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Odd Crashing, could use some pointers

F

Fazzar

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 22, 2004
Messages
290
I have a new, and odd, crashing problem. In the end, I'd like to know if there are any log reports or any other way to help me isoloate the problem.

Symptom: My computer will freeze within the first 5 mintues of booting up. This can happen in different games, surfing the Interweb or just desktop. If it freezes on desktop, or while surfing it will just freeze.. no message, no reboot, no blue-screen, just freeze. If it happens in a game, I'll get a bizarre screen of colors. Only a hard reboot will get me out of any of this situation.

Oddly, if the freeze does not happen within the first few minutes of booting up, it will not happen at all.


What is different?: I installed a network storage device connected via ethernet. Other than that, nothing has changed on my system.


What have I tried?: Reinstalled every driver I can think of, spy-ware clean up, defrag, reg cleaners, virus scans, switched from IE to Mozilla (because of freezing while surfing), disk-clean up, driver cleaners, etc.


I can't figure this one out and I think the fact that it only freezing shortly after boot-up is a key piece in the puzzle.

Thanks in advance.
 
have you tested any hardware? if not, run through the sticky troubleshooting guide.
 
Yes, ran the diagnostic tests, cpu, memory, etc. all pass.

I took another step and upgraded the motherboard firmware. I need to give it more time to see if it made a difference. However, it took some BIOS fiddling to even get it to boot again as my previous bios settings were wiped (it didn't recognize my raid.

Any other key bios settings I should be double-checking?
 
Anything overheating? How's the temps.

Just my intuition...something like that, culprit is either RAM or GPU. Have you tried swapping with parts on hand?
 
I suspected RAM as well do to the odd periodic crashing. However, all the RAM tests passed.

I ruled out over-heating because IF my PC is going to crash, it will happen in the first minute or so of playing a game. If it doesn't happen in that first minute, it won't happen at all, no matter how long I play.
 
Check all the fans in the PC. One may not be starting every time on boot. When it doesn't the overheat may occur.
 
Thanks. Such thing as a fan test anywhere? I can't open up my own PC due to my disability. I'd like to test the fans without asking my wife to open up the PC as she's always afraid she'll 'break something'.
 
Did some temp testing:

- GPU max temp got to 77 degrees Celsius

- CPU max temp got to 42 degrees Celsius

Those temps approaching a crash?
 
What Power Supply you have in the machine ? What Video card and is the Card properly powered ? What are your ram timings like ?
 
Thanks for the tips above. I've got this as narrowed down as I can get it and want to know if there is anything I can do other than returning the card in exchange for a refurb:

I downloaded Furmark to test the card and here's what I found. If the Furmark test runs, then I will experience no problem with any games. If Furmark crashes then I need to reboot and run again until it doesn't crash. It can't be over-heating because it crashes immediately.

To the question above, it is a 1000 watt power supply, plenty o' power.
 
Sent this card back for a replacement. The problem gradually got worse and worse. I googled it and apparently the problem I described is a common problem for the BFG 280gtx. Hence a fairly significantly delay in getting a refurb back and they are dealing with replacing a lot of these defective cards.

I hope they fixed the root cause in the refurbs they are sending out.
 
Fazzar said:
To the question above, it is a 1000 watt power supply, plenty o' power.
Click to expand...
Which 1000W PSU? Not all 1000W PSUs are the same BTW. Some can barely provide 300W of power in real world conditions.
Fazzar said:
Sent this card back for a replacement. The problem gradually got worse and worse. I googled it and apparently the problem I described is a common problem for the BFG 280gtx. Hence a fairly significantly delay in getting a refurb back and they are dealing with replacing a lot of these defective cards.

I hope they fixed the root cause in the refurbs they are sending out.
Click to expand...

Good luck with that man.
 
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