My current build is awesome but keeps giving me random problems such as bios hangs and BSODs even random resets from time to time. Im pretty skilled at PC builds and have tried to pinpoint the issue for so long now without success that im just over it. The main problem being the inconsitency with the errors so tough to diagnose. Im not even O/Cing.
Anyway - im thinking of getting a new mobo and cpu - and just trying to make my mind up if i should jump ship now or wait, for, dunno... a better phenom??? Not sure if i can drop from my 6000+ @ 3.0 to a 2.4 phenom. I mean apart from some apps 4 cores are far from being utilized.
 
Ive been an AMD fanboy since i can remember but i do think that they really dissapointed the crowd with the latest chip release. I mean - come on!! 2.4ghz???!?!?!? Who are they kidding. It basically saying to me that if I want to UPgrade my PC i need to either jump to the power and seriously high power and stability of intel; or fry my build by horredously OCing my 6000+. Not much of a choice really.
 
So, if the general consensus is Intel - then any recomendations on a board and a CPU? I dont want the extremes etc but am keen for a decent high spec quad. Not that clued up on the boards either - i like to OC from time to time so prob need a flexible one in that respect.
 
Hope I can get some decent pointers from the THW experts...  

What do you need? What are you saving from the old system to use in the new one? What features do you want the new board to have?
 
This would be my suggestion
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128059
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115017
or this board with the same CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131219

An X2-6000+ is plenty... you'd be crazy to get rid of that rig now for the current batch of Intel CPUs (that are admittedly better than your X2, but not by a huge magnitude)

If it were me I'd wait for the next-gen Intel stuff to become available... if you're having trouble playing games, I imagine it's your GPU not your CPU that is holding you back.

And if you wait, Phenom might come around and be a viable upgrade option for you... saving you a crap-load of money in the process (assuming your board is compatible)

From what has been shown and what Intel has given spec wise, Nehalem looks very promising and worth the wait.
 
They showed a 3.2GHz Nehalem quad core with their new HT called SMT(simultanious multithreading) for a total of 8 cores.
 
There is a post on this forum with a link to a video showing it doing particle physics for a game.
 
Wait for Nehalem. Or if you get antsy get a Q6600

If you're having system problems NOW, and money is not an issue, I'd say try an Intel.  

If you can, wait until 4/20 for Intel's price cuts, on the heels of AMD's price cuts of 4/7.
You don't say what mobo you have now, nor what GPU or PSU.
If you think you might prefer to stay with AMD, at least wait until 4/7; or buy a mobo now.  If the mobo alone fixes your problem, you're done.  If it doesn't, you can continue replacing after the price cuts.
Will you get a new case?  Have you ruled out static or grounding related problems on your current case?

 
Speaking of a new AMD mobo... if you're going to go with that route, and think you'll be sticking with AMD a while longer yet, you may want to wait a few weeks anyhow.  Nvidia's 780a chipset is supposed to be released tomorrow (4/4/08).  I haven't seen any kind of reviews, but I know for a long time the 590a was considered the best AM2 chipset.  Since 780a will be AM2+, it'll let you get a little more out of a Phenom.  On paper, anyhow... we'll see what the reviews say.

heck, im still using a 4400 X2 939 socket, the only reason i have to upgrade is *some* games are becoming CPU limited with my 8800GTX....

other than that i wont be upgrading my cpu or other components until the next revision of Intel and AMD chips, probably late 08, early 09.

i may upgrade my ram to 4GB if the price of my RAM ever comes down, the XMS Twin X stuff i have is still £100+ for 2gig. i use vista with SP1 now too, SP1 fixed alot of the complaints i had with vista, and i enjoy the speedy login/startup speed, compared to XP.

Sounds like you need to regrease and reseat your cpu / hsf mate at the very least ... you might have thermal problems.

Sticking a high end graphics card in it will get you a better result than spending the same amount of money on a new mobo and cpu from Intel.

Unless your into apps that make use of a quad core then that might be a bit of a waste of money for a casual gamer ... plus the E8xxx series cpus are gret for gaming.

It is hard to offer you much advice because you havn't told us enough.

Flakes advice is also sound.

Another problem that you might be having is the memory. Have you tried checking your RAM by using Memtest86 for a few hours? That should stress the memory and let you know if you have any faulty memory (Which could be the cause of your lockups and BSODs).
 
Also what is the rest of your system (PSU, GPU, etc), even though I don't think so, it could be that it's not getting enough power. I would honestly try to fix the issue before you go off buying a new platform, that would be money better saved for the next architectural change (Nehalem).

 
I had a similar problem a couple years ago and after many headaches and replacing my video card, sound card, and trying different ram, I located the problem as the PSU. It would usually start the computer alright, but then the power would fluxuate or something else and the computer crashed. Since I put in the new PSU, no problems.
 
