Tbird 1.4GHz/ECS K7S5A stability problems

[maxPower]

Hi all, first time post...

I recenly built myself a new system after my old mobo exploded (literally...one of the capacitors blew up). So I now have this system:

Windows 98SE
Athlon Tbird 1.4 GHz
ECS K7S5A mainboard
1 x 256 MB DDR RAM
300 W PS (bought new after the exploding mobo...not a cheap one)
Creative GeForce2 GTS vid card
Creative SB Live Value sound
2 hard drives
1 generic CDROM
1 Mitsumi CD-R
Good cooling (solid copper Globalwin(?) CPU HS, drive bay cooler, 80 mm case fan, CPU max temp about 45 degrees C)

The problem is that ths system randomly locks up: no error message, just freezes, usually while it's idling or doing relatively minor tasks (Explorer, Word, etc). Rebooting with the reset switch works, and it restarts fine. I have the system underclocked to 100 MHz front/backside which seems to help, but I'm still rebooting my computer about 5 times a day.

Has anyone out there had any similar problems? Could this be linked to Windows (I didn't reinstall Win98 after rebuilding the system) or power (either system or mains) or the BIOS (I'm still running the stock BIOS)?

Please help,

Max Power

"There's the right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way!"

 

[HonestJhon]

run the program memtest and see if that gets any errors..
i think it is memtest 89....it makes a floppy that will boot the computer, and run the test..
i ran it on my k7s5a, and got no errors...
the ones to watch out for are the cache tests, the ones that say, "cahce on"
if there are errors with that, then you might have been one of the unlucky people who got ahold of a faulty board..
i have to run it on my friedns computer, because he is saying that he is having problems...(almost same computer, me and my friend...)
if you can run memtest, and get no errors, then i dont think that it is hardware related...unless there is some other problem...
this isnt the same one i ran, but i will run this and let you guys know the results...
<A HREF="http:// http://hcidesign.com/memtest/download.html " target="_new">http:// http://hcidesign.com/memtest/download.html </A>
i also used the sandra burn in wizard, set to stress, and looped it...ran it for a while, took a trip to 7-11, and stopped it..
no problems...
i will poset back with results!

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[jiffy]

Usaully my computer freezes after I tweak the BIOS, then I have to undo what ever I did. Something in your BIOS might be causing it to freeze. I have close to the same set up as you.

defrage is child's play-fdisk

 

[HonestJhon]

ok, ran the new memtest i downloaded, and got no errors...
i am going to let it run all night tonight, and see what happens...
it got to like 4,000 something coverage, with zero errors..


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[maxPower]

I ran memtest on 192 MB up to 1000% coverage with no problem. Stress doesn't seem to cause it, as it never crashes when I'm doing CPU-intensive things (Quake 3, etc.).

Jiffy: I'll try setting the BIOS back to it's "optimal" settings or whatever to see if that helps.

 

[HonestJhon]

sometimes that will help out, and make the system more stable...
i unfortunately will not be running memtest all night, since i need to get some sleep, and dont want to have to be there in case of an emergency...
but i will run it tomorrow night, given that nothing requires me to really sleep...
and yeah, i had no errors...but almost every time that i delete a huge file, there is that refresh thing happening...like my desktop stops responding, but the taskbar, and the start menu itself work...i just have to log off, and back on, and that fixes it..no problems...i still have to figure out what the hell is causing it...maybe bad motherboard drivers?
i did update to the latest drivers fot the motherboard...
if anyone knows what might be causing this, then let me know...
i havent noticed any data corruption, and i havent noticed any other problems...just this nuisance...
alright, i hope that someone can help us, MAX POWER...


-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[maxPower]

OK, I reset the BIOS and it seems to be much more stable. Thanks! Still some problems with page faults in iexplore, but I think that's just a Windoze crappiness problem. Maybe now I can even run the CPU at 1.4 GHz like it's supposed to.

About your desktop hanging...if you say you have to log off your LAN and not actually restart the comp to get it going again, it could be a network related problem. I have NT at work and it's always doing strange things.

 

[HonestJhon]

yeah, but it does it when i am just deleting something on the hard drive...not when i am doing anything on the network...even when i havent done anything on the network...it also did this on my linksys, and the built in...
but, you might have a point...but i dont know...
any ideas what might be causing it in the network settings?
anyone with ideas, feel free to chime in here...

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[Ncogneto]

Disable the nic and see if the problem still exists then report back.

Video editing?? Ha, I don't even own a camera!

 

[HonestJhon]

well, i found something else out that might narrow it down...
i was storing my friends install of diablo2...since he was doing some maintenance...
and when i went to delete it...it said it was too large for the recycle bin...and asked if i wanted to permanently delete it...since it was no longer needed for me to store it, i said yes...
it didnt store it in the recycle bin, and did not freeze the desktop...
i dont know if that means anything...but i will try disabling the network card in the bios, and then seeing what hapens...
now all i have to do is get a file that will be good for deleting...to test this...

-DAvid

-Live, Learn, then build your own computer!-

 

[forgettythatty]

THE K7S5A random reset problem SOLVED:
http://forum.ocworkbench.com/ocwbcgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=003125&p=