Going insane!!! ><

ymaro

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Hello all,

I have been going insane with this new build. This began with an old system that would not run. Through the course of me trying to get one system to run, I have replace ALL, I repeat, ALL hardware. The newly purchased parts are as follows;

EVGA GTX 260

Antec 650 watt atx X12v v2.2

Pioneer 20x dvd/cd IDE

ruby orb cpu fan

xfx 750i sli mobo

western digital 1tb hardrive sata

intel care2 quad 2.5

acer 19 in widescreen monitor

new keyboard/mouse



The problem I have been having is that the pc will freeze while booting windows. Or it will load windows and freeze within 2 minutes. The screen freezes, mouse won't move, system just stops. Keyboard doesn't respond, so forces me to maunally shut off power.

I have formated and reinstalled windows xp home and professional 4 times, so reinstalling os is not a solution.

I have manually set the voltage and timing of the ram to the correct settings, no dice.

*Important (I think)* tried different hardrive, same exact freezing problem

tried different ram, same problem

reseated everything multiple times

tried different GPU, same problem

tried different IDE and SATA cables

Here is what I am now down to. I feel like it is somehow related to the motherboard being in the case. Whenever I take all the parts out and put it ALL together on the bench, it works perfectly. No freezes. The I will put everything in the case with the same connections, it may not freeze for a little while (hour or so), but then will have the same problem. Is it possibly shorting out on the motherboard? I assume that if this were the case, it would shut off completely or not turn on. I see no damage on the board. All I know is that it works fine outside the case with all my hardware, and has no freezing issue. So this makes me think that it is not hardware, not software, but something about being in the case that messes things up. I have tried 2 different cases. and it reacts the same way to both. Please please please any suggestions would be appreciated. I have tried for like 3 weeks to get this system running by myself out of pride, but am just a broken man atm lol. Thanks a lot!
 

ymaro

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CPU is at 18C in BIOS and GPU was always at around 70 if I recall correctly. Can't really chaeck gpu temp, as pc always freezes. Also can't run memtest or anything because it freezes. I simply cant run windows due to freezing very soon after boot up.
 

ymaro

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also worth noting that I can run BIOS indefinitely it seems. Problem always occurs while booting/startup of windows. however have no problems loading windows ect outside the case
 

ymaro

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an interesting find while combing my bios, on the same screen where I set my RAM voltage to 2.0V it says that my CPU Voltage is 0.000V. the help menu on the side says; minimum: by CPU default
Max: 0.3000V

perhaps motherboard is not properly powering the cpu? I am no expert when it comes to voltage lol.
 

co30cl

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I agree that nothing is probably shorting-out. If it works fine not in case but locks-up in case, then maybe the case is restricting air-flow causing it to overheat. If that's the cause, then your cooling is borderline and you should re-set the CPU fan and use good thermal compound.
 

ymaro

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Ok, I will look into that. I am somwhat new to this, but all my other overheating issues seemed to result in the system shutting down completely, not freezing the screen. Is freezing also a normal sign of overheating?
 
You can still run memtest86+ if Window's won't run. Memtest is it's own little OS and runs separate from Windows. Have you checked to make sure your CPU is supported by your motherboard/BIOS revision? It almost looks like the motherboard doesn't recognize the CPU correctly. What CPU are you running? Both the Q8300 and Q9300 are 2.5GHz CPU's. I would bet you need a BIOS update.
 

Dahak

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Did you plug in the 4 pin cpu power connector to the MB?

Dahak

P5N-D
C2D E8500 STOCK
ZALMAN 9700 CPU COOLER
2X2GIG DDR2 1066 IN DC MODE
TOUGHPOWER 850WATT PSU
EVGA GTX 260
SMILIDON RAIDMAX GAMING CASE
LG 24IN WS LCD 1920X1080
250GIG HD/500GIG HD
LOGITECH G15 GAMING KEYBOARD
G5 GAMING MOUSE
LOGITECH Z-5500 5.1 SURROUND SYSTEM
500WATS CONTINUOUS,1000 PEAK
WIN XP PRO
 

Fruity

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Possibly a crack in the motherboard? If it's working properly on the bench there's no reason it shouldn't work in the case (obviously!)....unless the mobo screws when it in the case are slightly stressing the mobo and opening up a crack in the circuits.

Easy to check though - get the pc booted up on the bench, then very very gently press down on a couple of areas on the mobo (e.g. on the CPU heatsink, NB heatsink etc) If it freezes the PC then ur mobo's a duff.
 

ymaro

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All standoffs are installed and have a hole on the mobo (where's my prize? :p) and i tried pressing and jarring the mobo on the bench and it was fine. However, I put it in the case, opened the side panle, and have been blowing a tower fan in on it and it has not frozen once. Must have been overheating. I thought pc's always just shut down when over heating lol. Now I know I guess. No idea how I'm going to properly cool it however. Guess it is a fairly hefty system
 

Fruity

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Glad you've got it working. Something still sounds a bit off though.
Just booting in to Windows shouldn't cause an overheat, no matter what case you've got!
What TIM are you using on the CPU cooler? Also what are your CPU Vcore, NB Vcore and SB Vcore in BIOS?
 

ymaro

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I have pretty generic thermal compound on the cpu.
VTT FSB Voltage : 1.200
NB voltage: 1.24
SB core power 1.50

It was running fine with the fan going on it. It just froze once, and that was when I ran dxdiag on it while I was downloading something. Would really love to not have to tip toe around my pc :p Thanks for any advice!
 

Fruity

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CPU Voltage is 0.000V. the help menu on the side says; minimum: by CPU default
Max: 0.3000V

Voltages seem fine, not enough to cause an overheat anyway. Did you manage to get a CPU Vcore voltage?

Have you tried shortstuff_mt's suggestion of a BIOS update? What is you current BIOS revision?

Another thing you could try is to install Everest (or a similar) and enable logging. Make sure all available channels are selected. If it is an overheating issue, it will show up on the log file and you can nail exactly where it's coming from.
It will also log voltages as well, although because the data capture frequency isn't exceptionally high, a one time short power drop / spike may not show up. Anyway, it should enable you to confirm if it's an overheating problem.
 

ymaro

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I ahven't updated BIOS as I am afraid to flash bios lol. I have an xfx 750i mobo, and I cannot find their specific instructions for flashing. although I could find the flash utility and .bin file.

My pc isn't freezing while doing normal things like surfing the net etc, but I just installed team fortress 2 to test it out, and it freezes within minutes in game. GPU temp is at a cool 50 normally, so definately not overheating. I'm still, as the title states, going insane! ><;
 

ymaro

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may have found something. everest says that the CPU is running around 1000mhz on the FSB. The intel specs say it should be running 1333mhz on the FSB. It IS set to 1333mhz in BIOS however. Problem? any solutions?
 

Fruity

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That's odd lol Where in Everest are you seeing the FSB freq?

Have you got CPU-Z installed? If so, what is it reporting for FSB?

 

ymaro

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I found it in the overclock section of everest :p Downloaded CPU-Z and it said that the FSB was at the correct 1333mhz. Still insane >< got a freeze just on the internet once