Recently built machine keeps crashing

Install older/newer drivers

What do you mean "it only really happens when I'm watching several video clips"

Try a different browser, because if your games run fine it must be browser related, my 2 cents.

Sorry should've said I was showing someone a video i had shot on a trip overseas and it crashed during this also. I was watching this via the WMP that comes with win7.

Have updated drives to no effect.

Anyone think it could be a problem with the HSU/CPU interface ? Not enough/too much thermal paste for example ?

Have reseated RAM tonight and not seemed to have made much of a difference. Crashes seem really random mind you, not everytime. Been watching some youtube (again of Messi - hes a legend and you should check it out if you haven't seen him before) and no issues.

Is there any software I can install to review whats happening ? Seen this on another forum but it si only for BSOD which I dont get. WOndering if there was another simialr that I may ve able to use ?

Use HWmonitor, core temp or real temp for temp monitoring

Run Prime95 to test for stability.

When applying thermal paste only use a rice-size blob of paste, mount HSF take it off wipe clean and install HSF

Use arctic silver thermal paste

reset optimized defaults in your bios

Remove one memory module to check and swap it around.

Disable amd cool and quiet in your bios

Had a look around BOIS and couldn't find cool & quiet. Likely to be called anything else ?

Also currently running Prime 95 for about 10 min now. Temps as follows at present

Mobo - 0 - 26 deg c
1 - 50
2 - 64

CPU - all 4 cores at 52

HD - 26

GPU - 49

These seem ok ?

It passed the prime95 tests

Yes it's fine, what cooler are you using? i also have the 955 and 6850 using the stock cooler with my 955

Should be called cool&quiet, see you have a am3+ board so could be called something else, look in your manual or just disable all energy saving features.

don't think it's a temp issue you are having. Have a look out for bios updates it's a new board with immature bios.

Here is a user review i got from newegg

Pros: Decent future-proof motherboard, considering that it has SATA3, USB3, plenty of expansion slots, SATA plugs, USB ports, supports AM3+.

Everything worked right out of the box, POSTed on first tap of the power switch.

Cons: With a bottom-mounted PSU, the 8-pin ATX input at the top left corner is a stretch to reach. The cable is stretched pretty tight and barely makes it.

No IDE, FDD, serial port for older hardware.

Core unlocker was not able to utilize either extra core on the Phenom II X2 560. I don't expect that of the chip because AMD sold it as an X2. But if Gigabyte is advertising core unlock as a feature of the board and it doesn't pan out, that's a negative on Gigabyte.

It's a fairly narrow board (8.82"). I wish it was another 1/2-3/4" wider so it would reach the far set of supports in the tray. As is, the right edge of the board hangs out into nowhere and is unsupported for about 2.5". It flexed considerably when pushing in the RAM and 24-pin power connector, made me a bit nervous.

Only 2 system fans, 4 or 5 would be nice.

Seems to be a little flaky, have had a few BSODs, but to be fair I haven't narrowed that down specifically to the board.

Other Thoughts: There are better boards, but at this point it is one of the cheaper AM3+ options. If none of the cons listed turns you off then go for it.

Maybe after the chip has been exercised/ broken in a bit it will unlock. Will update if that happens.

Specs: Phenom II X2 560 w- stock cooler
(1) G-Skill Ripjaws 4GB 1600
Seagate SATA3 1TB 7200rpm
PNY GeForce 8400 GS 512MB PCI (for now)
Older Rosewill 450W PSU (for now)

using stock cooler also. WIll have a look for the manual to see if can find how to disable all energy saving features. I'll have a sniff around for BIOS updates also but seem to recall that I did this a couple of weeks ago.

chrs

Instability issues are normal when new tech gets released, remember what happened to intel.

That's why I'm not an early adopter of new tech, i always wait for it to mature.

I see you already updated the bios, maybe flashing it back to the original could help, but just leave as it is. Maybe there will be a bios released in the future that is specific to your problem you are having.

If your games play fine without crashing i wouldn't worry about it. Maybe it's just an issue with your software configuration.

Run memtest overnight
http://www.memtest.org/

Ran memtest86+ for 10.5 hours, 11 passess, zero errors.

I guess this means my RAM is ok ?

^ yes your ram is fine, does the PC crash if you play games?

no not to date - have played a fair bit of crysis and GTA4 - both at high-ish settings also.

^ Then why worry about it? like i said it's probably just a software configuration issue. If you don't mind to do it just reinstall windows. If it crashes when watching youtube videos and so on don't you think it's an issue with your browser or installed codecs? Try another browser and watch those clips again. There is nothing wrong with your hardware!

