I'm in Intel 875P Hell - PLEASE HELP!

tempest261

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This has been the most difficult, frustrating computer-building experience of my life. I ordered all of the parts from newegg.com and have already RMA'ed 9 pieces. The problem is that whenever I install XP Pro I get blue screens of death, or random lockups/reboots. When I install Win2k, it can install but once I'm in the O/S I get an unprovoked reboot within 5 minutes.

Here's the CURRENT (bare bones) combination.

Asus P4C800 Deluxe, 1.02 BIOS
Intel P4 3.0 GHZ w/ HT and 800 mhz bus
ATI Radeon 9700 AIW
1 stick of Corsair 512 mb 333 mhz DDR C2
Sony DVD
Maxtor 200 GB 7200 RPM HDD
Enermax 431 watt PSU

Ok, now here's where this situation becomes unreal. I have tried two other motherboards (Aopen and Gigabyte), 1 other CPU (Intel P4 3.06 ghz, 533 mhz bus), 3 tyes of memory (1 GB of OCZ 3200, 1 GB of Kingston Hyper-X 3200, 1 GB of Corsair XMS 3200), 3 Power supplys (two Enermax 431's, one generic 400 watt), 5 copies of XP Pro, TDK Burner instead of the DVD, different IDE cables. We even tried running the motherboard and components on a static pad to eliminate the possibility of case shortages. Also tried swapping the Radeon for an old, tested GF3. Also swapped out the HDD for an older 30 GB Western Digital. No good.

Since I haven't had all the parts at once, we believe I might just have worse enough luck to have another bad mobo. The memory and PSU we're using now are from other systems which are very stable. The combo that got the furthest was the Aopen with OCZ memory and the 3.06 Ghz, but at that point it still wasn't able to make it through an entire game of Renegade or Freelancer without a reboot or lockup. This is after installing SP1 and patching the hell out of everything.

I'd like to get this Asus working- I've timed the memory VERY conservatively, reset the bios on the mobo about six times, reseated and rebuilt the machine multiple times. Tried three different power supplies.

Oh, forgot to mention- the CPU has never gone over 40 degrees C in ANY combination, and usually hovered around 35. If anyone can help, please let me know. I'm losing my mind here.


DISCLAIMER: I've built MANY machines before- including two just recently that worked great on the first try and are as stable as rocks. I just don't get it. Am I just that unlucky?

-Mike Evans
 

Twitch

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I don't know how much I can help, since I don't know exactly how you build. I can only say I just finished building a P4-800 system using a Gigabyte 8KNXP. I was getting blue screens of death until I removed everything but the keyboard, mouse, and graphics card. Once I took out the sound card and a couple other USB devices, the installation went flawlessly after that.


<font color=green>The Netherlands is where you go when you're too good for heaven.</font color=green> :tongue:
 

dhlucke

Polypheme
I don't know what to suggest. You've covered memory, power, and heat. You've tried every component.

I'd suggest the ASUS forum to see if you need another bios maybe??

<font color=green>Everyone should be like the Dutch. They're perfect.</font color=green>
 

dhlucke

Polypheme
The only other thing I can possibly think of is unreliable power. Try switching power outlets and make sure you have a surge protector.

<font color=green>Everyone should be like the Dutch. They're perfect.</font color=green>
 

daniel1113

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Hey Mike,

The only thing I can suggest is to try and run the install with the basics and NOTHING more installed. I will be building my new system this week with a Gigaybyte 8KNXP, so I will let you know if I come up with anything.

- Daniel (daniel1113@attbi.com)
 

tempest261

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Thanks for the replies everyone. When my new Antec PSU and Corsair RAM get here I'll try a bare-bones install with HT turned off. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.

-Mike Evans
 

shadus

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Just a fyi, this may not apply but we have it here at work alot, a shorted out ps2 keyboard or mouse will cause intermitant BSOD. I don't know if USB has that issue or not... and if you are using USB, try ps2.

