potential cpu death? or other?

[Wild Weasel]

My specs are in the sig, with a install version of windows lasting 4 years

So my system began all of this crap by randomly freezing during farcry and HL2. Ok, no problem...just needs a reboot/shutdown it's too hot. Voila, problem gone.

Two weeks later, same thing happens again, but after a reboot/shutdown..I get absolute crap on the screen. Letter/words arn't even showing up, just solid specks of color with constant beeping. So I thought "whatever, I'll deal with you tomorrow" and turn the rig off.

But as the days and weeks progress, it get harder and harder to get into windows via the problem above---random colors and constant beeping. But when I do one day, I perform a back up of important files and format the machine. Fresh install of windows. Then I got a blurred screen. I can still see what I was doing somwhat...but that took a dump and went back to specks of colour with constant beeping..

The problem didn't go away, and I can't even use the machine anymore.

--The Video card is fine, I tried another card and the same thing happened.
--Memory - Switched to the original stuff (2x 256 ddr 333mhz). The new stuff was 2x 512 ddr 400mhz and had no problem. Switching memory had no effect and had the same results.
--Hard drives are fine, nothing there.
--I even switched the motherboard battery for a new one.

I'm beginning to think that the cpu just up and died on me. Can anyone else confirm this? This machine has been running solid for four years with no hiccups in windows or on the hardware side until now. All of the fans are in tip top shape and I never dared to OC the cpu...

any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

 

[heero884]

My specs are in the sig, with a install version of windows lasting 4 years

So my system began all of this crap by randomly freezing during farcry and HL2. Ok, no problem...just needs a reboot/shutdown it's too hot. Voila, problem gone.

Two weeks later, same thing happens again, but after a reboot/shutdown..I get absolute crap on the screen. Letter/words arn't even showing up, just solid specks of color with constant beeping. So I thought "whatever, I'll deal with you tomorrow" and turn the rig off.

But as the days and weeks progress, it get harder and harder to get into windows via the problem above---random colors and constant beeping. But when I do one day, I perform a back up of important files and format the machine. Fresh install of windows. Then I got a blurred screen. I can still see what I was doing somwhat...but that took a dump and went back to specks of colour with constant beeping..

The problem didn't go away, and I can't even use the machine anymore.

--The Video card is fine, I tried another card and the same thing happened.
--Memory - Switched to the original stuff (2x 256 ddr 333mhz). The new stuff was 2x 512 ddr 400mhz and had no problem. Switching memory had no effect and had the same results.
--Hard drives are fine, nothing there.
--I even switched the motherboard battery for a new one.

I'm beginning to think that the cpu just up and died on me. Can anyone else confirm this? This machine has been running solid for four years with no hiccups in windows or on the hardware side until now. All of the fans are in tip top shape and I never dared to OC the cpu...

any suggestions?

Thanks in advance

sounds like the cpu is dead.

from what you said it sounds like the following occured..
the cpu overheated constantly and your motherboard was not set to automatically shutdown. most likely the beeps were telling you the cpu was running too hot. since the athlon xp doesnt have any thermal throttling capabilities the cpu probably fried itself

try visually inspecting the cpu and motherboard for visible damage