Since you're not overclocking, the AMD chips can do a fairly good job. They're not great chips, and they don't overclock as well as Intel chips, but the B3 Phenoms can be overclocked, with some reviewers getting it up to 2.8-2.9ghz and a couple sites getting 3.0ghz with a 9650 BE. The new Phenoms will be out this month and a 9650 would be a good chip to use. Its not blazingly fast, but its competent from everything I've read so far. There will also be a revision in the motherboards and the SB700 southbridge will come into use, a good impovement over the SB600.  

 
 
Took the words out of my mouth!

I agree with emp, try running memtest for a while (linux live cds also come with memory test you can use), and let us know the specs of what you're using now.  The 6000x2 is still plenty of power.  The money would be much better spent on new video card or memory.

 
If you want to stay with amd, a b3 black edition phenom should oc to 3ghz with a voltage bump and high quality air cooling or water cooling.  It'll be a reasonable gaming cpu.  Otherwise get a q6600 and oc to 3.2.  The 45nm quads with 6mb cache aren't clearly faster than the q6600, the b3 phenom reviews showed that quite clearly.  The 12mb ones should be quite a bit better, but pricing and availability is a big issue.
 
p.s. have you tried any other forums with regard to your stability problems?  apart from tom's, techspot is quite good.  

1st - In refernce to Flakes comment on waiting for memory prices to drop.  This would be true for the DDR3 modules and for the Higer end DDR2 modules.  For main stream DDR ( ie DDR2 800 )  prices probably will not drop, and infact may go up.  Micron quote from financial wedsite ".. better balance between suppy and demand for Dram chips."
Memory chip companies are bleeding with the current price and have been for some time.
 
To the OP.  since you appear to have ruled out Memory as an issue (Extensive memtest86 test) and overheating problems,  And processor problems (orthos or prime 95) And PSU ( all voltages with in specs and stable).  It is a possibility that the MB has degraded (Assume you have the lates Bios ver).  
 
If your ready to "Use a bigger hammer to fix it" then you need a new build.  Your probably not going to wait for Nehalem - No mother board yet and initial cost high.
 
If your a AMD fan, it is slightly lower cost and will beat your current system.
 
For slightly higher cost, I would recommend intel E8400, or quad with the 35 or 38 chipset.  You already stated Overclocking, and intels line is much higher than AMd.  Typically 3.2 -> 3.6 fairly common.  
 

Great & quick response guys, so thanks.
 
Damn - my sig is meant to have all my build info.
 
PSU : 700Wt Seasonic Modular
CPU: 6000+ @ 3ghz & thermal silver
GPU: 8800 ULTRA 768 ( 612 & 2160 )
Mobo: Crosshair 0905beta ( supports 1066 fully )
Ram: 4x1Gb OCZ 1066
Cooling : Antec 182. Lots of fans & 9700 cpu fan ( which pumps! )
 
So im pretty sure that is a decent build and cost me Zimbabwe's defecit.
I have tested everything. Ran a memtest a couple months ago when my PC wasnt getting past post ( with a handy little DETDRAM error on the poster ) and found a faulty chip which OCZ promptly replaced. It seems to lock up if i leave it on for the day so my initial thoughts is heat. MY GPU is running deadcold and that ULTRA using burns so my case is pretty cool inside. All fans are on high  ( cause id rather burn out £6 fans than my hardware ). HDDs are cold and both speedfan and my Scythe Kama read my cores sitting at about 35-38idle and 45 to 55load so im out of options. Ill run a full memtest again on each individual dimm again this weekend to check again but the Orthos ram stress isnt giving any errors.  
 
Could just be that the 6000+ is poked and needs a replacement. Or the Crosshair ( my third ) is fault, again ( im cursed ). Actually who knows. This build was meant to be awesome but has just given me grief.  
 
If i run for too long it BSODs or reboots and then just sits there in post just before it starts running the ram count and checking IDEs etc. Never seen that before really so not sure what is causing it. I plug out and leave it for a while and then it seems to work again till the cycle commences again.
 
So that is why im keen to just change out my mobo and cpu for some cool and stable intel. Its a last resort really. Ive heard good things about people using the core 2 duos. Nice overclocking apparently and using 45.
 
Hope that helps.

have you tried updating the bios? its clutching at straws but it helped me when i was at the end of my tether.  If that hsf is quite heavy it might be flexing the mobo and causing issues.  Now that really IS clutching at straws lol but i did see a hsf roundup/review a little while ago and the reviewer did say that one hsf was flexing the mobo and causing instability.  Try, say, running your pc for a short spell resting on its side so that inside the case your hsf and the top edge of the graphics card are facing up.  

even though that PSU is great, I would try to see if the issue persists with another. The reason? ASUS mobos were known to have a few PSU issues (Can't remember which ones), that's why I'd try swapping that to see if it's the problem. Honestly if your Memtest86 passes, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the problem was the motherboard... basically why I always pass on ASUS motherboards, don't feel like dealing with their crap.
 
If anything you should change, I'd change the motherboard even with a cheap one, it's better to have a working cheap motherboard than one of ASUS "Fantastic" products, but honestly you don't need or would actually find any advantage on building a new system, you are basically on the same boat as I am, next time that upgrading/rebuilding would be an option is after Nehalem is launched.