MB, RAM, or CPU issue??

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OCZSpeedJunky

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
132
Ok, here's the deal. Two days ago while gaming, my system crashed for an unknown reason, completely froze, and needed to be rebooted using the reset button. Since then, I have been having some serious issues.

First, I began getting a ton of erros and program crashes in Windows. Anything I would run, would either crash, or simple spit out an error when I attempted to start it. I would try to burn a CD/DVD, and get an IMAPI.exe error. I'd reboot the system, and upon loading Windows, I'd receive an error stating rundll.exe failed to start. I also received a couple other errors that I do not remember the name of. So, I began troubleshooting WinXP.

Nothing I did with checking XP did anything. It still continued to spit out errors, and the such. I double-checked all my drivers, and they are all up to date. I even re-installed the video drivers to make sure that wasn't an issue. Nothing helped.

I then decided to try running Memtest86 on the RAM to test that before I resorted to a reformat. Well, within 10 minutes of running, I got 203,000 erros! This was with both 1GB modules in. So, I tested each module seperately, each with about 15 passes, and indivdually they pass ok. So, I tested them again with both modules in. At first it seemed ok, but then after running Windows for a couple hours, I am again receiving errors with Memtest86.

If I try to run anything, it reboots, either immediately or after and hour or 2. I tried running PokerStars online poker, it ran fine for about and hour, then the system rebooted. It did this twice. So I have more or less ruled out that it is WinXP causing the issue I think.

The question I have, is, is it the MB, RAM, or CPU causing the errors?? Specs are in my sig.

The very first time I installed this MB, was with a single core 3800+, and it seemed to have issues then. So, I am taking an educated guess that it isn't the CPU and the memory controller.

Since this MB $ RAM have been installed, I have had various issues. It started out as random crashes, BSOD's, etc., then after putting in the X2 4800+, it got worse. Wouldn't let me into the BIOS, wouldn,t load WinXP, etc. An Asus tech and I narrowed it down to a grounding issue.

So, I did a couple minor things to fix the grounding issue, and it worked great, not a single issue till 2 days ago. So now, is it the board causing all these erros and instability, or the RAM failing?? Keep in mind, this happens whether the system is running stock or if it is overclocked. I don't receive any type of video error, so I am sure it isn't anything with the graphics card.

I have tried everything, and am out of ideas. I can run any stress test in Winsows, and it passes fine, but if I try to run games, internet browsing, etc., it will crash. I really need some more ideas here. Is it the MB probably failing or defective, and finally deciding to need to be RMA'd, or am I having the memory fail??

Any advice would be awesome. As I am out of ideas to tryout. all my temps and voltages seem fine also. No problems there. I'd rather not have to yank the MB and RMA it, but, obviously I will if needed. I just wanna weigh all the options before doing so. I already got an RMA from OCZ, so that's ready to go if I need it. But, I'd hate to send back a good overclocking set of RAM if they aren't the issue. So, is it the MB, RAM, or possibly the CPU?? I don't have another CPU or set of RAM to toss in and try at the moment either.

Please, someone shed some more light lol. I am out of ideas. It would be greatly appreciated.

OCZ
 
I think if your still getting errors with memtest you can assume that windows isn't the problem.

From what you said about the problems 'getting worse' after you added a new processor, potentially rules out the new processor. Any chance you still have the old one, to swap back and rerun memtest?

You might want to try UBCD - from here

Its got memtest86+ (which may or may not be of any use), plus lots of other stuff which could prove useful.

Also post your mobo specs, someone might have had a run in with one previously or something.
 
The memtest errors jumped out at me the most, are you running with both of the memory sticks in at the moment? If so, try loading the 3D apps, browser etc with just 1 stick of ram installed and see if the problems persist (if you havent tried that already).
 
I'll check out the UBCD and see how that works. Unfortunately I don't have my old 3800+ single core anymore, sold it. But even with that CPU, the system was having issues booting and such. Hanging during POST, while loading Windows, etc. Which is why I ruled out the CPU, since I had some issues with the other CPU too.

As far as trying things with indiviual RAM modules in, no, I didn't try that. I just ran each stick seperately through Memtest with the highest test level. Individually, I let each stick make about 20 passes, no errors popped up. But, when I popped both sticks back in, it didn't pop up any errors then either?? It only seems to spit out memory errors in Windows, or, it will spit them out in Memtest AFTER running Windows for a bit. Which seems odd?? I thought that upon rebooting that the memory should be cleared of any Windows data it was storing, am I correct here?? If so, why does it only seem to spit out errors in Memtest after running Windows for a bit??

I have maybe found something out though.

Both me and my roomy have World of Warcraft installed, he is a die hard addict, and I just installed it to check it out. Well, a lot of this manifested after an update came up for the game. See, I played the game all weekend, ran perfect, not a single issue. Well, on Monday, the updater popped up saying there was an update for it, but, nothing was downloading?? It just sat there. So, I canceled the update. For those who are familiar, with this game & the new background updater, you can either set the updates to download while you play in the background, or, set it to update after game exit. So, later on Monday when I played the game again, the updater again popped up in the background. Well, when I exited the game, and seen the updater was running, but again nothing was downloading, I again canceled it. Now, the next time I ran the game, was when my system froze and crashed, at which time I heard a chime like I had received an exception error.

So, I had to reboot my system using the reset button, and since then all the issues began to culminate and manifest. I then un-installed the game, and also another program I thought might be causing the issue, just to be safe.(my Spyware Doctor software, it's just a damn pain in the ass lol) Well, after doing a system restore to a couple different points, a registry and HDD defrag, basically anything and everything you can think of, the system seems to be running normal at the moment. Hasn't crashed or anything for 2 days. Is it possible whatever that background updater was doing messed up something and began causing all the errors in the memory & Windows?? I know software can cause issues a times, but this badly??

I also noticed something else. Since my roomy. Jim, also runs WoW being the die hard addict he is with the game, his system ALSO crashed and rebooted itself 3 or 4 times. The other night, he left it run for the update to download while he was sleeping, and, his system rebooted itself during the update. And also, a couple times yesterday, while getting the update, it again rebooted itself for no reason. But, he didn't have s ton of errors pop up like I did. But I know that it may be possible it might not have affected his system as it did mine. So, this has me wondering, if maybe this new background downloader that Blizzard is using for WoW to get the updates now(this is a new feature), can this or is this the root of the problem?? His system has not acted like this anytime recently, and like I said, after I fixed my ground issue, my system was running perfect too. Both systems, were fine, till this update showed up.

Any of you guys think this may be what is going on?? this updater messing with the system file or some other files causing all of the sudden errors to pop up out of nowhere?? Or, is it just a coincidence that it happen to have happened to both of us when this update came up for the game?? If someone has an idea, please, let me know. And in the meantime, I will keep testing things.

Thanks a bunch for the advice peeps. It's greatly appreciated.

OCZ
 
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