Shadus
 

tempest261

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Wow I never thought of that. Very interesting- I will be sure to look for that on tuesday (when I rebuild for the 10,000th time) ;)

-Mike Evans
 

melvin13

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On those boards, do you set what FSB speed you want or does it pick it up automatically?...(800/533)

Just wondering since you have DDR333 ram installed if the FSB is set to 800 (which you cant do, you need to have DDR400 to run at 800Mhz, but I'm sure you knew that) or is the BIOS smart enough to set the FSB to 533 when anything less than DDR400 is installed. Not sure if thats even the issue but just shooting out idea's to see if that can lead to a solution...

Thats always a pain...all excited bout your upgrade and nothing but problems. :(
 

tempest261

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It automatically clocks 333 mhz DDR ram down to 320 mhz, actually. But regardless, I've also tested 400 mhz DDR ram (which picked up as 400 mhz) and had no problems.

-Mike Evans
 

Civilized

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interesting problem...im sure you are about to go nuts by now.....I had a similar experience once and ever since everything has been smooth (knock on wood)...hopefully you will get her fixed....I havent built any machines based on this new chipset so I cant offer any advice but you seem to have covered all the steps I would have taken to troubleshoot the problem....I would definately look into updating the bios etc if there is a later one available...good luck

<A HREF="http://dnadesignz.kicks-ass.net" target="_new"><b><font color=green>MY SYSTEM</b></font color=green></A>
 

Ryan_Plus_One

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I had a similar problem where the sound was crashing my system. If I had to bet money on the problem, I would say your sound was having an address conflict. Disable all sound.
 

fiask0

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I noticed you were using large sticks of memory.. Have you tried using 256mb of ram instead of larger sticks? I recommend installing using 256mb, then remvoe that stick once it's stable, and install your larger sticks of ram.
 

tempest261

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that's actually what I just got in yesterday- EXACTLY. However it did not solve my issues, so I called up newegg and I have a new P4C800 Deluxe on the way already. Man they rock.

Anyway, I'll let you guys know how the new mobo works out.

-Mike Evans
 

melvin13

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everyone is porbably wondering themseleves WTF? :)

Could it be possibly that you just got a "bad board"? Quite possible. Happened to me with a gigabyte board once...

Please let us know :) I'm very curious myself...
 

juin

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1 That a dual DDr boards so allwayse you should you use DDR400 also get sure they use module that been aprove to work with I875.It really seen you got a RAm issue.Or a simple setting that you have forgot

[-peep-] french
 

tempest261

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Ok, well I finally got everything working, but not without a final fight.

Here's how it went. I got the new Antec 550 Watt PSU in there, and still had the same problems. I sent back the P4C800 on Monday, got the new one yesterday (NEWEGG.com ROCKS, and installed XP Pro. Everything was extremely unstable after the install, but at least it got installed, which was an improvement. Not a single BSOD, but tons of random, unprovoked system reboots. It was getting really bad, and then I flashed the BIOS with the latest beta (1006) and loaded SP1- after that, I maybe had one lockup or reboot and then it was smooth sailing. I installed the rest of my system drivers and the latest drivers for the Radeon 9700 AIW and the Audigy 2 Platinum, and I started up with some C&C Generals (very hardware intensive). The thing ran beautifully. Not a single glitch at 1600x1200 at high detail. Then I moved onto some Halflife Day of Defeat- no problems there. Same went for UT2003, and Rainbow 6 III. I am now at work, and my system is at home running the 3DMark 2003 demo in loop so I can burn everything in. If anyone has any software specific for burning in systems, please lemme know. Until then, this should work.

Thanks for all your help guys. I really appreciate it. I'll let you all know how the 3D mark burn-in goes when I get home.

-Mike Evans
 

Javic

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<A HREF="http://www.sisoftware.net/index.html?dir=dload&location=sware_dl_x86&langx=en&a=" target="_new">SiSoft's Sandra 2003</A> has a burn-in function that you can loop as well.
 

fiask0

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for future referance, try using smaller sticks of memory, 256mb or left for troubleshooting purposes, and put them on the slowest timing. =}