New build freezes - Vista 64 + 8800GT - Please help!!

[gizmo2501]

Hi all,

I really hope this is the right place to post this (so sorry if not!!) and also really hope anyone can help with this because this new build is driving me insane (mostly because the first motherboard I got was a dud), so it's taken me over a month to build, and now wish I had got other components (more on that later)!!

So, here's the deal. Completely new build PC with the following specs:-

Vista 64-bit
Asus P5N-D Motherboard + Onboard sound
Intel Q9450 + OCZ Vendetta 2
Sparkle 8800GT 512MB Heat Sink
2 x 2GB Team 800Mhz Team RAM
EZCool Infinity 1050W PSU
Currently using old case (sorry, don't know what it is!!), but upgrading to Antec 900.

Have completely upgraded BIOS, chipset, sounds, graphics drivers (tried with old and new ones, and also Omega drivers).

Have not overclocked at all.

I think the temps are ok (are they?? I don't know much about temps!!).

(Ambient - Around 20)

CPU (using RealTemp):-

Idle - 41/37/36/36
Load (Prime95) - 50/44/44/44
This was with the case open - it goes a bit higher (maybe 3 degs) with it on.

GPU (Using GPU-z):-

Idle - 54/46.5 (gives me two readings?? don't know why, but oh well!!)
Can't do load because of freezing!!

Motherboard (this seems hot to me??) - 41 (45 with case closed). - Also, optional fan added doesn't help. This was taken with the ASUS PC Probe.

All fans working fine.

Hopefully the temps will come down with the new case anyway, but these don't seem so bad to me. What do you think??

The problem:-

The PC randomly freezes with the screen going a full solid colour - sometimes purple, sometimes grey. Haven't had blue (if that helps?!). Sometimes can hear sound in the background. I then have to restart PC, or sometimes it will restart itself. No extra beeps at startup.

This can happen anywhere from 10 secs in to Windows load, or 3 or 4 hours. But it always happens when loading a 3D application. I have managed to get 3D graphics once when trying to run 3DMark06, but it usually crashes right at the end of loading. It always crashes loading Company of heroes once it gets to the main menu. It does happen randomly when just clicking around on the PC doing 2D apps, but always happens when loading 3D apps.

The Windows error fixer things says:-

"Video Hardware Error

Description
A problem with your video hardware caused Windows to stop working correctly.

Problem signature
Problem Event Name: LiveKernelEvent
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057"


Like I say, I have tried the graphics card with one new one old Nvidia driver (169.35 and 175.19) and Omega 169.25. Also, I should say that when running the PC with no driver installed it did not crash. This was for probably about 3 or 4 hours. BUT, when I had my PC on last night WITH a driver, it took I think 6 hours to crash, so it might have crashed after 6 hours with the no driver option!

I've tried it with and without the optional fan that came with the mobo. No change in temps, and no help.

Have tried with an old old Nvidia card, but that just beeped at me!! (Think it's not compatible with my new hardware).
Went to try it with my old Radeon X1800XT, but the screen just came up with red lines all over it, even though no drivers were installed and I had completely wiped the Nvidia ones with Driver Sweeper. So Ic ouldn't test that as could not install the drivers. I tought an Ati card could work on an Nvidia chipset motherboard, just couldn't crossfire them. Am I wrong??

Any ideas what the problem is/could be?? Hope I've got enough info in there!!


The second question I'd like to ask is your input on where I sould go with this. I bought these components just over a month ago, but due to things going wrong, and suddenly going away, I could not build it until now. Now the Radeon 4870 is out!! If the grahpics card is duff, do you think I should get a replacement 8800GT and guy another when I need it to SLI (this was my original plan and reason for getting mobo), or should I grab a 4870? The problem with this is, would it work on my mobo? But then if I use the current mobo, I could not Crossfire in the future, and that would have made it pointless getting a super PSU (on that note, a certified SLI PSU is equivalent with Crossfire/Ati cards, right??), and also kinda pointless getting a great case. Alternatively, I could get a replacement 8800GT, wait until Nvidia bring an equivalent to the 4870 out, and SLI whatever they bring out. What do you think?? 8800GT Sli or 4870 or 4870 plus new Crossfire board, or 8800GT and wait it out for another great NVidia card?? Plus, if I got a new mobo, what is good for me (not too crazy to OC, but maybe a little bit, as am new to it).

One thing on SLIing an 8800GT - it really looks as though 2 8800GTs will not fit next to each other on this board!! At least not Sparkle ones. Any options here if I do SLI them??

So sorry about the massive message and multiple questions. I have tried to summarise these below to help!!

In summary:-

1. What could cause the crashes??
2. What do you think it is??
3. Are those temps ok??
4. What to do about hardware?! Keep or change?? (Importantly, would 4870 work on current mobo, as this would be same/better than getting 8800GT x 2).
5. Can you fit 2 GTs on the Asus P5N-D??

Thanks so much in advance!!
(PS Sorry fi you have seen this post elsewhere!!)

 

[don256us]

Welcome to the forums.

I'm in a rush to get to work so I'll answer some questions to get you started.

the temps are fine. I see no issue there.

since you can Prime stable, my guess is your video card is hosed. Make sure that the power connecter is firmly in the video card.

I was thinking the same as you with SLI/Crossfire but recently I've done an about face on that. SLI will really only help boost frame rates if you have, say a 30" monitor. Since I will never have one, SLI will not save my little 8600 GTS nor will you see much improvement by SLIing your 8800.

As to the actual problem, either the video card is toast, the power supply is not connected fully, or the power supply is not giving full voltage (maybe bad).

 

[gizmo2501]

Hi!!

Thanks for the reply!! Especially in a rush!!

PSU is definately giving right voltage as measured it, and is plugged in, so I guess it must be the graphics card.

Thanks for your thoughts on SLI/4870. Do you know any decent motherboards that aren't too expensive (I paid £70 for P5N-D) that will run 4870, possibly also crossfire, PCIe2, and, should it be DDR2 RAM or DDR3?? I hear DDR3 is pointless atm.

Also, do you know if 4870 will work on this P5N-D 750i motherboard??

Cheers!!

 

[don256us]

I'm home from work now so I'm not rushed any more. I really don't have specific answers to your questions at the moment.

To my knowledge, any PCI-e card will work in any MB with a PCI-e x16 slot. The problem of compatibility only comes in to play when talking SLI or Crossfire. Some boards will only SLI, others will only Crossfire and some will do neither.

I'd be hard pressed to recommend a MB. Many disagree with my choices here. I happen to like nVidia chip sets but many here like Intel. I'd recommend a trip to the motherboard section of these forums.

I had read some where that nVidia graphics drivers were responsible for something like 29% of all recorded Vista crashes. I couldn't tell you that this is fact but that's what I've seen.

Back to temps for the CPU, 50 - 60 or 70 is getting HOT. But take these temps with a grain of salt. MB temp sensors and even on die sensors can be wrong. The idea really is to get a base line for YOUR system. Even if you and I had identical systems built with parts manufactured at the same time, we could get wildly different temp readings. So only keep track of your temps as they go above and below what you see is normal.

To test your video card, hopefully you have a very good friend who would let you install your card in their machine and vice verse. This may give you a better feel for the true problem.

I really think that your power supply is not giving you full power under load or your video card has a heat issue.