VERY weird hardware-caused crashing, No clue what it is

[drunkmonkey]

My computer:
XP1800+
Asus A7v333
512mb Samsung Pc2700
Gainward GeForce4 Mx460 Golden Ed
Turbolink 420W PSU (40A on the +5V)
SoundBlaster Live
Some weird brand network card
Only my CD burner is attached right now
I'm watercooled w/ no leaks and the fan is 7 volt modded since I turned off my OC

Ok, senerio: I log in to my comp, go to play Black and White or some other semi-intense program and I get a few random pixels taken from my screen, and it paints a pattern of those across my screen at a 15 degree angle(it happens all at once but if I was to make the picture that is how I would do it). How flippin freaky is that? It can be starting a CD, playing a game, or sometimes even just logging into windows XP. I have 2 XP installations on my hard drive and they both do it, and though I haven't used linux on this computer in a bit I think linux was crashing too but not the same way.

My diagnostic info so far:
-My hard drive has the Smart Failure Predicted but I have been ingnoring that since before this started happening
-On only one installation of XP it said drivers for my video card were causing it BUT I downloaded the newest and still no work
-My CPU temp is 40C, Vcore 1.86, +3.3 is 3.17, +5 is 4.60-4.70!, and +12 is 12.59
-RAM settings are to least performance (highest timings) and it doesn't help
-Vcore is 1.86V because I though it might help
-Everything inside the computer is cool to the touch so it isn't a temp thing afaik
-I have noticed I cannot run the same aggressive ram timings I used to stabily but it is stock now.
-I've used updated and different versions of drivers on both installs

Does ANYONE have any idea what would be causing this problem? It is driving me totally insane. I think it is between the vid card, and PSU but that is only a guess.

edit: Every once in a while my monitor also flicks and displays and/or displays a symmetrically screwed up screen with offset lines.

[Karbon]

easy way = reformat...problem solved
hard way = find out whats causing it, fix it

your choice

[drunkmonkey]

Originally posted by biggestn00bever
easy way = reformat...problem solved
hard way = find out whats causing it, fix it

your choice

I have, its a hardware problem so it doesn't matter (notice where i said i had 2 windows installs and even tried linux)

[Aslan]

Hmm...quite strange.....my first guess was that your video card was overheating, but you mentioned that everything was cool to the touch.

It could be that your video card is almost dead; if you can, try it in a different computer and check the results.

Also it may also be that your monitor cable is damaged, and if you have a spare, try that one in place of the one you are using.

If you have speakers nearby, the magnets might be interfering with the monitor as well, but I doubt this, as it would be happening all the time.

[drunkmonkey]

Originally posted by Aslan
Hmm...quite strange.....my first guess was that your video card was overheating, but you mentioned that everything was cool to the touch.

It could be that your video card is almost dead; if you can, try it in a different computer and check the results.


I agree with you there, i gotta install an OS on my old computer so I'll be back in a few days with results(I'm loaded wit school work)

Originally posted by Aslan

Also it may also be that your monitor cable is damaged, and if you have a spare, try that one in place of the one you are using.

If you have speakers nearby, the magnets might be interfering with the monitor as well, but I doubt this, as it would be happening all the time.

I thought it might be the monitor but when it happens all processses stop, like I was trying to burn a music cd and the indicator stop going after it crashed.

[Tebore]

Could be the ram failing and you should really look in to that SMART thing. Motherboard might also be a factor, look at the Caps I heard sometimes bad caps can really mess up a computer.

[drunkmonkey]

I feel completely stupid...

I got my dad's multimeter and went to see how much resistance the mobo was putting on the +5v and it was .20, I though that was quite high so I thought a second, reseated the mobo power cable, rebooted, and read the difference, it was ~.01 then~ lol, at that point I slapped myself for letting the problem go for over 3 weeks. Now back to overclocking! w00t