Advice request

T

teknofear

n00b
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
5
Hi everyone,

This is my first post here, I was hoping to find some insight about a recurring problem with a recent build:

The build specs:

AMD Athlon 64 3200 (non dual channel)
abit NF-M2S (onboard Realtek audio, onboard nvidia Geforce 6100+405
WD Caviar (120GB)
OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 (Vista upgrade 2gb kit) - 2gb (2X1GB) (model OCZ2VU8002GK)
Win XP, sp2

All device drivers updated


Here-in lies the problem:
At random points, the machine will crash. The problem USUALLY happens when I try to run a game like BF2, or Quake 4. The games will load, but the system crashes soon after a map or mission loads, but also happens at random points after a fresh boot (usually several minutes after successfully loading the OS).

I've cranked the display settings down to 800x600, and it still crashes.

I was wondering if these symptoms would have anything to do with the RAM, since it is dual channel RAM, and a single channel cpu?

Any advice is appreciated, please feel free to IM or email.

Thanks!
 
Well, I don't know the exact problem with your build, but it wouldn't be because of the RAM and the chip not playing well. "Dual channel" is just something the memory controller does, so it doesn't relate the processor or RAM at all really.

..but since you brought up RAM. Have you memtested the RAM? ( google for memtest if you don't know what i'm talking about ).
 
Running memtest86, v1.70, been running for 4 hours 26 min, Pass 5, 0 err....

Will post findings upon completion.... Somehow at this point I don't think it's memory related.
 
What happens when the games crash? Is it a BSOD or does it just crash to the desktop?
 
your video is onboard? not a separate card that you have to set in?

if it's a separate card, try re-seating it. also try rolling back drivers, or uninstalling drivers and installing the ones that came with your card (you should have gotten a cd with it).

alternatively, if your video is onboard you should still have gotten a package of drivers on a cd with your motherboard, see if there's some video stuff you can install from there.


also, with regards to memtest, you can let it run overnight and if you pass overnight then you're probably good.
 
Welp, 7hrs, 54min later, memtest is still running,pass 10, doing "random number sequence"...

As a clarification, by "Dual channel", I meant dual core =)

No, it's actually onboard video, abit NF-MS2
http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=1&model=332
(for $40, it seems like a helluva deal)

What happens when the game(s) and / or system crashes?

1 of 2 things happen:
The system freezes. Completely. No response to KB cmds, mouse locked, can only hard-reset the system.

OMG, I wish it was easy as re-seating...

Before dropping by HF, I actually did uninstall the drivers for the CPU, the nvidia, the Realtek audio, all of which were originally provided on a disc from abit. One by one, I uninstalled and updated the CPU, then the nvidia, then the Realtek. The drivers installed now are the latest and greatest from the mfg's collective websites.

This is an error which keeps happening, even when not trying to run a game. After posting my initial post, it immediately happened again, just running some tunes thru Winamp (which really does whip the llama's arse...), and having a few windows open (windows explorer, IE 7.whateveristhelatest, etc.).

It's a fairly recent build (within the last seven days). I've DL'd all the correct latest drivers everything: for the AMD CPU, the latest nvidia forceware, the updated Realtek audio drivers, etc. I was curious if it was to do with the RAM since it is the OCZ "Vista upgrade" DIMMs running with a single core CPU, but I'm leaning away from that notion at this point, as, at this point, memtest86 v1.70 is at 8:14:21, at Pass 11, and still chuggin'...

I'm completely befuddled at this point. Considering any and all possibilities right now....
 
it shouldn't have anything to do with your CPU.

that's weird, this is going to sound frustrating, but i suggest uninstalling all your drivers, and installing your video card drivers first, and and only those. see if that fixes it. (it looks like you've passed memtest)


if that doesn't work, try taking out one of the sticks of RAM and switching that stick around different slots, if that doesn't work try the other stick.
 
Carnival, that doesn't sound like a bad idea at all... Memtest is at 9:41:30, Pass 13..... I'm gonna let this go thru the night, and check it again early tomorrow AM.... Seeing how I've done the driver uninstall/reinstall already, it shouldn't hurt anything to do it again, albeit in a different sequence, maybe we can learn something from this other than how to temper one's temper...
 
it's also possible your PSU is not delivering enough power, if you have a Kill-A-Watt you can test the voltage on the rails

if not, try subbing in another PSU if you have one
 
Honestly, this sounds more like temperature issues. >_> Try installing a free program called SpeedFan and see if you can keep an eye on your cpu temperatures for a bit. An overheating CPU can easily cause lockups.

You can also look at your event logs and see if the system has recorded any specific errors at the times that you had lockups. If you don't know how to get there, right-click on "My Computer" and select "Manage." From there you can click on "Event Viewer" and then "System." Anything with a red X and "Error" next to it around the time of your lockup could potentially be useful in diagnosing the problem.
 
Quick update:

Went out of town over the past weekend, revisited the problem pc when I got back earlier this week.

Before leaving, the memtest had been running for something like 17 hours, still incomplete, yet no errors. I had to leave town for a few days, and wasn't going to leave the machine unattended.

When I got back, I removed one of the sticks of RAM, and guess what? The machine stopped crashing. I didn't try swapping the RAM between DIMM slots, I just pulled the one on second bank, and tried running some different things (mostly games). Leaving well enough alone, I have decided that I can live with 1GB of RAM for the time being. At some point, I will get some of the high-dollar stuff, but until then, the machine is functional and has yet to BCOD on me.

Just want to give a big thanks to everyone who pointed things out, made me think of things a little differently.

You guys rock!

:cool:
 
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