P4-Based System, Random Resets

T

TwiceSliced

Gawd
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
525
I got the system for free from a friend, and as far as I can tell, it's a:

Socket 478 P4 (1.8GHz) on a 478-423 adapter
PCChips 920ML motherboard
2 256MB sticks of DDR266 RAM
128MB Radeon 8500LE
Old PCI SoundBlaster card
AMR modem
40GB Maxtor HDD
32x10x40 LG CDRW
Generic PSU

I've checked every motherboard setting I can think of, tried different video cards, reseating everything, ran memtest, different PSU, disconnecting extra fans... It still resets completely randomly. Sometimes while I'm online, sometimes when the resolution changes to go into Windows, sometimes when installing software updates, sometimes right after startup, and sometimes not at all... I'm at a loss. Any ideas?

'm tempted to just pick up a cheap Socket 478 board to see if that does the trick. any recommendations? How's Intel's 848 chipset? SiS648FX?
 
Wow, Fry's special...


That mobo is crap, that would be the first thing I would swap out (don't go cheap, pcchips is cheap and here we are...)

A generic PSU is never a good choice. A failing PSU can cause random reboots.

My guess is it's generic RAM too, run memtest for about a day to make sure it isn't faulty.

Do you plan on using the modem? If not, rip it out of there.

Old Sound Blaster cards could cause all kinds of problems. Might not be a bad idea to get rid of that too, or at least remove it for now.

Wait, did I just read that the P4 is on an adaptor to make it fit onto the POS mobo? If for this one reason alone, get a new mobo.

Jebus, does your friend enjoy building shitty computers? Stop him from he builds another atrocity.
 
Ahehehe... My thoughts exactly. More of an acquaintance than anyhing, but hey, free/cheap computer for me.

I figure it's either the socket adapter, motherboard, or the RAM, and since the RAM tests-out and the adapter is easily done away with alongside the budget board (oh, I know, PCChips/ECS is as budget as it gets ;) ), new board (with future upgradability options) it is.

I'll prolly just end up going with a cheaper Intel-based board; this system'll just be a workhorse or a sell-off in the end.
 
Just an update...

Picked up a DFI 865PE-ML Rev.C (hooray for brand-name 865PE for only $88 CDN! ;) ), and it hit me that the PCChips board didn't have the 4-pin +12V power connector... Did the earlier socket 478 P4s use it? If they did, then that would likely explain the random resets, wouldn't it?
 
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