Topic: freezing

[Ice_Cube]

Ok, at any time (and I mean ANY time) my computer will freeze and I can only hit the reboot button (e.g. no mouse or keyboard). Any suggestions?

(PS. My graphics card is sharing the same IRQ thingy with other things, would this mean anything?)


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[number6]

As far as the video card sharing the same IRQ, I don't believe that to be a problem. You could check your devices under Control Panel->System->Device Manager. If you see any exclamation points next to a device that will tell you if there is a conflict between hardware devices (like IRQ conflicts). If your system is locking at random times I am guessing that there is a hardware problem. I looked at your DxDiag and the only thing I would suggest changing driver wise would be to go back to the 40.72 nvidia drivers which you can get here. Could you let us know a little more about your system like what Motherboard brand/model you are using as well as memory brand/type?

[Ice_Cube]

Motherboard is a gigabyte GA-7VRX and I use DDR. I don't know the brand.

As for updating, I have the latest sound and graphics drivers. The latest AMD chipset drivers, latest bios upgrade, latest Via 4in1 drivers. There are no conflicts. I am actually convinced that this is a hardware problem as it suddenly started to go wrong a few months ago and I did not install anything new and now (after a format about a month ago) it has started to happen again.

EDIT: I have also heard about lockups occuring that involve:

a via based chipset, an AGP graphics card, AMD processor (1800XP).


also, my CPU temp. is at 74 degrees. this cannot be right, would this cause problems?

[gryphon]

74 degrees ? That is definiately not right

I should check if your CPU fan is still working, mayby running with your case open and a ventilator next to it. See if that helps any, although when it's 74 I doubt that would help even a little. Have you overclocked it in any way ?
And shouldn't there be a BIOS warning preventing your CPU to reach that temperature ?

[number6]

Motherboard is a gigabyte GA-7VRX and I use DDR. I don't know the brand.

As for updating, I have the latest sound and graphics drivers. The latest AMD chipset drivers, latest bios upgrade, latest Via 4in1 drivers. There are no conflicts. I am actually convinced that this is a hardware problem as it suddenly started to go wrong a few months ago and I did not install anything new and now (after a format about a month ago) it has started to happen again.

EDIT: I have also heard about lockups occuring that involve:

a via based chipset, an AGP graphics card, AMD processor (1800XP).


also, my CPU temp. is at 74 degrees. this cannot be right, would this cause problems?

I know you have the latest drivers, I was telling you to go back a few revisions on the Geforce card since I have seen some stability problems myself with the latest version.  As far as you memory is concerned, what type of DDR? Your system supports DDR333, DDR266, and DDR200. I am guessing that you have the DDR266 since that is what your CPU is rated at.  Did you build this system yourself?

About the temperature, I am assuming that is in Celsius. If so that is way too hot and is most likely your problem.  Maybe it's a bad CPU fan or incorrect contact with the heatsink on the CPU.

[Ice_Cube]

I reverted my drivers back to the version you suggested and there was no change.

Could the randomised crashing be the CPU overheating and cutting out?

Yeah I built this system myself, a trusty steed for about a year! I have no idea about the type of RAM though.

[gryphon]

Could the randomised crashing be the CPU overheating and cutting out?

yep

[Ice_Cube]

thanks, 74 degrees celcius at idle speed is a bit high. Imagine what the 3D games must do to it!

Moving on from this question, is it worth purchasing a new processor? I had a AMD athlon 1800XP so would a AMD athlon 2400XP be compatable? (both socket A) and would the overheating problem still occur? Could it be that the thermal gel degrades after a time?

[gryphon]

Have you got a GF grafics card and version 1 or 1.1 of your MoBO ?

If so it is faulty, Gigabyte have a service that will switch it or somehitng like that as only version 2 will work ok with GF4 grafics cards. Else it will give you the lock up thing you are expecting.

Think a 2400 would be compatible, just make shure you cool the case properly, more people have heating problems with it.

http://www.reviewcentre.com/review23183.html

[Doc Nyar]

Try taking the computer case of and have an external fan blow cool air inside the pc..

[Ice_Cube]

Following Gryphon's point about my MoBo version, I did some looking around and it turns out i have version 1.1 (and a GeForce 4). Damn, so I had a look on th internet and found this interresting page.

http://www.thetechboard.com/troubleshooting/ga-7vrxp.php

This presented me with an out of the frying pan and into the fire solution. To solve the incompatability problems with the GeForce 4 and the Gigabyte GA-7VRX Motherboard, I could up the Vcore voltage by 7.5. This solved the problem of the crashing instantly, but the side effects will be even more heat in the computer. Would increasing the Vcore voltage effect the CPU temperature?

I openned up the case and ran the computer for a bit, and I found that the fan above my CPU was spinning but not blowing any air out,  is this right?

NB. I don't have any external fans.

[gryphon]

The CPU fan is blowing air towards the CPU and not from it.

Raising the core voltage of your CPU does indeed result in the production of more warmt in th eCPU's core. More power means more energy and in a computer that is the same as more heat. . .well, sort of anyway
That is why overclocking results in a higher temperature and should always be accompanied with more or better cooling as an example.

I doubt many people have external fans, it's the casefans that count though. ..

If you check it in your BIOS I'm guessing your CPU fan should have  5000+ permutations per sec..

[RotteVis]

...I could up the Vcore voltage by 7.5...

I hope they?d mean 0.075 , cause If you do 7.5 then you?re cpu+northbridge will fry instantly.
You?re cpu will indeed get some degrees hotter, however 74 degrees is still not a real problem for AMD, it?s still very hot. Go out to the store and buy yourself a Spire Whisperrock III or IV cooler (cost you 14~16 euro?s). I?ve got a III and keeps my AMD1800+@2000+ at a nice 48~50 degrees at full load. And it?s a very low noise cooler. And with this cooler you?ve got a lot of space to play with you?re Vcore. But also remember that you?re northbridge will be getting a lot warmer, if it?s passive cooled, I would advice to put an active one onto it, and maybe some casefans.

[Ice_Cube]

Yeah, I will probably buy some new cooling systems. As for the increase in vcore voltage, I found a different way:

1) go into your BIOS (ie hit DEL or F10 or whatever at startup)
2) enter Power Managment
3) find 'PME event wake up'
4) change the value from 'enabled' to 'disabled'
5) save settings and reboot

This solved my problem too. Would this action cause anymore heat?

[RotteVis]

no

[Doc Nyar]

no

^ what he said..

[Atomic Mitten]

Did you fit your CPU fan the wrong way around ?
To make sure look for an arrow somewhere on it's body.
It should tell you the direction of airflow.

I also had similar problems with my CPU overheating, now it's down to 40 C.
I fitted a new coolermaster heat sink and fan and my problem disappeared.