I have a really big problem and need your help!!!

[Amino]

Hey guys,

Ok, I really didn't know where to post this but I'm getting really freaked out that there's something seriously wrong with my computer. It randomly restarts (more often when I'm playing UT2003). But not only that... Before it restarts, my computer makes this really loud "screeching" sound, coming from the speakers, kinda like when your turn the stereo cable in the socket of your soundcard, only REALLY loud. When it restarts, I can hear one (or both) of my hard drives shutting down and then starting to spin again (at least that's what I think that sound is).

The programs I'm most often running when it happens are Zone Alarm 3, AIM and UT2003. Although it's happened a couple times when UT2003 wasn't running.

Does anyone have any ideas about what is causing this? Or any ideas on how to fix it?

Thanks a lot.

 

[masitti]

Sounds like you are having stability problems.

What are your room, case, and CPU temps? And are you overclocked?

 

[Amino]

No, I have nothing overclocked, my CPU temp idles at about 135F, my case temp idles at around 126-127F and my room is usually freezing over at 60F. I don't like warmth at all...

I don't think it's a stability problem. I occasionally get error messages from windows saying that it has recovered from a serious error and that a firewall may be the problem, or messed up drivers. I haven't looked at the drivers yet, but I uninstalled my firewall and it still happened. But I don't think it's my drivers either. Ive updated them all within the last 2-3 months.

 

[bldegle2]

your temps

are high and probably the source of your probs.

135*F converts to 57+*C, really high for idle, and once under load, you are going over 60*F.

and in a room with ambients in the 60's*F???

you have a cooling problem, plain and simple.

what heatsink are you using??? Arctic silver, no thermal pad????

case fannage??? at least one in and one out, minimum.

while your temps are not over maximum AMD specs, you are running hot and that is the reason for all your ills.

redo the box, streamline the wires, improve the airflow, and, i suspect, your heatsink and fan on the CPU has to be like the stock AMD issue, upgrade a bit to a better cooling setup and all your ills will go away.

good luck.

baldy

 

[masitti]

Yea, those temps are *way* to high... and since the EpoX reads the on-diode, that is most likely the problem.

Make sure you have thermal paste - Arctic Silver 2 or 3 is recommended. And make sure it is put on right!

 

[Samoyed]

If I am reading you correctly, you say your CASE temp is 127 F??? That is hot a hell! Mine in 80F. Your poor heatsink fan is blowing hot air onto the cpu.

Do this ASAP:

Open the case up and blow a desk fan right at the side of the case on high. This of course lowers your case temp to your room temp.

If that fixes the problem then its a case temp problem and u need to do what BLD said and get 2 exhaust fans for your case to suck out hot air.

If it does not fix the problem then it probaby not a heat issue. Also check CPU temp with the side off to make sure the HSF is installed right. CPU temp should drop with the side off

 

[Amino]

Sorry...

I was guess-timating what my temps were from what I remembered seeing in POST one time... Actually, my case temp is 80F at my CPU is only ~127F. I have 2 exhaust fans, 1 intake and a copper based cpu heatsink. My PSU has 2 fans on it too. My cables are tied up neater than any voodoo pc you've ever seen. I really don't think its a heat issue.

Nevertheless, I formatted my computer last night and I'm still having the problem.

I'm not hearing my hard disk(s) stopping anymore, but it is restarting randomly. After my format, it did it once when I turned on the visualization in Winamp3, and another time this morning when I clicked on a link at www.PlanetPS2.com

Also, I'm having trouble installing the new Microsoft Processor Driver Version 5.1.2600.28. Anyone have any ideas on that? Could that be a source of the problem? Everytime I go in to install that, it downloads fine, but then after a few seconds, it gives me an error message saying it failed to install it...

 

[Samoyed]

Well since its already messed up u need to isolate the problem. Disconnect every part you dont need to run the machine such as your sound card, NIC card ( while playing UT2003 solo ) any extra HDs or CD roms. If it gets better then its one of those parts. Try a diff HD. Why not try an diff OS temporarily like ME. If that works ok then its not your hardware.

Also random data errors are a common symptom of a failing HD.

Just keep interchanging stuff till it works. Then u can figure WTF is wrong.

 

[none1]

Actually, my case temp is 80F at my CPU is only ~127F. I have 2 exhaust fans, 1 intake and a copper based cpu heatsink. My PSU has 2 fans on it too. My cables are tied up neater than any voodoo pc you've ever seen. I really don't think its a heat issue.

Well, 127F is about 53C, that still feels a little hot.

just humor us, open the case side and have a fan blow directly on the CPU, and go play UT, let us know (A) new case temp and (B) new CPU temp and (C) if it locks up again.

 

[OnDborder]

Make sure the power supply cord to the motherboard is plugged in all the way.

 

[CrashOveride]

i am thinking it is temps so really do try what we are suggesting with the fan i can almost agrentee ti will help... my temps are like 51 C full load... but i have horrid dust and a bad HSF so... i bet case flow or your HSF is the problem.. though it COULD be voltage.. so check te MBM PSU connector and HDD ones too

 

[Amino]

well, I took of the cover side panel to my computer, and the temps dropped to about 73F case and 116 cpu, and that's a couple minutes after playing UT2003 for roughly 10 minutes, give or take a few. Unfortunately, I don't have a fan to blow on my computer, but the temps all dropped a good couple of degrees.

