An Annoying Problem

B

Brad4321

Gawd
Joined
Feb 1, 2003
Messages
553
This has been going on forever, just now that I have to use this system until my dually comes in it is annoying me.

Random locks in all OS's I have used, including linux. I was able to get the locking repeatable yesterday while loading a good sized database file. All other times, pretty much random.

What I have tested:
ram is good
power supply is good
no case related problem
different OS's (and thus, different drivers)

The CPU does run warm. It idles at 60C and loads up to 70C on the stock heatsink. The heatsink is set correctly, it is gets really damn hot for some reason. I can't put a huge heatsink on here because it is my LAN system, but I am thinking of replacing it. I don't think this is hot enough to be causing the instability, however.

I am looking for any ideas on this. I am selling this system to my uncle since I haven't went to a LAN party since this system was new, so I need to get this figured out.

Athlon 2100 pal
asus a7v333 deluxe w/ raid
1gb OCZ pc2700
Visiontek GF4 4600ti
3dcom 10/100 ethernet
some winmodem
WD 100GB HD
a few random burners/DVD drives
enermax 420watt silent edition

OS's attempted: fedora, mandrake, xp pro, 98. In fact, XP Pro won't even install as it crashes with BSOD before the install will even finish. However, I was able to trick it into installing a few times by being faster than the BSOD.
 
Do you get a STOP error in WinXP, or what do the error messages say? Also, you may want to chkdsk your hard drive and take out any extra PCI cards to eliminate them as your possible problem. If that doesn't work, then it seems like the only things left that you haven't tested would be the vid card (less probable), the mobo (possible), or heat (little more possible). 70C isn't a CPU-killing temp, but is a little on the toasty side.
 
Unless the ambient temp is very high in the room the system is in, I would say you probably don't have the heatsink mounted correctly.

If you are using the TIM that came on the heatsink, did you make sure to take off the plastic piece covering it that was on there to protect it during shipping? If not that would explain your high temps.

If you are using thermal goop instead, did you make sure to clean the TIM off the heatsink first? That could also be a reason for your high temps.

It sounds like your problem is heat. Just because 70C won't kill the processor doesn't mean that it's not hot enough to cause problems.

Reseat the heatsink using thermal goop and make sure to clean the processor die and the heatsink before using new thermal goop and reseating the heatsink.

I will bet that would take care of your problems.
 
Do you get a STOP error in WinXP, or what do the error messages say?
Click to expand...

The stop error usually gave no hints. However, trying it yesterday it pointed toward a USB driver.

The video card is a new RMA, this is the 8th motherboard and 3rd processor that I have had in this system, all with the same problems.

The heatsink is blistering hot. The sink itself is taking the heat away from the processor, but it just isn't keeping up for some reason. It has the "mega" stock fan on it, about twice the size as the normal stock fan.

It has arctic alumina. Back when this problem first started, I took it to my local computer shop and had them set the heatsink. This was the first system I built, so I figured I may be doing it wrong. Right now it is still set the way the tech did it.

Since the heatsink itself is getting very hot, I know it is taking the heat away from the processor. However, it doesn't make sense on why the processor is producing enough heat to do this on the stock heatsink.

I can get another heatsink, but I would think something is wrong with it getting this hot.
 
Underclocking 200MHz dropped me down to 55 and now the database file will load, so I guess a new heatsink is in order.
 
If your heatsink is blistering hot, you have a serious cooling problem. It's hot, which is good in a way, because you know it's taking heat away from the processor. How's your case airflow though? The fan on top, no matter how powerful, can only blow in hot air. You need ot let it breathe!
 
It is in a minitower right now, but it runs the same temp whether outside the case, or in my lian-li pc70. I have a 120 for intake and 2 80's for outlet plus the psu and a side fan. The motherboard and every other component is running at fairly decent temps.
 
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