Computer Freezing Randomly- Not a Noob Question

[alinwrkshp]

I was on the computer yesterday the computer locked up on a webpage, I restart, it runs fine the rest of the day. This morning I turned it on, and it freezes at the BIOS logo screen; I restart, gets to Windows loading screen, locks up; I restart, freezes at BIOS logo.

I figure its a HD problem, I've had the one that I have my system loaded on for awhile, so its time to get a new one. I buy one, install it, gets through formatting, and installing setup files, and locks up. I restart, BIOS logo screen freeze. My friend thinks it may be a power supply issue, I unplug everything but my HD and one CD ROM drive. It gets me into Windows I can do a couple things, then it freezes. I restart, it locks up at BIOS logo. I think maybe its the RAM so I take it out put it back in in different configurations, nothing.

So I figure either its the power supply or the motherboard. But, even tho I don't want it to be, its probably the motherboard. But how can I know it is before I go out a buy a new one and it still locks up? I have a fairly new mobo- MSI K8N Neo2, and have been running the setup i have for about a year with no problems. There has been no electrical surges, or blunt force trauma to indicate that would be the problem. I ran a complete Virus scan Saturday and came up with nothing. I do fresh installs about every 6 months, and last time I did it was 2 months. What should I do? HELP!

 

[venom077]

The best thing you can do is make absolutely sure its not any other component. The hard drives new so it could be ruled out. Have you run memtest86 on the memory? Do you know how to use a multimeter to check the power supply voltage?

 

[coffee33]

Go to radio shack and get yourself a multimeter and check the PSU cause I bet my left and right nut that is what your problem is.

 

[alinwrkshp]

I'll go out and get a multimeter, and no I don't know how to use it...

 

[coffee33]

I'll go out and get a multimeter, and no I don't know how to use it...

Comes with instructions
Keep us posted

 

[venom077]

http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com/news/18.html There's a fairly decent article that should help you with using the meter to check the power supply

 

[alinwrkshp]

I just went out and bought a PSU. I figure if it doesn't work, I get 2 nuts out of it.

 

[alinwrkshp]

The PSU seems to work. You get to keep your nuts. However, my compuer doesn't like the new SATA I installed. I want to switch over to it. Perhaps I'll post it in a new post.