NEED HELP --> computer freezing randomly!

[meltait]

I’ve got a hugely irritating problem, and a big post to go with it ….I'm not sure if this is an XP problem or a hardware problem, but I'll explain what is happening...

I recently built a new computer (a little over a month ago) with the help of a comp sci friend who has a built a bunch. We had no problem putting it together, except for a little difficulty with the heat sink that came with the processor, which scared the crap out of me – but then we got everything running without a CPU problem. I installed windows XP Pro, and it did freeze forcing me to restart the install twice. Once it was installed though I had pretty much no problem installing everything. I think at first my computer hung a couple times, which I attributed to not having all of the XP updates, or little hardware problems. As time went on my computer was better. Just over a week ago I took my sister’s comp in for a tune up and I got the XP SP2 from the computer store. They installed it on my sister’s comp, so when I came home I installed it on mine. After that the computer froze a few times over the course of a couple days, so I assumed there was something funky with SP2. I uninstalled it and reinstalled SP1. I had no more problems for a couple days until today when my computer froze after Halo was exited and winamp 5.04 was playing. The computer speaker was beeping repeatedly so I turned the system off. I turned it on again earlier this evening and in about half an hour it has hung 3 or 4 times. All while IE and winamp were open. So, I have no clue what is going on. I’m typing this in word and saving it, hoping the computer won’t freeze!!

Here are my full computer specs:

Windows XP Version 2002 SP1 (now)
P4 2.8E 1MB
ASUS P4C800-E Deluxe (ver 1016.001 BIOS)
Sapphire Radeon 9600 256MB
Maxtor 120GB 7000 RPM, 8MB
Western Digital 80GB 7000 RPM, 8MB
Syntech 256 MB DDR400 RAM
Plextor PX-708A DVD +/- RW
Regular old monitor, Logitech keyboard and mouse (both PS2)
Antec case + 375W SmartPower PS

I have both ad-aware and Spybot installed and have run them recently. I have McAfee Enterprise 7.1 and the on-access scan running.

Okay, the only two things I can think of are:
The RAM is no-name, and I was little worried about that when I bought it, but I’m not a hardware wizard so I’ve no idea if that could be causing these problems.
Installing and then uninstalling SP2 and then installing SP1 did a number on something?

Just of note there have been a few strange things happening with my computer over the past couple weeks:
• 2 or 3 times I’ve lost the internet connection (that goes through my dad’s router) but there’s been nothing wrong with my Ethernet connection or the LAN connection – then it randomly works again on it’s own or after a restart.
• When I restarted this evening, using the physical reset button on the computer, there was some sort of error at the boot saying that the BIOS was messed up (I can’t remember the message) and it was looking for a CD to boot something from…I restarted it again, and it worked. The computer froze again a little while later and this time when I restarted it the ASUS POST reporter (that irritating chick’s voice ) was reporting: system fail, CPU check. I turned the system off and restarted it, but it booted fine. WEIRD! Then I think it may have hung again after that.

Well, the computer hasn’t hung since I started writing this (a 2nd time) and I don’t have winamp 5.04 running – every time my comp has frozen it has either been running, winamp 5.04, Thief 3 or Halo, or Internet Explorer. Anyway, I really need some help with this. I do a lot of video editing on my computer, and it’s really important that it doesn’t hang!! If this needs to be moved to a different thread then that’s perfectly cool. If someone has ANY ideas please post them! Or you can even email me at taiters13@hotmail.com …. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

-Melissa

[etherfox]

This sounds very much like a thermal problem. This is only a preliminary evaluation, but go ahead and re-install your cpu and make sure the heatsink is rated for the particular cpu you're using (Unless you're using the stock sink that came with the system) and make sure you're applying the thermal conductive paste properly (thin but smooth and homogeneous). Bottom line, I don't think this is an XP issue, but rather a hardware overheating problem. If you can, run a temperature monitoring utility to check out the temps of your cpu while it's running.

This thread may be better off in the hardware section

[meltait]

thanks for the post!!

I did think about that, but it is a stock heat sink. Also, i've watched my BIOS track the CPU heat and the fan speeds, and everything seems fine. Also, it doesn't seem to get any worse after the computer has been on for a while..... maybe I should get a utility other than the one included in the BIOS?

this could still be better off in the hardware section though, i've no clue....

thanks again for your help!

[etherfox]

Try Motherboard Monitor, it can track your temps while you're in windows

http://mbm.livewiredev.com/

[meltait]

I've been monitoring the temp of my cpu and case, and it never goes above 45 C for the cpu and 30 C for the case.

So if this is okay, then does anyone know what the problem is?

Thanks!
melissa

[kma1968]

I still have to agree that it is likely thermal. You may have a marginal device/chip on your motherboard. Although 85c is the standard for general/commerical temp testing/release of chips, some are tested at room temp but characterized in development over temp, so a marginal one could have slipped by during a fabrication/assembly probe. If it is marginal then it is unpredictable regardless of the amount of time running. That may not be it, but it sounds like it - at least a possibility- not something u want to hear. intermittent problems stink. I would start with a reformat - totally clean install. Don't touch sp2 for now. If it comes back, u may have to play the swap and test game on your hardware.

