...
nothing. Only solution is to perform a hard reboot.

The system can sit for days without any issues, but then as soon as
start performing tasks, it freezes again.

I have all the latest drivers for everything... windows, video,
flashed the BIOS. Clean windows install went flawless.

System Specs:
Windows 2000 Server SP4
ECS L4VXA2 Motherboard
Intel P4 2.66 GHz Processor
250GB Maxtor Hard Drive
1GB PC2700 DDR
ATI Radeon 9200 AGP Video
Phillips Dobly Digital Sound Card
Linksys Ethernet Card

I suspect the video drivers. I have changed the BIOS AGP settings but
to no luck. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
 
Could be any number of things. Here's some issues to check out:

Problematic motherboard. Check the elite newsgroup:
alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.elitegroup for dialog concerning that mobo

Power supply: You got a lot of 'stuff' in there. Is your power supply rated
for the load and top notch?

Heat: Do you have a heat monitor in your setup? I always run with
MotherBoardMonitor in the system tray to keep an eye on the CPU temp.

Problemaic driver: I personally have never had good luck with ATI drivers.

I have been using an ECS K7S5A mobo with an AMD 1.4G Athlon for about 2
years with 0 lockups. I use a Nvidia chipset video card, onboard audio,
onboard NIC, onboard modem, USB and firewire all tied to the same IRQ.
Quality control of ECS boards does not run 100%, but I would probably check
that out last.
 
Thanks for the reply Roy.

I have all the latest mobo updates along with a 350W power supply.
The power supply is the standard that comes with an ATX case.

I've checked the CPU temp right after a crash and it's at 25 degrees
celcius. I haven't installed the Motherboard Monitor though.

I tried turning down the video hardware acceleration and it crashed at
"basic" accerlation but not at zero acceleration.

I also have the latest ATI drivers though just as you stated, I've
read a lot of people don't trust them so much.
 
Hi Shaun,
I have the same problem. Although I haven't found a fix for it yet.
From my research, the one thing eveyone has had in common is the same
model motherboard. Sorry I can't be of more help.
 
One thing you should do is go into your box and make sure all connectors,
ram, cards, ect, are seated tightly in their sockets. I have had such random
lock ups solved by doing just that.
 
Just to respond for any future people that may read this thread...

I changed the power management settings so the monitor never goes on
standby (Display Properties -> Screen Saver -> Power -> Turn Off
Monitor - Never). Haven't had a freeze for a couple days. This is
the longest time by far going without a freeze.
 
Just for the record, I want to say that I am also having the same
freeze-up problem, and I have the same model motherboard. (L4VXA2,
bios v 1.1c)

I suspect that the problem is caused by incorrect RAM timing...
 
I have found some ways to improve the stability of the L4VXA2
motherboard:

By changing to low-speed memory, the system crashes less frequently.
(Once a day, rather than once every half-hour.) 2100 DDR memory
works. 2700 DDR memory is very unstable.

By upgrading to BIOS version 1.1e, the system stops crashing as far as
I can tell. (3 days without a crash.)

summary: USE 2100 DDR memory and upgrade to 1.1e bios.
 
I have just isolated a W2k Advance Server BSOD issue to a
Linksys LNE100TX NIC driver.

For what it's worth.
Scott
 
I've upgraded to BIOS version 1.1e and I'm still having crash issues
(freeze with no ctl-alt-del or mouse action).

I didn't reinstall windows after flashing the BIOS.

Any thoughts?
 
(e-mail address removed) (Shaun Collett) wrote in
I've upgraded to BIOS version 1.1e and I'm still having crash issues
(freeze with no ctl-alt-del or mouse action).

I didn't reinstall windows after flashing the BIOS.

Any thoughts?

(e-mail address removed) (The Amish Avenger) wrote in message
Click to expand...

Do a couple of basic things to Windows 2000.

Chkdsk /f
SFC /checknow

I suspect though that this is still hardware problems and that you may
just have a bad motherboard, given the things that you have done that
have reduced the problem.

Leonard Severt

Windows 2000 Server Setup Team
 
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