howto check which hardware is faulty?

jepherz · Jul 9, 2008, 04:12 AM

my computer crashes on me every 10-40 minutes or so depending on what I'm doing (how labor intensive im guessing). I tried memtest and got many errors (first time 22,000 second time 55,000 errors), but when I took out the ram and plugged it to my bros computer for 2 hours there were no errors, unlike on my computer for only 15-20 minutes or less.

This I'm thinking narrows it down to mobo, processor, or PSU. could it be the video card though? I tried plugging the PSU into my bros but found out during the process that his mobo is a 24 pin and the PSU is a 20, so i can't test it that way.

I have yet to try to video card on my bros computer cuz I don't think its the cause. I'm not basing this thoery off anything solid though, I'm no expert on this stuff.

Is there a way for me to test my hardware to see which one is screwed up and which ones are ok?

BlueMak · Jul 9, 2008, 07:32 AM

Have you tried checking the temperatures? Do all the fans work properly? Is there lots of dust inside the PC?

jepherz · Jul 9, 2008, 08:05 AM

yes there is ALOT of dust in parts of the computer. the PSU and the heatsink was packed with dust. I've left the computer case open for years. I'd cleaned out the dust a couple times before but there wasn't this much. The entire heatsink surface between it and the fan was all dust. I used a can of compressed air to get the dust out of the PSU, but the can died out on me so my job wasn't so complete. I've got the system mostly cleaned and I'm on it again, but it just crashed on me a few minutes ago and it'll most likely do so again...

***craig5320*** · Jul 9, 2008, 09:16 AM

Finish cleaning the dust out, then get a program to view your cpu, mobo temps etc and just see what they're at idle, and post here if you could.

When it crashes, does it lock up everything freezes and you have to unplug it or does it go to a blue screen or automatically restart?

Syndicate2083 · Jul 9, 2008, 01:34 PM

Also, do you know what brand's your hardware is? Specs on the system? How old are your components. You said the side had been off for years, and if your equipment is a few years old with consistent dust buildup a short in the PSU or mobo is certainly a possible scenario.. Or just equipment that has consistently overheated and you could have some fried components within your PSU or on the mobo..

So yeah, let us know what you have, check as best you can for any overt signs of a burn, or short, or damaged pieces, warped PCBs etc. Check out the temps, let us know!

jepherz · Jul 11, 2008, 07:53 AM

the mobo is a DFI lanparty nf3 250gb, AMD athlon 64 3200+, Antec PSU. sorry I haven't replied in a bit. can you guys recommend a software to check the temperatures? I downloaded one, but it asked for the mobo model number. I don't think mine was supported. told me my cpu and mobo were constantly at 30 and 32 Fahrenheit and my case was -90 Fahrenheit.

Nachbrenner · Jul 11, 2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jepherz

... can you guys recommend a software to check the temperatures? I downloaded one, but it asked for the mobo model number. I don't think mine was supported. told me my cpu and mobo were constantly at 30 and 32 Fahrenheit and my case was -90 Fahrenheit.

try HWMonitor

***craig5320*** · Jul 11, 2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nachbrenner

try HWMonitor

Hardware Monitor is a very good and quick app. Should give you all the details you need without so much as an installer.

Craig

Jul 9, 2008, 04:12 AM	#1
jepherz HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	howto check which hardware is faulty? my computer crashes on me every 10-40 minutes or so depending on what I'm doing (how labor intensive im guessing). I tried memtest and got many errors (first time 22,000 second time 55,000 errors), but when I took out the ram and plugged it to my bros computer for 2 hours there were no errors, unlike on my computer for only 15-20 minutes or less. This I'm thinking narrows it down to mobo, processor, or PSU. could it be the video card though? I tried plugging the PSU into my bros but found out during the process that his mobo is a 24 pin and the PSU is a 20, so i can't test it that way. I have yet to try to video card on my bros computer cuz I don't think its the cause. I'm not basing this thoery off anything solid though, I'm no expert on this stuff. Is there a way for me to test my hardware to see which one is screwed up and which ones are ok?

Jul 9, 2008, 07:32 AM	#2
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Have you tried checking the temperatures? Do all the fans work properly? Is there lots of dust inside the PC? __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jul 9, 2008, 09:16 AM	#4
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,568 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	Finish cleaning the dust out, then get a program to view your cpu, mobo temps etc and just see what they're at idle, and post here if you could. When it crashes, does it lock up everything freezes and you have to unplug it or does it go to a blue screen or automatically restart? __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Jul 9, 2008, 01:34 PM	#5
Syndicate2083 HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Framingham, MA Posts: 228 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Also, do you know what brand's your hardware is? Specs on the system? How old are your components. You said the side had been off for years, and if your equipment is a few years old with consistent dust buildup a short in the PSU or mobo is certainly a possible scenario.. Or just equipment that has consistently overheated and you could have some fried components within your PSU or on the mobo.. So yeah, let us know what you have, check as best you can for any overt signs of a burn, or short, or damaged pieces, warped PCBs etc. Check out the temps, let us know! __________________ -Crash the silence for the sake of memory. Intrinsic Realities, Veteran-USN.

Jul 9, 2008, 08:05 AM	Thread Starter #3
jepherz HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	yes there is ALOT of dust in parts of the computer. the PSU and the heatsink was packed with dust. I've left the computer case open for years. I'd cleaned out the dust a couple times before but there wasn't this much. The entire heatsink surface between it and the fan was all dust. I used a can of compressed air to get the dust out of the PSU, but the can died out on me so my job wasn't so complete. I've got the system mostly cleaned and I'm on it again, but it just crashed on me a few minutes ago and it'll most likely do so again...

Jul 11, 2008, 07:53 AM	Thread Starter #6
jepherz HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	the mobo is a DFI lanparty nf3 250gb, AMD athlon 64 3200+, Antec PSU. sorry I haven't replied in a bit. can you guys recommend a software to check the temperatures? I downloaded one, but it asked for the mobo model number. I don't think mine was supported. told me my cpu and mobo were constantly at 30 and 32 Fahrenheit and my case was -90 Fahrenheit.