2D and 3D applications will stress a GPU in different ways, so it is possible that it's hardware related still.

I would expect a software issue to be a bit more predictable. Sounds like you are in danger of crashing any time you play a video, and that doesn't seem acceptable.

You should kill any Gigabyte tweaking utilities you have running.

Could this be a sound issue? Do you have the latest sound drivers?

You can also try to disable the onboard hd audio on your graphics card by uninstalling the drivers also. Or just do an express uninstall of catalyst drivers and reinstall and don't choose to install the hd audio driver.

I dont think it is software, well the browser anyway, as it also crashes when I am watching video I have taken and downloaded onto my machine and then watch with WMP.

Not aware that I have any running, unless they are auto starting and running without my knowing



JUst checked them both - realtek HD and ATI HDMI and device manager update is telling me they both are up to date

disable the ati hdmi hd audio like i said.

Yes, and if that doesn't work disable the other. Rule them both out.

Try installing the latest codecs like k-lite codec pack

Or just use vlc media player.

i'll do that, someone else suggested that to me yesterday but that doesn't override videos you watch embedded into web pages does it ?

Videos embedded in web pages are usually played by Adobe Flash or equivalent. VLC has nothing to do with those.

Ok so I've disabled the ati hdmi audio thingy, installed the klite codec pack (64 for windows 7) and installed VLC.

FIngers crossed now and see what happens over the next dew days I guess. Suppose I'll also have to sit here and watch lotsa footie on youtube now...  

Yes, like Proximon said, but i mentioned it because you said it crashes when watching it on media player as well after downloading the videos.

*#%$ing thing has crashed again watching a you tibe video. Funny as I had been watching a long one earlier (20min) and no prob then it just goes.

This is the event log from when it happened but not sure if this is the crash or me powering down the machine using the on button - having a closer look i think this is from after the machine being rebooted as there is a gap between 10.41 and this at 10.43.

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power
Date: 25/08/2011 9:03:36 p.m.
Event ID: 41
Task Category: (63)
Level: Critical
Keywords: (2)
User: SYSTEM
Computer: PC
Description:
The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power" Guid="{331C3B3A-2005-44C2-AC5E-77220C37D6B4}" />
<EventID>41</EventID>
<Version>2</Version>
<Level>1</Level>
<Task>63</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000002</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2011-08-25T09:03:36.186018600Z" />
<EventRecordID>36569</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="4" ThreadID="8" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>PC</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-18" />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="BugcheckCode">0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter1">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter2">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter3">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="BugcheckParameter4">0x0</Data>
<Data Name="SleepInProgress">false</Data>
<Data Name="PowerButtonTimestamp">0</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>


Time to disable the other sound driver I'm guessing ?

Also now I have disabled realtek I no longer have any sound even though I have enabled ATI driver.

You should have only disabled the graphics card onboard audio and then the realtek and then both.

Test with another gfx card if have one

Does this happen when watching videos from your dvd-rom?

I'm using catalyst 11.6 with no issues try that and the latest version if you have not already.

Use the realtek hd audio drivers that came with your motherboard.

Use gamebooster from iobit to disable background processes,

Try to disable catalyst a.i. by setting the slider to max detail and untick the box surface format optimization.

Also end all processes in the task manager: mom.exe and ccc.exe especially or disable it from starting up with windows via msconfig, go run type msconfig enter and untick all the boxes.

leave vlc media player installed and uninstall k-lite codec pack.

Otherwise just format and reinstall windows after that just install your graphics and sound drivers and vlc media player, nothing else to eliminate software compatibility issues. Before doing this uninstall everything except the gfx and audio drivers, vlc media player.

You can try this guide as well http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

This is weird.

SO i updated to catalyst and all seemed to be going well. Even watched a whole game the other mornign that lasted 100 mins or so with no issues. Tonight was watching a youtube clip (HD I think) and bosh over she goes again. Interesting thing is this time the sound kept going, well sort of it was stuck therefore stuttering but not dead like before. Also the caps/num lock buttons still work suggesting this is all to do with the grpahics ?

After the crash waited ten mins and restarted then reviewed event log. Nothing sinister around the time of the crash.

Could it be voltage regulation on the PSU ? (idea from another forum) if so how do i check this and compare what is to what should be ? cheers

Well, the best is to just test with another PSU

Your PSU is brand new, can not see voltage regulation being the issue, otherwise your games would have locked up and your pc would have restarted.

Here is what i think you are looking for http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/t137886.html

Look at the 3.3v, 5v, and 12v image^