Athlon + nForce Woes

Need some urgent help here,

I've been having problems with my AMD system for friggin ages now.
Originally, I had problems with lockups when there was intense disk
activity - I managed to sort this by changing the motherboard.

However, now I am getting random lockups - usually either at the windows log
on screen, or if I am shunting files back and forth over my network. I have
also had network problems when playing games. I have tried both the network
sockets on my motherboard, the nVidia lan one, and the Realtek Gigabit one,
both of them I get problems with - lockups, not picking up IP addresses
properly from my router etc, and I have to restart my computer. I've also
reinstalled windows with all latest drivers, and the problems still occur.
Also, I wouldnt dare use this computer if my life depended on it.

What I'm thinking, is that it may be my CPU - i've overclocked it and its
hit some pretty high temps in the past - its back to stock speed now, but I
reckon it may be faulty.

The other thing I am thinking about is my GFX card - i knocked a couple of
tiny resistors off the cpu chip when I was changing the heatsink, but I
would have thought this would give me graphics problems, rather than total
system lockups, and i've had no GFX problems at all.

Anyone got any ideas? I need to know pretty quick cos if its the CPU i need
to order a new one soon or else I will be with a dodgy computer for another
weekend!

Many thanks,

I forgot to add, that when I originally changed over to the new motherboard,
I never had any of these problems. They have only occured since either:

1. I've overclocked the CPU
2. I've changed GFX card heatsink (and chipped off a few capacitors, but it
still works)
3. I've changed computer case (doubt this is a problem)

CPU temps at one point reached 71 celcius (ouch!)

Thanks,


"Someone" wrote in message
...
Need some urgent help here,

I've been having problems with my AMD system for friggin ages now.
Originally, I had problems with lockups when there was intense disk
activity - I managed to sort this by changing the motherboard.

However, now I am getting random lockups - usually either at the windows
log
on screen, or if I am shunting files back and forth over my network. I
have
also had network problems when playing games. I have tried both the
network
sockets on my motherboard, the nVidia lan one, and the Realtek Gigabit
one,
both of them I get problems with - lockups, not picking up IP addresses
properly from my router etc, and I have to restart my computer. I've also
reinstalled windows with all latest drivers, and the problems still occur.
Also, I wouldnt dare use this computer if my life depended on it.

What I'm thinking, is that it may be my CPU - i've overclocked it and its
hit some pretty high temps in the past - its back to stock speed now, but
I
reckon it may be faulty.

The other thing I am thinking about is my GFX card - i knocked a couple of
tiny resistors off the cpu chip when I was changing the heatsink, but I
would have thought this would give me graphics problems, rather than total
system lockups, and i've had no GFX problems at all.

Anyone got any ideas? I need to know pretty quick cos if its the CPU i
need
to order a new one soon or else I will be with a dodgy computer for
another
weekend!

Many thanks,

On Wed, 5 May 2004 01:21:47 +0100, "Someone" wrote:

Need some urgent help here,

I've been having problems with my AMD system for friggin ages now.
Originally, I had problems with lockups when there was intense disk
activity - I managed to sort this by changing the motherboard.

However, now I am getting random lockups - usually either at the windows log
on screen, or if I am shunting files back and forth over my network. I have
also had network problems when playing games. I have tried both the network
sockets on my motherboard, the nVidia lan one, and the Realtek Gigabit one,
both of them I get problems with - lockups, not picking up IP addresses
properly from my router etc, and I have to restart my computer. I've also
reinstalled windows with all latest drivers, and the problems still occur.
Also, I wouldnt dare use this computer if my life depended on it.

What I'm thinking, is that it may be my CPU - i've overclocked it and its
hit some pretty high temps in the past - its back to stock speed now, but I
reckon it may be faulty.

The other thing I am thinking about is my GFX card - i knocked a couple of
tiny resistors off the cpu chip when I was changing the heatsink, but I
would have thought this would give me graphics problems, rather than total
system lockups, and i've had no GFX problems at all.

Anyone got any ideas? I need to know pretty quick cos if its the CPU i need
to order a new one soon or else I will be with a dodgy computer for another
weekend!

Well your best bet is to swap stuff in and out and test it. Do you
have another CPU? MB? Graphics card? Memory? Network card ? Router?

Or other systems of course. Im so glad I no have another complete
system to swap things in and out of - of course I upgraded my primary
system so now I dont have any major problems but its still good to
have it. Also Ill probably get a 64 bit hopefully with pci express and
maybe btx so itll make swapping a bit obsolete unfortunately by Dec or
so,

In the US you can pick up standard network cards cheap ofen free after
rebate and routers have been on sale cheap.

Anyway - before swapping check the current temps now with MBM software
and voltages etc.

Then check with memtest86 and try using your manufacturers hd diag
software. And you might even consider a clean install of win xp for
the hell of it. And test it stripped down - least amount of cards and
software and see if problems come up.

And look at chipset cooling and overall case cooling. Is the little
fan on the chipset on the MB dead? Any obvious problems? Try running
it with the case cover off and a table fan on the board. And see if
there are any loose screws lodged on the motherboard or little tiny
metal chips or fragments - any shorts.

On Wed, 5 May 2004 01:21:47 +0100, "Someone" wrote:

Need some urgent help here,

I've been having problems with my AMD system for friggin ages now.
Originally, I had problems with lockups when there was intense disk
activity - I managed to sort this by changing the motherboard.

