1Yr old Randomly Rebooting and Freezing and Switching off!

[Finny]

Hello THFG.
Last Oct. i bought the System in my sig.
I has been running fine

about 3 month ago it started rebooting randomly (atleast 2 hours after been powered on)

So i formatted HDD and put on new drivers (For sound,video and chipset) and it ran okay for a further 3 months

So that brings me to whats happening now

After roughly about 2 hours of operation it Freezes and then reboots in 2D or 3D programs (Windows or any game) i have tried numerous sets of driver for everything and can't get this system to run stable anymore, and sometime it even totaly shuts off with no warning or windows messages nothing it just plain turns off !

I haven't added any new hardware components since i got it or OC'ed anything ever !

I am currently saving up for a new C2D System:

Abit AB9,2GB Cosair Ram,C2D 36400,320GB Sata 2 and Antec Sonata 2 case and a 7900GTO i should have soon plus my awsome Audigy 2 ZS.

But it will take a while so i want to try and get this system atleast stable untill then.

Any suggestions/help ergently needed !

 

[tool_462]

Problem is probably :arrow: "500w Generic PSU"

 

[Finny]

Problem is probably :arrow: "500w Generic PSU"

Well i discussed that with a close IT friend and we both agree that may be the problem

As mentioned in my above post and in my sig. i am getting a Antec Sonata 2 w/ Antec 450w Smartpower ATX2.0 PSU so that might fix my problem !

Any other comments,thoughts and help welcome!

Wish me luck.

 

[caamsa]

Just for future reference if your computer reboots or shuts down and had never done it before then with high probability it is probably a hardware problem not software.

Could be the power supply. I had mine reboot and it was a bad memory module.

 

[Finny]

Just for future reference if your computer reboots or shuts down and had never done it before then with high probability it is probably a hardware problem not software.

Could be the power supply. I had mine reboot and it was a bad memory module.

Memory module.....interesting...

Well my Ram is Cosair (USA) 2x512 400mhz DDR Value Ram CLS2.5
Both modules are matched.

Hopefully will be ordering the case/psu soon.

Any other experiences anybody had like this ? If you did well how`d you fix it LOL!

Thanks all

PS. If this thread goes dead for awhile i am just getting the PSU/CASE so bare with me please.

 

[megafish]

Could be either the PSU or the RAM.
1) Try using one stick of RAM at a time to see if your system still give you the same problem.
Or, download the Memtest program to test your RAMs:
http://www.download.com/Memtest86/3000-2086_4-10524192.html?tag=lst-0-1

2) If your RAM test turns out fine, try another PSU

Good luck!!! : )

 

[Finny]

Could be either the PSU or the RAM.
1) Try using one stick of RAM at a time to see if your system still give you the same problem.
Or, download the Memtest program to test your RAMs:
http://www.download.com/Memtest86/3000-2086_4-10524192.html?tag=lst-0-1

2) If your RAM test turns out fine, try another PSU

Good luck!!! : )

Thankyou for the Mem tester i am using it now ! !!! EDIT: Memtest32 seems a little to complicated to use is there anything simple that i can run under windows XP ?

As for the PSU i will be getting a Antec Sonata 2 with a Antec SP 450w ATX2.0 PSU ! soon !


Thankyou

 

[Jim_BW]

Have u been monitoring your CPU temps, heatsinks often get cloged up with dust, would shut down if overtemp, just anouther possibility

 

[Finny]

The only way to really test the RAM is through a bootable disk. No way around that. As for you PSU selection it will not help be good enough for your upcoming 7900GTO upgrade. You need a 400=W PSU with dual +12v rials. Each rail needs about 18A on it otherwise you will have the same problems your currently facing.

I slightly better RAm tester is Memtest86+. All you need is to create a bootable floppy and add the files for memtest86+ to that floppy.

To make a bootable floppy through a blank floppy into the a: drive. Right click the drive and select format. Then click the box that says create a bott disk. Then tell it to format and your set. Then tranfer the memtest86+ files and restart your computer allowing it to boot from the floppy. Then it will start the test.

I would love to use memtest but i can't because i dont have a floppy drive !

For the PSU that comes with the case it a Antec Smartpower 2.0 450W ATX2.0 here is the specs. http://www.antec.com/specs/SP450_spe.html

Just want to outline something in those specs:

The +12V1 rail can take 15A max.

And the +12V2 rail can take 17A max.

Will the rails have enough juice to power the MSI7900GTO without carrying on like whats happening now ?
I don't want to not use a nice little PSU that comes the Antec Sonata 2 !
I haven't got enough money to buy a better one !

Have u been monitoring your CPU temps, heatsinks often get cloged up with dust, would shut down if overtemp, just anouther possibility

Yep The Cpu Temp is on Avg. 40-55 Idle-Load.

And the Video Card runs about 40-60 Idle-Load (The Inno3D 6600GT 256MB 8pipes 500/100 ect. PCI-E)

There is also no dust in my tower as i just cleaned it !

