Homebuilt problems

[RobertM525]

I already tried writing this once nice and detailed, but, ironically, my computer crashed while I was doing it. :x

Briefly: my computer hardlocks (totally stops working—even sound stops) randomly and I can't figure out why. (I've been trying to get help here, too, but to no avail.)

I've done a Memtest and passed perfectly. I've replaced my PSU and my video card and it's had no affect. It doesn't seem to be load- or temperature-related (like when it crashed while writing a post for this very forum!).

My power supply reads 11.52V on the +12V according to ASUS Probe, a diagnostics program that came with my ASUS motherboard.

Here's my system's setup:

- AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Newcastle)
- ASUS K8V SE Deluxe K8T800
- 1GB Corsair PC3200 RAM
- BFG Geforce 6600
- Thermaltake TR2 W0070 ATX 430W power supply (see here)
- Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250GB SATA w/16MB cache
- Maxtor 80GB EIDE
- NEC ND-3500A DVD±RW
- Pioneer DVD-ROM
- Windows XP Pro w/SP2

Could it be my XP install or my SATA hard drive? I swear the problems cropped up when I installed the SATA hard drive and put XP (with SP2 "slipstreamed" into it) on it. Could the low voltage be the problem? On two power supplies in a row? (Both 18A on the +12V.)

Please help! I have no idea what to do now...

Thanks.

 

[1Tanker]

I already tried writing this once nice and detailed, but, ironically, my computer crashed while I was doing it. :x

Briefly: my computer hardlocks (totally stops working—even sound stops) randomly and I can't figure out why. (I've been trying to get help here, too, but to no avail.)

I've done a Memtest and passed perfectly. I've replaced my PSU and my video card and it's had no affect. It doesn't seem to be load- or temperature-related (like when it crashed while writing a post for this very forum!).

My power supply reads 11.52V on the +12V according to ASUS Probe, a diagnostics program that came with my ASUS motherboard.

Here's my system's setup:

- AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Newcastle)
- ASUS K8V SE Deluxe K8T800
- 1GB Corsair PC3200 RAM
- BFG Geforce 6600
- Thermaltake TR2 W0070 ATX 430W power supply (see here)
- Maxtor DiamondMax 10 250GB SATA w/16MB cache
- Maxtor 80GB EIDE
- NEC ND-3500A DVD±RW
- Pioneer DVD-ROM
- Windows XP Pro w/SP2

Could it be my XP install or my SATA hard drive? I swear the problems cropped up when I installed the SATA hard drive and put XP (with SP2 "slipstreamed" into it) on it. Could the low voltage be the problem? On two power supplies in a row? (Both 18A on the +12V.)

Please help! I have no idea what to do now...

Thanks.

It sounds to me like it could be a Windows problem. Memtest doesn't use Windows, therefore no problems. 12V is ok. a 5% variance is okay, which means 11.4v - 12.6. Posting in the Forum isn't stressful, so theres no load involved. I would think about a reinstall, minus the slipstreaming. GL

 

[bigsby]

It could be a hard drive problem, it happened to me once. Computer kept crashing every once in a while (actually quite often) especially when doing virus scans and stuff. Try doing a few virus scans and/or defragmenting and if you're getting a pattern when you do that ie: it locks up in the same general place every time, then it's most likely your hard drive.

Also, the low voltage could be a problem as well. PSUs are allowed to be within 10% of the rated specs, but being closer to what it says is always better for your equipment. It might have slipped down below the 10% mark and caused damage to your hardware, again possibly the hdd.

 

[RobertM525]

I would think about a reinstall, minus the slipstreaming. GL

If I can find the disc, I might start with a "repair" installation. I'd like to avoid re-installing everything, as you can imagine.

Forgot to mention that, on my old video card, sometimes when I rebooted I would have the following error message:

Problem report: The NVIDIA System Sentinel is reporting that the NVIDIA-powered graphics card is not recieving sufficient power.

To protect your hardware from potential damage or causing a potential system lockup, the graphics processor has lowered its performance to a level that allows continued safe operations.

But not always. Maybe 1/8 times. New video card hasn't done that yet, but I just put it in last night.

 

[RobertM525]

It could be a hard drive problem, it happened to me once. Computer kept crashing every once in a while (actually quite often) especially when doing virus scans and stuff. Try doing a few virus scans and/or defragmenting and if you're getting a pattern when you do that ie: it locks up in the same general place every time, then it's most likely your hard drive.

I did a surface scan and defrag with no problems. So if it's a hard drive issue, it must not be a specific part of the discs themselves.

Also, the low voltage could be a problem as well. PSUs are allowed to be within 10% of the rated specs, but being closer to what it says is always better for your equipment. It might have slipped down below the 10% mark and caused damage to your hardware, again possibly the hdd.

I've checked it while in WoW, and even the graph of my voltage shows only minor, occasional dips—less than 0.10V of variance.