requesting PC help again

[jow104]

I got a new computer 3 months ago and lock ups have never stopped since the purchase.

PC/Windows xp/2. 3600amd dual/ 2gb ram/ nvida card. 350gb hard drive.

I have been systematically removing software over the past three months looking for a conflict.

It locks up a lot in O/E & I/E.

But it even locks up when I am having a snooze in the old armchair and no software is operating (at least on the screen).

Does that last comment mean anything to a PC garu?

By the way here is the reward to anyone solving the problem for me.

http://www.asvr14.dsl.pipex.com/CandleInTheWind2.mp3

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[mutanti]

Being a new computer i would most likley put heat out of the equation for now.
Try removing 1 of the sticks of ram,, and run for awhile.. if it dosent solve try removing the other one.. remove any pci cards . best way to try and solve it is process of elimination. if only so old then best to take it back to dealer to fix for you as per warranty if its been doing it since new,
I run my own business repairing computers and teaching as well. and usually find freezing caused by overheating. but being so new should not be the case.

Cheers

Freddy

[woodbe]

Take it back..

Freddy is on the money. If it's locking up and it's new, you are probably running yourself ragged mucking around with software when in all likelihood it's a hardware problem...

[Ianab]

I hate those ones
Because it simply locks up there is never any meaningfull error message, and running diagnostics doesn't help, because it locks up before it can tell you whats wrong

Over the years I think I've had almost every component in a PC cause that fault to.

Could be system board, ram, PSU or even a dodgy CPU.

Take it back and make it someone elses problem

Cheers

Ian

[jow104]

Had another couple of lock ups within 20 minutes this morning and then thought about the thread reply from Mutanti, "unlikely to be dust being a new computer"

But I had a look at the external air intake grills and they were clogged with dust, so got one of my household paint brushes and cleaned the aperatures.
Since then I have run 4 hours without a lock up.

Spoken to the wife and she proclaims her innocents, (she as not been skimping on her duties )

Perhaps its the electric static that attracts so much dust?

Anyway thanks to all, ( the private PC supplier came out of hospital last week so its just as well I didn't give him the problem to solve)

[Ianab]

Some PC cases have pretty marginal airflow, the modern processor chips generate a LOT of heat, and need good airflow through the case to keep them cool.

The quick test for that is to pop the side cover off and run the PC like that. If it's fine like that then you can usually add another case fan to improve the cooling.

Cheers

Ian

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Some PC cases have pretty marginal airflow, the modern processor chips generate a LOT of heat, and need good airflow through the case to keep them cool.

This is becoming more'n'more of a problem with new PC's; it won't be long and we'll be back to air-con'd 'puta rooms. Especially with the latest generation of gfx cards, which can generate as much heat as the CPU and HDD's combined!

The quick test for that is to pop the side cover off and run the PC like that. If it's fine like that then you can usually add another case fan to improve the cooling.

I'll add one proviso to that: pop the side cover off and blow a fan (ordinary room job) into it. Simply removing the cover can introduce "dead-spots" in the air-flow which can actually exacerbate the problem instead of being a quick temp cure... I've personally fried a CPU beyond recovery that way.

[Cliff Rogers]

What they said.
Particularly the bit about using a desk fan if you remove the cover to diagnose cooling problems.

Also could be something silly like a connection & simply removing the cover to give it a clean makes the fault disappear for a while.

It is what we call giving the computer a 'massage' or a 'technical touch up.'

[jow104]

24 hours later so far so good.

The CPU temp. button on the task bar says 33c.

It has been over 37c.

[jow104]

The forum members here at home dont think my cpu temp. is very high, they are telling me to look elsewhere. So I am going to run this tonight, but thought I would hear your comments.

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/download.html

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[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

It's not necessarily your CPU that's over-heating. It is the primary heat-generator on the motherboard and as such has been designed to cope with a range of temps; the max temp a CPU can handle varies quite a bit... a P4 is about 75°C, an Athlon64 around 65-70°C, AthlonXP's up to around 80-90°C. These figures are the "it's cooked!" maximums. Intermittent failures like yours will happen at lower temps.

However, the same can't be said for most other chips on the mobo that may be physically close to the CPU. They may fail at a mere 30-40°C. RAM is another heat-sensitive item that can & does cause those symptoms at fairly low temps, in comparison to the CPU. This is why I mentioned "dead-spots in the air-flow" in a previous post.

If improved cooling fixes the problem, then something is overheating. Unless, of course, it was just loose/bad connection that you jiggled when taking the case apart...

BTW, MemTest is a damned good utility and has a spot in my "tool-box." It checks for RAM defects, but you should ensure that the RAM is kept cool while testing for it to give reliable results. Otherwise if the problem is overheating, Memtest will report an error but the odds are pretty damned good that any replacement RAM will "fail" in exactly the same way when it gets cooked, too.

[jow104]

Thanks again.
At least the problem is keeping my mind active

[jow104]

Had a dell catalogue in the mail yesterday and looking through I see they now have PC's that come water cooled.

My pc is still playing up (the pc builder has just come out of hospital so haven't spoken with him at the present time) and my latest attempt is to move some gear off the computer table to let more air get at the PC casing and so far I have had 24 hours without lock up, so keeping my fingers crossed.

[jow104]

Took my PC round to the supplier Monday after having 4 lock ups in the space of 3 hours.

Got it back yesterday (Tuesday) and the chappy said he had done a full diagnostic test, over 4 hours, and found nothing wrong. He admits seeing reports of lockups on the report.
He continued to run the computer for another 12 hours without fault.
He says my mains electric supply is most probably not stable. I pointed out to the fellow that I had also run my wifes laptop during the period from the same connection and never had any lockups. The reply was" its got a battery and that evens out current"

Also advised that mine is a modern large capacity PC and is much more touchy on that sort of thing.

What advice can the forum offer me please.

[wheelinround]

The forum members here at home dont think my cpu temp. is very high, they are telling me to look elsewhere. So I am going to run this tonight, but thought I would hear your comments.

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/download.html

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Ok so after having cleaned out the dust you ran for 4 hours no worries HUM

How many fans have you got just the normal 2 I take it ???

and with UK's summer heat .........and flooding rains dust gets damp if you spit at it from down the road.
Does your graphics card have additional fan???

Don't blame the misses if you have carpet on the floor it stirs up dust whe you walk into the room if near a window it will suck it in.

Check amount of dust in main power supply it can cause over heating also.

It also could be that your power supply is under powered for all your add ons
ie scanner, web cam, USB devices many use power from the motherboard supply.