problem multi-tasking

[sil40sx]

hi guys! i dunno where to start this thread, but mods feel free to move it if its on teh wrong section. Its kinda long post, but please bare with me.

Anyways, heres my prob. I used to have a Q9550 on my Maximus II Formula, and it works very smooth and amazingly fast on 4Ghz 24/7. Last month I bought an open box QX9650 at FRY's, as soon as I fired it up, I noticed that when multi-tasking the other applications are freezing for a couple of seconds, which dont happen on my Q9550. I tried reseting CMOS and updating my BIOS. But didnt have any luck. I decided to return it and just bought a Q9650 (because no more stock for QX9650). I immediately installed it and everything is fine. And OCd to 4.1Ghz 24/7. Couple weeks later, the multi-tasking problems occurs again. Did a CMOS reset and a BIOS flash, but still have the problem. I even tried using different sets of RAM, still nothing. The thing is I dont have my Q9550 anymore to test. SO now, Im stuck with this multi-tasking issue. Its annoying, Im just syncing my outlook to my phone, and I cant open an internet browser - well, I can open it but takes 20 secs. Same thing when installing stuff, other open programs are unaccessible. Could be my mobo failing? BTW, I already formatted my HD twice with full format. Didnt help as well. When installing drivers, other stuff freezes too.

Please see sig for more details. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Priv]

Have you ran memtest yet? Have you also tried running your hard disk diagnostic tools? This sounds more as a RAM / HDD problem to me than a mobo or cpu failure. Even though you tried other sticks of RAM it could be your memory banks failing or that your northbridge isnt getting enough juice etc.

 

[w2richwood]

thats a beefy ps you have there but check its not failing on load
Rich

 

[sil40sx]

Have you ran memtest yet? Have you also tried running your hard disk diagnostic tools? This sounds more as a RAM / HDD problem to me than a mobo or cpu failure. Even though you tried other sticks of RAM it could be your memory banks failing or that your northbridge isnt getting enough juice etc.

yes, did 10 pass on memtest floppy, and no errors. same as on disk check, no errors

thats a beefy ps you have there but check its not failing on load
Rich

how do i do this?

 

[w2richwood]

with multi meter on a four plug socket on load see if it drops and what percent
Rich

 

[sil40sx]

oh, thats what i have in mind, but unfortunately i dont have a multi-meter. I guess i need to go frys to pick up. do you have any suggestion which one should i get?

BTW, im gonna replace my mobo with my old gigabyte ds3, see what will happen.

edit: i forgot that i dont have my gigabyte mobo anymore. bummer!

 

[davidk21770]

Virtual memory swap could be causing the problem. This points back to hard disk/MB/windows installation. If you have multiple drives, try moving your swap file. Try cleaning up autoload programs. Grab process explorer (part of microsoft sysinternals) and check memory use.

Also -- low likelihood, but worth a try: full virus scan; full adware scan

 

[sil40sx]

how do I move the swap file on the other drive? all i can do is change the size. I already tried the other stuff that you suggested but my system is still sluggish. I even took of my raid 0 settings and just used one ssd. I also turned off prefetch (to optimize SSD)

 

[davidk21770]

how do I move the swap file on the other drive?

You need to be administrator or have admin rights. I only know how to get there in xp (I'm not a Vista fan) -- but you can probably google it and find lots of help if you're running Vista. But in xp...

right click on my computer -> properties -> advanced -> advanced -> virtual memory -> change

Click on the drive with the cache and select "no paging file".
Then click on your fastest, least used drive and put a paging file there. I like to set my size, but some recommend "system managed size". Remember to hit set after each change.

 

[MongGrel]

a bit ignorant on SSD's , but

Yeah I'd imagine the VM might be a problem there, I'd researched a bit into OCZ SSD's but Im pretty ignorant on those things myself still.

I know they take a lot of tweaking unless you shell out the big bucks for the different type of memory on the some, I forget what the the two different SSD flavors are called offhand.

 

[sil40sx]

thanks for your help guys. Im trying all your advice(s) right now. hope to get a good result.

 

[sil40sx]

i backdated my bios to 1602 (4th from the latest update), and i dont get the freezing/sluggish issues up until now. running smooth again. wish me luck, hope it will stay this way!

 

[w2richwood]

good luck things like this can be a real pain to figure out
Rich

 

[sil40sx]

thanks man! still good till now...

 

[sil40sx]

this is really ******in me off, it started the same problems again today. ugh! i got only two options left, im gonna take off my SSD and use my raptor. if that wouldnt work, im gonna go to frys and get a p45 chipset for the time being until i upgrade to i7 stuff. -any p45 mobo suggestions within $100-200 price range that is proven to work flawlessly with a Q9650?

thanks in advance!

 

[w2richwood]

p5q-e or p5q deluxe both good boards
Rich

 

[sil40sx]

i have a p5q deluxe, but i cant find it, LOL