Did either and/or both motherboards use the same power rail for CPU power?
That is, if one had a 12V 4-pin connector on the board but the other
didn't?


However, now I am getting random lockups - usually either at the windows log
on screen, or if I am shunting files back and forth over my network. I have
also had network problems when playing games. I have tried both the network
sockets on my motherboard, the nVidia lan one, and the Realtek Gigabit one,
both of them I get problems with - lockups, not picking up IP addresses
properly from my router etc, and I have to restart my computer. I've also
reinstalled windows with all latest drivers, and the problems still occur.
Also, I wouldnt dare use this computer if my life depended on it.


You seem to be putting the cart before the horse. It is very important to
list system specs first, so all further details can be digested within the
context of those parts. Random info scattered about will only discourage
replies and possibly less useful replies as well.

As for the NIC problem, disable them in bios, remove those removable...
tackle one thing at a time with a barebones minimal config and once THAT
is working perfectly, add back parts one at a time.

What I'm thinking, is that it may be my CPU - i've overclocked it and its
hit some pretty high temps in the past - its back to stock speed now, but I
reckon it may be faulty.

Doubtful. What make/model/wattage power supply?
Have you rechecked all cables, cards, and checked voltage levels with a
multimeter?

The other thing I am thinking about is my GFX card - i knocked a couple of
tiny resistors off the cpu chip when I was changing the heatsink, but I
would have thought this would give me graphics problems, rather than total
system lockups, and i've had no GFX problems at all.

Graphics problems don't necessarily mean the picture on the monitor looks
different, the video card is a device subject to all same problems as
knocking components off of any other part of the board. Whether those
resistors matter may depend on exactly where they were, but given your LAN
problem that may be less likely.

You mention two different LAN ports onboard, so I suppose your board has a
lot of integrated features. You might try putting a PCI NIC in a
different slot or disabling device(s) sharing IRQ with that PCI slot (or
with the integrated NIC tried). It can easily be a problem to have a NIC
sharing with other devices, like sound.

Anyone got any ideas? I need to know pretty quick cos if its the CPU i need
to order a new one soon or else I will be with a dodgy computer for another
weekend!

Disable everything as I mentioned previously, run just the CPU, memory,
keyboard, mouse, heatsink fan, video card (or a different video card if
you have one, considering the damage to present card). See if that is
stabe and proceed from there.

On Wed, 5 May 2004 01:25:01 +0100, "Someone" wrote:

I forgot to add, that when I originally changed over to the new motherboard,
I never had any of these problems. They have only occured since either:

1. I've overclocked the CPU
2. I've changed GFX card heatsink (and chipped off a few capacitors, but it
still works)
3. I've changed computer case (doubt this is a problem)

CPU temps at one point reached 71 celcius (ouch!)


Of the three, changing the case is the more likley problem... could now
have an extra motherboard standoff shorting it, or ESD damage, or physical
strain like broken solder joint, trace (scratch or crack in PCB), etc.

71C temp is not that bad... you've been brainwashed about CPU temps. The
only issue with a 71C temp is whether that's too hot for the CPU to remain
stable, it would not be a reason to suspect damage within a few year's
time. Related issues are that the insufficient airflow causing the CPU
temp are also causing other components to run too hot, but keep in mind
that of every possible part in your system, the CPU is one of very few
designed to tolerate high temps. In an other heating system the hard
drives, video card, power supply or motherboard, fans, etc, are all more
likley to fail than the CPU, unless your heatsink happened to actually
fall off, which is quite a bit different than just a 71C temp.

"Someone" wrote in message ...
I forgot to add, that when I originally changed over to the new motherboard,
I never had any of these problems. They have only occured since either:

1. I've overclocked the CPU
2. I've changed GFX card heatsink (and chipped off a few capacitors, but it
still works)

So you knocked off cap's now, not resistors? Either way, did they
actually break off? If they did, your graphics card is most definately
screwed - they're not exactly *designed* to work without all the parts
it came with! And bad grpahics cards can cause total lockups - I used
to have an ATI Rage Pro Turbo, (*shudders*) with The Most Abysmal
Drivers In The Universe, Ever®. That used to do bad things to my PC,
including total lockups and causing other things like my sound card
and USB devices to not work.

Also try different RAM - cheap or bad RAM can do bad things to.

If your processor hasn't ran over about 80-85 degrees, it'll probably
be OK. Higher temps than that are *not* good.

On 5 May 2004 06:43:31 -0700, (Zilog
Jones) wrote:

"Someone" wrote in message ...
I forgot to add, that when I originally changed over to the new motherboard,
I never had any of these problems. They have only occured since either:

1. I've overclocked the CPU
2. I've changed GFX card heatsink (and chipped off a few capacitors, but it
still works)

So you knocked off cap's now, not resistors? Either way, did they
actually break off? If they did, your graphics card is most definately
screwed - they're not exactly *designed* to work without all the parts
it came with!

Sometimes they will continue to work fine... for example some are just
filters... the nVidia reference design specs all these things, but if you
note some generic components they essentially do away with some of those
filters, pretty much the same situation as knocking one off.

If OP has a picture of the card (or good pic of same design card from the
'net) and can point out which caps and/or resistors are damaged, we
"might" be able to make a better guess as to viability of the card.