Bring on the random freezing

IEMC · Jul 24, 2007, 12:08 AM

A little update:

Just did a full system hardware scan with PC-Check 6.0. Scanned everything, and nothing had any errors.

Still need to use a volt meter on my PSU to see what kinda volts I'm at, but I'll do that later.

Any more suggestions at what I could test?

westsidebud · Jul 24, 2007, 04:36 AM

did you get any messages in your "event viewer" ?
check the time of the problem and check for any messages
that are created at the same time..
maybe that will give ya a bit more to go on ?

and ya the paper clip trick(to turn on the psu without any mobo attached)
id google it to be sure though, but i think its the green wire + the black on the left ??? becarefull

IEMC · Jul 24, 2007, 07:16 PM

Yah, checked the event viewer ages ago, just never mentioned it. Nothing causing problems there.

I had the volt meter attached to a molex cord last night, tested the 5v and 12v lines. All are fine voltages. I kept the 12v attached and waited for the computer to lock up, just to see if there was a annomaly, and the computer decided not to freeze on me for about an hour or so. So I gave up and went to bed.

I'll do the same thing today. Usually the computer locks up, then locks up more frequently after the first, so I'll catch it then.

I'm also gonne try sticking a fan in the side of my computer to see if it is overheating. Not sure why I haven't tried that yet.

Will keep you posted.

IEMC · Jul 25, 2007, 04:41 AM

So far I've only caught the +12v line during a freeze. Nothing strange happened, or so I saw. Hopefully I can catch the +5 line, and MAYBE the +3.3 line.

Still contemplating multiple PSU's, still haven't been able to do it.

Still accepting donations

H3X4D3C1M4L · Jul 25, 2007, 06:59 PM

I still say its memory. Memtest isn't that great a diagnostic. Your memory has to be really REALLY badly faulty for it no catch it.

It'd be worth making a purchase of Goldmem. If your computer can pass a thorough pass of Goldmem's tests then you can be sure it isn't the memory. I had similar problems of failure on full load, and the machine would still pass memtest no problem. I put on Goldmem? Lo and behold, bad RAM. Replaced it and all was well.

IEMC · Jul 25, 2007, 09:04 PM

Memtest wasn't the only memory tester I used. I used Pc-Check's memory tester, took about an hour, but it came up with nothing.

I've heard stories of memtest not finding anything, but then Pc-Check did, so I'm confident that my RAM is fine.

Also, I was looking at my PSU last night, and noticed the fan isn't going as fast as maybe it should be. You know how when you turn off a fan with lettering on it, and wen it starts to slow down, you can see the lettering start to appear? Well, it looks like it's in that state all the time, so I'm considering that the PSU may be simply overheating.

Not sure if I mentioned this before, but when I have the side of my case off, my computer seems to freeze A LOT less, if at all. I'm hoping this problem can be fixed with a few jerry-rigged fans around my case.

EDIT: You guy's remember the construction toy called "construx" right? Well, I just made a little fan stand in my case, and it's point right at my north bridge heat sink. I did this because it tended to get hot to the touch, and I had some extra fans around, so I rigged it up. I didn't have to pay anything

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jul 27, 2007, 03:17 AM

its a combinatuion heat / PSU issue. You might buy a new PSU or...
http://www.hardwareheaven.com/guides/psumod/
replace the psu fan with great care cost you all of a few bucks

you may have more then one problem cooling may not fix it, but it's where i would start
on the cheap. Maybe time for a better PSU.

Jul 24, 2007, 12:08 AM	Thread Starter #31
IEMC Neighborhood screw up. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: MI, US Posts: 770 Rep Power: 55 System Specs	A little update: Just did a full system hardware scan with PC-Check 6.0. Scanned everything, and nothing had any errors. Still need to use a volt meter on my PSU to see what kinda volts I'm at, but I'll do that later. Any more suggestions at what I could test? __________________

Jul 24, 2007, 04:36 AM	#32
westsidebud DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 64 Rep Power: 0	did you get any messages in your "event viewer" ? check the time of the problem and check for any messages that are created at the same time.. maybe that will give ya a bit more to go on ? and ya the paper clip trick(to turn on the psu without any mobo attached) id google it to be sure though, but i think its the green wire + the black on the left ??? becarefull __________________ Megan and Max are tasty Monkeys!

Jul 24, 2007, 07:16 PM	Thread Starter #33
IEMC Neighborhood screw up. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: MI, US Posts: 770 Rep Power: 55 System Specs	Yah, checked the event viewer ages ago, just never mentioned it. Nothing causing problems there. I had the volt meter attached to a molex cord last night, tested the 5v and 12v lines. All are fine voltages. I kept the 12v attached and waited for the computer to lock up, just to see if there was a annomaly, and the computer decided not to freeze on me for about an hour or so. So I gave up and went to bed. I'll do the same thing today. Usually the computer locks up, then locks up more frequently after the first, so I'll catch it then. I'm also gonne try sticking a fan in the side of my computer to see if it is overheating. Not sure why I haven't tried that yet. Will keep you posted. __________________

Jul 25, 2007, 04:41 AM	Thread Starter #34
IEMC Neighborhood screw up. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: MI, US Posts: 770 Rep Power: 55 System Specs	So far I've only caught the +12v line during a freeze. Nothing strange happened, or so I saw. Hopefully I can catch the +5 line, and MAYBE the +3.3 line. Still contemplating multiple PSU's, still haven't been able to do it. Still accepting donations __________________

Jul 25, 2007, 09:04 PM	Thread Starter #36
IEMC Neighborhood screw up. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: MI, US Posts: 770 Rep Power: 55 System Specs	Memtest wasn't the only memory tester I used. I used Pc-Check's memory tester, took about an hour, but it came up with nothing. I've heard stories of memtest not finding anything, but then Pc-Check did, so I'm confident that my RAM is fine. Also, I was looking at my PSU last night, and noticed the fan isn't going as fast as maybe it should be. You know how when you turn off a fan with lettering on it, and wen it starts to slow down, you can see the lettering start to appear? Well, it looks like it's in that state all the time, so I'm considering that the PSU may be simply overheating. Not sure if I mentioned this before, but when I have the side of my case off, my computer seems to freeze A LOT less, if at all. I'm hoping this problem can be fixed with a few jerry-rigged fans around my case. EDIT: You guy's remember the construction toy called "construx" right? Well, I just made a little fan stand in my case, and it's point right at my north bridge heat sink. I did this because it tended to get hot to the touch, and I had some extra fans around, so I rigged it up. I didn't have to pay anything __________________ Last edited by IEMC; Jul 26, 2007 at 12:20 AM.

Jul 25, 2007, 06:59 PM	#35
H3X4D3C1M4L DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 6,794 Rep Power: 0	I still say its memory. Memtest isn't that great a diagnostic. Your memory has to be really REALLY badly faulty for it no catch it. It'd be worth making a purchase of Goldmem. If your computer can pass a thorough pass of Goldmem's tests then you can be sure it isn't the memory. I had similar problems of failure on full load, and the machine would still pass memtest no problem. I put on Goldmem? Lo and behold, bad RAM. Replaced it and all was well.

Jul 27, 2007, 03:17 AM	#37
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	its a combinatuion heat / PSU issue. You might buy a new PSU or... http://www.hardwareheaven.com/guides/psumod/ replace the psu fan with great care cost you all of a few bucks you may have more then one problem cooling may not fix it, but it's where i would start on the cheap. Maybe time for a better PSU. __________________