[yuvyuv]

Originally Posted by kma1968

I still have to agree that it is likely thermal. You may have a marginal device/chip on your motherboard. Although 85c is the standard for general/commerical temp testing/release of chips, some are tested at room temp but characterized in development over temp, so a marginal one could have slipped by during a fabrication/assembly probe. If it is marginal then it is unpredictable regardless of the amount of time running. That may not be it, but it sounds like it - at least a possibility- not something u want to hear. intermittent problems stink. I would start with a reformat - totally clean install. Don't touch sp2 for now. If it comes back, u may have to play the swap and test game on your hardware.

i have got the same problem !!!!!!!!!!!
but on windows 98 it's works for me fine, without any problem, and it won't freeze at all, but when i am using linux, or windows xp, it freezes, now the problem is that i now need to use windows xp, for a program which requires it, what shall i do ?

[corgi5623]

Yes, I have the same problem and I have the same specifications (Well, almost)

When I am playing a game, it randomly freezes after 30 minutes and the speakers emit a constant beep.

I called someone in and It is not a thermal problem as we have had huge fans installed that do 2380 RPM for the case and 3800 RPM for the CPU so it can not be a thermal problem

I have considered it being a CPU error as it may not be workingfast enough (Underclocked) but I just do not know. It may be graphics card or some other incompatibility.

[Gibb]

I have the same problem as well. My PC randomly just stops- mouse doesn't work, keyboard doesn't work, clock on the screen is frozen. The only thing I can do is hit the power switch. I have run all the tests I can think of and they always say everything is fine.

This started about 12 months ago, and back then would only happen when I was playing graphics-intensive games. It was driving me mad, until I read somewhere on the internet about someone with a similar problem who solved it by making sure the power supply connection to the motherboard was pushed in firmly. I tried that and the problem didn't rear its infuriating head for about 9 months- but it has just started again, and that solution hasn't helped this time round.

Does anyone know of a diagnostic program or anything that might isolate the problem?

[corgi5623]

Originally Posted by Gibb

I have the same problem as well. My PC randomly just stops- mouse doesn't work, keyboard doesn't work, clock on the screen is frozen. The only thing I can do is hit the power switch. I have run all the tests I can think of and they always say everything is fine.

This started about 12 months ago, and back then would only happen when I was playing graphics-intensive games. It was driving me mad, until I read somewhere on the internet about someone with a similar problem who solved it by making sure the power supply connection to the motherboard was pushed in firmly. I tried that and the problem didn't rear its infuriating head for about 9 months- but it has just started again, and that solution hasn't helped this time round.

Does anyone know of a diagnostic program or anything that might isolate the problem?

Yes, the problem may be due to hardware acceleration. It helps fix the problem (But may not compleately stop it) if you disable it.

The following instructions are for Windows XP on how to disable it:

Right click anyware on desktop
Select properties
Click settings tab
Click advanced
Click troubleshoot tab
Move hardware acceleration tab to none (To the left)
Click OK
Restart your computer

[corgi5623]

My hardware accelertion tip does not work for me!!

I think it may be a compatability error on my computer as when playing graphics intense games (black hawk down etc.) it does not add color but you just see basic shapes - wireframe structures and does not build the graphics up although the problem was slightly cured when I set the graphics detail to medium.

On my computer, I reckon it is a graphics card incompatibility/problem

[rlynn_082000]

Can anyone give me any help to fix my computer? The problem is that there is no sound at all on my computer. I've checked everything all wires and all but nothing. Also it freezes contantly. Also when I try to restart it goes through the whole process but when it comes to the time where it needs to turn back on it freezes. You can still hear it running, i waited a while, but nothing so i have to hold the power button in order to turn it off then push it again to turn back on. I really think it's sum sort of virus. I've tried the restore cd's which erase everything and restart the computer like if you barely bought it but it still does the same thing. PLEASE SUM1 HELP ME!!!!!!!

[tomgra]

Originally Posted by rlynn_082000

Can anyone give me any help to fix my computer? The problem is that there is no sound at all on my computer. I've checked everything all wires and all but nothing. Also it freezes contantly. Also when I try to restart it goes through the whole process but when it comes to the time where it needs to turn back on it freezes. You can still hear it running, i waited a while, but nothing so i have to hold the power button in order to turn it off then push it again to turn back on. I really think it's sum sort of virus. I've tried the restore cd's which erase everything and restart the computer like if you barely bought it but it still does the same thing. PLEASE SUM1 HELP ME!!!!!!!

rlynn_082000 as far as your computer freezing this could be due to your HDD going bad. Do you hear your HDD grinding or does it sound louder than usual? If so run scan to see what errors you get. Or this could be due to your power supply going bad on you. What you will need to check the PS is a Volt-Ohm meter. This will test the voltage your PS is giving. Red wires shoul read +5 and yellow should read +12. Try this and see what happens.

[corgi5623]

Originally Posted by rlynn_082000

Can anyone give me any help to fix my computer? The problem is that there is no sound at all on my computer. I've checked everything all wires and all but nothing. Also it freezes contantly. Also when I try to restart it goes through the whole process but when it comes to the time where it needs to turn back on it freezes. You can still hear it running, i waited a while, but nothing so i have to hold the power button in order to turn it off then push it again to turn back on. I really think it's sum sort of virus. I've tried the restore cd's which erase everything and restart the computer like if you barely bought it but it still does the same thing. PLEASE SUM1 HELP ME!!!!!!!

It could be a sound card incompatibility with the motherboard seeing as they are connected to each other - that would describe why it's freezing, maybe the speakers are wierd or faulty. This is common for the onew with about 8 speakers and subwoofers instead of the bog standard 2 that come out of the box. I have the more complicated type with subwoofer and everything, but only 2 of the 8 speakers work!!

[corgi5623]

MY COMPUTER IS FIXED!!
This geeky professional bloke fixed it for us and it turned out to be an incompatibility with the graphics card and motherboard.

This will be my last post here on this thread so goodbye people and friends!!