Thankyou both for the helpfull posts

 

[sruane]

1Yr old Randomly Rebooting and Freezing and Switching off!

Have you tried taking him to a pediatrician?

(sorry - couldn't help it)

 

[horstmann]

You can download an ISO of memtest and mount it on a cd and it will do the same as a bootable floppy.

By the way, My computer has the same problem with random shutdowns. I have 480W Antec Truepower PSU and have ran memtest for 12+ hours with no errors. I also do not know where to look anymore.

I do not mean to hijack your thread, but maybe this problem could be solved together.

My computer is rather dated.

P4 2.4
2 x 512MB corsair ddr400
Intel board with p865 chipset
radeon 9700 pro
Antec 480w Trupower
2 Case fans
1 40G OS drive
1 160G storage drive
2 DVD-r drives


If anyone has any more ideas to try, it would be awesome. I have pretty much resigned to the fact that it will do this until I rebuild. I have a case bought for my rebuild and that is all so far.

 

[Finny]

1Yr old Randomly Rebooting and Freezing and Switching off!

Have you tried taking him to a pediatrician?

(sorry - couldn't help it)

LOL! No i Have not man.

You can download an ISO of memtest and mount it on a cd and it will do the same as a bootable floppy.

By the way, My computer has the same problem with random shutdowns. I have 480W Antec Truepower PSU and have ran memtest for 12+ hours with no errors. I also do not know where to look anymore.

I do not mean to hijack your thread, but maybe this problem could be solved together.

My computer is rather dated.

P4 2.4
2 x 512MB corsair ddr400
Intel board with p865 chipset
radeon 9700 pro
Antec 480w Trupower
2 Case fans
1 40G OS drive
1 160G storage drive
2 DVD-r drives


If anyone has any more ideas to try, it would be awesome. I have pretty much resigned to the fact that it will do this until I rebuild. I have a case bought for my rebuild and that is all so far.

Sure i would love to help you out.........

I have had this same problem happen to me before. Let me Explain....

The System that had this happen (You will have to wait till the end of this post to see what caused the problem, Sorry.) was very similar to yours:


AMD Athlon XP 2700+ non-barton core
1x512 DDR 333 Ram
Soltek SIS KM400 Chipset Motherboard
Western Digital 120 ATA100
Sony 4x Single layer DVDRW/CDRW Combo burner
Generic ATX Case with ATX1.0 400w PSU
GExCUBE ATI Radeon 9600PRO 256MB AGP 8X
Soundblaster Live ! 5.1 SE DE w/ Camebridge 5.1
Hitachi 17" CRT
mouse,kb ect.

About a Year and a Half ago it started doing what our two comps are doing (Rebooting,turning off and instability and slowdowns. Most desturbingly of all it had Visual artifacts in games, all games !)

I replaced everything first i got a new Video Card (Powervision X700 256mb AGP) and i installed it and flicked the power and and pressed the power button it did'nt start !

So i thought ohh it must be the PSU not been able to cope with the load sooo i get a Generic 500W PSU (the same one im using in this one) and that did'nt make it start either (Put the 9600pro back in it ran but still was unstable)

Soo me and somne friend's came to the conclusion that the only thing left to try was a new Motherboard

2 weeks later a brand new Abit NF7-S arrived...

I installed it and the X700 and it ran like a Dream ! faster,more stable and cooler too!(I also got a Thermaltake Typhoon Skt. A cooler which bought the CPU Temps down to 50-60)

So there you have it follow nerds.

Faulty Motherboard ! Haha!

Unfortunetly i know my motherboard is the culprit but i dident want to admit it !

I will be getting the new case and video card i have talking about in comeing weeks, that should prove if it is for sure the motherboard.

Good luck man.

PS. If you can get hold of another Skt. 462 ? P4 motherboard that might make your system more stable.

 

[Finny]

Will the rails have enough juice to power the MSI7900GTO without carrying on like whats happening now ?
I don't want to not use a nice little PSU that comes the Antec Sonata 2 !
I haven't got enough money to buy a better one !

Well could somebody tell me please !

 

[PCcashCow]

You should be fine.

 

[horstmann]

You should be fine. If you ever upgrade to a more hungry video card, they make a power supply that fits in your 5.25 drive that powers just a video card. This then takes the 300+ watt load off of the primary power supply.

 

[Finny]

You should be fine. If you ever upgrade to a more hungry video card, they make a power supply that fits in your 5.25 drive that powers just a video card. This then takes the 300+ watt load off of the primary power supply.

Cool!

Thx guys for the help.


LOL i find it funny he sooo meny people think they know everything... well ive got a message for them......

Having 18A on Daul 12V rails is BS, people have been running 7900gto's on 450-500w PSU's No problem ! (if you dont belive me google it !)
And when i had a 7900GT that ran fine to (before it died like all the other 7900gt's)

Thankyou all and have a merry nerdmas