Random Lock-ups, Need Help

Hi

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

I'm trying to determine what is causing it. But it's being rather elusive.

I thought it might be the graphics card, as the lockup happens a lot
when I start a 3D program. I thought maybe driver problems, so I
reinstalled windows, and the lockup occured during install, i.e. in very
low rez 2d mode. I started to think that wasn't the problem.

I get memtest86+ to test the memory. The first time i ran the test, it
locked up about 4 minutes in. The second time I ran the test it didn't
lock up at all. I'm not thinking it's not the memory.

Are there any tools out there to do an integrity check on my
motherboard/chip?

My system is as follows:

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

Anyone have any ideas how i can find out what the problem is?

Thanks,

Martin

Got a new symptom.

Computer reset and when it started again the powerlight was off, but the
hard disk light was locked on.

A hard powerdown and restart did nothing. I had to try a couple of times
before I got it booted again.

Things do not look good

Martin Gill wrote:
Hi

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

I'm trying to determine what is causing it. But it's being rather elusive.

I thought it might be the graphics card, as the lockup happens a lot
when I start a 3D program. I thought maybe driver problems, so I
reinstalled windows, and the lockup occured during install, i.e. in very
low rez 2d mode. I started to think that wasn't the problem.

I get memtest86+ to test the memory. The first time i ran the test, it
locked up about 4 minutes in. The second time I ran the test it didn't
lock up at all. I'm not thinking it's not the memory.

Are there any tools out there to do an integrity check on my
motherboard/chip?

My system is as follows:

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

Anyone have any ideas how i can find out what the problem is?

Thanks,

Martin

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 12:13:22 +0000, Martin Gill wrote:

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

My first guess would be either ram or PSU. Did you set the ram down to
166MHz and try it there? If it still locked up after that, I'd say PSU.

--
Abit KT7-Raid (KT133) Tbred B core CPU @2400MHz (24x100FSB)
http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm

"Martin Gill" wrote in message
k...

Got a new symptom.

Computer reset and when it started again the powerlight was off, but the
hard disk light was locked on.

A hard powerdown and restart did nothing. I had to try a couple of times
before I got it booted again.

Things do not look good

Martin Gill wrote:
Hi

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

I'm trying to determine what is causing it. But it's being rather
elusive.

I thought it might be the graphics card, as the lockup happens a lot
when I start a 3D program. I thought maybe driver problems, so I
reinstalled windows, and the lockup occured during install, i.e. in very
low rez 2d mode. I started to think that wasn't the problem.

I get memtest86+ to test the memory. The first time i ran the test, it
locked up about 4 minutes in. The second time I ran the test it didn't
lock up at all. I'm not thinking it's not the memory.

Are there any tools out there to do an integrity check on my
motherboard/chip?

My system is as follows:

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

Anyone have any ideas how i can find out what the problem is?

Thanks,

Martin


I've had very similar probs with a similar config to yours (A64 3400 and
same Mobo) although it sounds from your second post as if your problem is
much more serious. I've been unable to get to the bottom of the problem, my
final thought (before I return the PC to the vendor) being that it's maybe
to do with loading huge soundfonts, which is about the only "odd" thing I do
with my A64; it's been more stable recently. I'm not remotely a techie, and
I don't pretend to have a clue, but just wondered if you used your PC in
this way as well? Also, do you find that Powerpoint animations provoke a
hang? That's what usually does it for me!

I've tried running burn in testing software, running process log monitors,
updating to dx9c, swapping mem modules around in the mobo, checking for firm
connections of cards in the mobo slots, checking for spyware, and other
stuff I can't remember. Sorry I can't really help out beyond offering
solidarity, but if you do get to the bottom of the behaviour please post!

Cheers,

Gary

Gary wrote:
"Martin Gill" wrote in message
k...

Got a new symptom.

Computer reset and when it started again the powerlight was off, but the
hard disk light was locked on.

A hard powerdown and restart did nothing. I had to try a couple of times
before I got it booted again.

Things do not look good

Martin Gill wrote:

Hi

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

I'm trying to determine what is causing it. But it's being rather

elusive.

I thought it might be the graphics card, as the lockup happens a lot
when I start a 3D program. I thought maybe driver problems, so I
reinstalled windows, and the lockup occured during install, i.e. in very
low rez 2d mode. I started to think that wasn't the problem.

I get memtest86+ to test the memory. The first time i ran the test, it
locked up about 4 minutes in. The second time I ran the test it didn't
lock up at all. I'm not thinking it's not the memory.

Are there any tools out there to do an integrity check on my
motherboard/chip?

My system is as follows:

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

Anyone have any ideas how i can find out what the problem is?

Thanks,

Martin



I've had very similar probs with a similar config to yours (A64 3400 and
same Mobo) although it sounds from your second post as if your problem is
much more serious. I've been unable to get to the bottom of the problem, my
final thought (before I return the PC to the vendor) being that it's maybe
to do with loading huge soundfonts, which is about the only "odd" thing I do
with my A64; it's been more stable recently. I'm not remotely a techie, and
I don't pretend to have a clue, but just wondered if you used your PC in
this way as well? Also, do you find that Powerpoint animations provoke a
hang? That's what usually does it for me!

I've tried running burn in testing software, running process log monitors,
updating to dx9c, swapping mem modules around in the mobo, checking for firm
connections of cards in the mobo slots, checking for spyware, and other
stuff I can't remember. Sorry I can't really help out beyond offering
solidarity, but if you do get to the bottom of the behaviour please post!

Cheers,

Gary



Alas, it's nothing like that. I've actually gone so far as to remove the
OS and start again. The problem is I get the lockup during install as well.

It's actually been getting worse all day. I'm now at the point where the
computer only starts every second or third attempt. Usually things just
power up but the powerlight is off, the hard disk lights is locked on.