What else can I do though for the heat issue? I mean, I've got 2 exhaust fans (at the top/back of the case), 1 intake (at the front/bottom) and well, as for my CPU HSF, I got this low noise, low profile thing from monarchcomputers.com when I ordered my OEM XP1800+ from them. It's got a copper base and ran me $32.00, so I thought it was a prety good one. Also, in all seriousness, my computer is the neatest thing you will have ever seen. There are NO wires in the way of air flow whatsoever. I mean NOOOO wires. IDE cables are all folded neatly and tucked away behind the right sides of my HDDs (if you're looking at the case from the front). Power cables are taken care of the same way, and excess power cables are put behind the motherboard panel (i.e. can't even be seen). I got my case at Fry's, and it's aluminum (although it's factory painted with a thin coat of black) with a side view window, spanning practically the whole side.

What I dont get is how you guys get your computers so cool. I mean, I think I have just as many cooling techniques applied!

Anyhow, I'm trying the suggestion of isolating the problem by removing hardware pieces one by one. We'll see how that goes.

 

[none1]

well, I took of the cover side panel to my computer, and the temps dropped to about 73F case and 116 cpu, and that's a couple minutes after playing UT2003 for roughly 10 minutes, give or take a few. Unfortunately, I don't have a fan to blow on my computer, but the temps all dropped a good couple of degrees.

Just to make sure, after you took the side panel off, and the temps dropped some, did your computer STILL lock up after UT2003?

 

[Samoyed]

It's like trying to get a case history from a patient who doesnt speak English!!!

WTF happened with UT and the case off?

BTW: 2 extra 80 mm case fans blowing OUT in the back is fine. U can Use heavy duty wire cutters to cut out the half assed grill that partially covers the fan holes. That will help slightly. A good case temp is no more than 10F above room temp. Mine is about 78-82 with 2 rear exhaust fans and one side fan blowing directly down on the CPU. I have another intake fan in the front but turning it on makes no difference in the case temp.

 

[Amino]

Sorry...

No, UT did not make my machine reboot itself again when I was playing with the side off, but it kept crashing because of a bug in the program so I couldn't reallu play it long enough to see. I'm going to try it again sometime today, but I've got a Vertebrate Physiology test I need to study for! Argh!

But I just don't think it's the temps because my computer ran fine before at those temps and at even higher temps in my old case...

It doesn't lock up though, it reboots itself. And when it reboots, I can hear one of my hard drives stop spinning. I'm thinking it's my primary hard drive because I disconnected my secondary and it still had symptoms. I don't really have the time to check that out right now because I'd have to format my computer and put Windows on my secondary and see if it still messes up. I just can't sacrifice several hours for that cuz of my test...

Anyhow, I'm going to try again and see if I can't get it to screw itself up with the side panel off.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Amino]

Ok,

I just tried playing UT with the side panel off and it still has the problems. It just happened a second ago and I put the side panel back on and my temps right now are 69F/111F. I really don't think it's a cooling issue though.

I'm pretty sure it's my Primary HDD. When it happened, I out my ear close to where my HDDs are with the side panel off and listened to see if I could tell which one of my HDDs were stopping and spinning back up. I couldn't get down there fast enough to tell which was stopping, but I'm pretty sure I heard only my primary spinning back up. It make a higher pitched whine than my other HDD since it's a 7200 and my secondary is only a 5400. So actually, I'm not too sure if maybe I just couldn't hear my HDD2, since it's slower.

Then again, when I unplugged the HDD2, I still had the problem...

But also, just to point out something else, it doesn't JUST happen when I play UT. It just seems like that's when it happens the most because that's primarily what I spend most of my time doing when I'm on my computer. Last night it happened twice within 10 minutes. Once in UT and once when I clicked on a link on one of my class' webpages.

I also heard about something screwy with XP, and that if you click on a link in the net, there's a serious security issue that can occur or something like that. I have SP1, but I don't know... Although I'm doubting that's the cause...

 

[Samoyed]

Well like I said, start switching and disconnecting parts to isolate the problem when u get time.

Also try the "safe" or "normal" settings for memory timing in the BIOS. That might rule out memory errors if your ram is pushed too hard.

I had an ECS KS5A board that kept rebooting itself again and again when I selected "safe mode" with Win ME. I am pretty sure the MB was messed up so I replaced it and everything worked fine.

 

[CrashOveride]

well if having the panel off didnt make it go bad then the problem could be cooling of your HDD. try to clear bables from yo0uir HDD area so that it can get good flow... or at least ahve air aroudn it so convection can help a little... you said before...

" I mean NOOOO wires. IDE cables are all folded neatly and tucked away behind the right sides of my HDDs (if you're looking at the case from the front). "

make sureair can get in and out from the little compartment... if you dont have rounded cables they could be blockign air...


OR... it could jsut be a bad HDD or insufficitent PSU still so you may want to give that a shot too if you can

 

[Amino]

Well, I've got a new stick of ram, but I think my problem was setting my previous stick of ram (256 of 2100) at FAST timing. I truned it down to normal and my problem hasn't recurred. Howeveer, I'm not COMPLETELY sure because it used to run fine on FASTEST.

Anyhow, I was able to play UT2003 for about 20 minutes with no screw ups, so hopefully that was my problem. And now that I have my new 2700 XMS memory, I should be able to set my memory speed to a faster speed again.... right??

 

[CrashOveride]

you should be able to... but it istn garenteed unles sth ram is able to do that garenteed... though usuall that is good ram so it can