I've tried swapping memory, and doing memory tests, but it locked
regardless. I've swapped my graphics card (to a GeForce 2 which does not
need the extra power) but it still locks.

I've moved my hard disks from the promise raid to the Via raid, but it
still goes. I've tried just one hard disk, or the other, but it still goes.

Sometimes the system comes up, but I get nothing on the display (which
is why I first thought it was the Graphics card), sometimes it runs for
a bit then either locks or resets.


Someone suggested it might be a PSU problem. Does this sound like one?
I've never had a PSU failure, so i have no idea how to identify one.

Wes Newell wrote:
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 12:13:22 +0000, Martin Gill wrote:


I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.


My first guess would be either ram or PSU. Did you set the ram down to
166MHz and try it there? If it still locked up after that, I'd say PSU.


I tried removing the RAM one at time, i.e. just running with half the
RAM, as I suspected it unlikely both chips were broken.

But I got failures with both. ALso memtest found no problem with the RAM.

Do the symptoms i named in my other post sound like a PSU? I've never
had one go on me. I thought they just stopped working at all.

1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM

If it is 2x512MB, try with just one module (512MB). Then, if it works, try
another.

If one module fails, you have faulty one.

If fails with both, problem is likely elsewhere (I think trying it without
RAID is a good idea too...)

If both work, but not together, raise CMD rate to 2T.

Mirek

Check the voltage as well.

"Mirek Fídler" wrote in message
...
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM

If it is 2x512MB, try with just one module (512MB). Then, if it works, try
another.

If one module fails, you have faulty one.

If fails with both, problem is likely elsewhere (I think trying it without
RAID is a good idea too...)

If both work, but not together, raise CMD rate to 2T.

Mirek

On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 19:08:18 +0000, Martin Gill wrote:

Gary wrote:
"Martin Gill" wrote in message
k...

Got a new symptom.

Computer reset and when it started again the powerlight was off, but the
hard disk light was locked on.

A hard powerdown and restart did nothing. I had to try a couple of times
before I got it booted again.

Things do not look good

Martin Gill wrote:

Hi

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

I'm trying to determine what is causing it. But it's being rather

elusive.

I thought it might be the graphics card, as the lockup happens a lot
when I start a 3D program. I thought maybe driver problems, so I
reinstalled windows, and the lockup occured during install, i.e. in very
low rez 2d mode. I started to think that wasn't the problem.

I get memtest86+ to test the memory. The first time i ran the test, it
locked up about 4 minutes in. The second time I ran the test it didn't
lock up at all. I'm not thinking it's not the memory.

Are there any tools out there to do an integrity check on my
motherboard/chip?

My system is as follows:

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

Anyone have any ideas how i can find out what the problem is?

Thanks,

Martin



I've had very similar probs with a similar config to yours (A64 3400 and
same Mobo) although it sounds from your second post as if your problem is
much more serious. I've been unable to get to the bottom of the problem, my
final thought (before I return the PC to the vendor) being that it's maybe
to do with loading huge soundfonts, which is about the only "odd" thing I do
with my A64; it's been more stable recently. I'm not remotely a techie, and
I don't pretend to have a clue, but just wondered if you used your PC in
this way as well? Also, do you find that Powerpoint animations provoke a
hang? That's what usually does it for me!

I've tried running burn in testing software, running process log monitors,
updating to dx9c, swapping mem modules around in the mobo, checking for firm
connections of cards in the mobo slots, checking for spyware, and other
stuff I can't remember. Sorry I can't really help out beyond offering
solidarity, but if you do get to the bottom of the behaviour please post!

Cheers,

Gary



Alas, it's nothing like that. I've actually gone so far as to remove the
OS and start again. The problem is I get the lockup during install as well.

It's actually been getting worse all day. I'm now at the point where the
computer only starts every second or third attempt. Usually things just
power up but the powerlight is off, the hard disk lights is locked on.

I've tried swapping memory, and doing memory tests, but it locked
regardless. I've swapped my graphics card (to a GeForce 2 which does not
need the extra power) but it still locks.

I've moved my hard disks from the promise raid to the Via raid, but it
still goes. I've tried just one hard disk, or the other, but it still goes.

Sometimes the system comes up, but I get nothing on the display (which
is why I first thought it was the Graphics card), sometimes it runs for
a bit then either locks or resets.


Someone suggested it might be a PSU problem. Does this sound like one?
I've never had a PSU failure, so i have no idea how to identify one.

It certainly could be a power supply problem. What supply are you using?

"Wes Newell" wrote in message
newsan.2004.10.10.15.57.41.10824@TAKEOUTverizon. net...
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 12:13:22 +0000, Martin Gill wrote:

I've recently been getting random lock-ups. The computer freezes
completely and I need to reset.

Athlon 64 3000+ (memtest calls it AMD Sempron 2002Mhz)
Asus K8V SE Delux
1024 mb DDR400 Kingston RAM
2x 160Gb Maxtor RAID 0 (2+0 Stripe)
Gainward Nvidia 5700FX Ultra Golden Sample.

My first guess would be either ram or PSU. Did you set the ram down to
166MHz and try it there? If it still locked up after that, I'd say PSU.

--
Abit KT7-Raid (KT133) Tbred B core CPU @2400MHz (24x100FSB)
http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm

I've had a similar problem that turned out to be PSU related. The computer
would regularly lockup about 5 minutes in (even during memtest). This was
after i changed to a new PC case and I was using some more power with the
extra fans included in it. I disconnected the power supply from the two fans
and everything is working fine again. I have a similar setup to yours, but
without the RAID drivers.

What wattage is your supply?
Or have you solved this problem already?

Brian.