About my system

[Nicoamil]

Hi everyone, Im brand new here and I heard many good things about this particular forum, so I will trust the knowledge you people have to counter my ignorance/insecurity on the matter.

Let me start by telling you all my system specs. Its not (by far) the fastest computer out there, but I like it. Plus I put it all together myself, over 2 years ago, with very little flaws, I must admit.

Motherboard: ASUS A7V600-X
Processor: AMD Sempron 2600+
RAM: 2x Kingston 512mb PC3200 (KVR400X64C3A/512)
Graphics: Gigabyte Radeon 9550
Power supply: Vitsuba Group 450w
Hard Drive: Hitachi IDE 80gb (just got myself a WD 160gb Sata300, gotta install it and add Win XP from scratch)
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2

Thats pretty much it. Now, my questions.

1) What is the best (speed+durabilty ratio) processor my motherboard could handle?

2) What do I need for my memories to operate at their best performance?

3) What is the fastest I could set my CPU to? (right now it is at 1.83hz, I think)

4) My computer is doing a very annoying sound, like a constant creaking, and I cant figure out where it comes from. I thought it would be the HD approaching its death, but after starting up my computer with the HD completely unplugged, the noise was still there. Its not the CPU cooler, nor the chassis cooler. It is not the GFX card, nor the CD-RW, nor the floppy. I know, the supply. I opened the power supply, took out its cooler, oiled it and the noise is still there. There is this funny thing about it, also, that when I click and drag the mouse over a scroll bar, the creaking changes (gets a little bit more acute for as long as I am dragging the mouse). Again, its like a creaking, or a whistle at times, but its constant and seemingly it changes depending on whats going on. Would really preciate any hint on this matter.

5) Around a year ago I had to change my power supply, since the old one died. And since I got this new one, seldom but enough to know it was something periodic, my computer would reset for apparently no reason. It wouldnt happen at any given time, but maybe right when I scrolled the mouse over a button on a given website (not always the same button nor the same website, next time would be perfectly able to click that button), or maybe when passing the pointer to the top menus, or something like that, right when something in the funcionality should be changing. Today I figured out I could switch off Windows auto-resetting (yah, lame, but I found it out just today) and I got to see the blue screen with the error info, which was related to the win32k.sys file:

*** STOP: 0x00000050 (0xBB9A9F40, 0x00000000, 0xBF83D76D, 0x00000002)
*** win32k.sys - Address BF83D76D base at BF800000, DateStamp 43446a58

I think that is all, at least by now. I want to thank you all beforehand, hope you can lend me some clarity.

 

[Nicoamil]

Uhm.... <_<

 

[tk11]

1) Sempron 3000+ with a 1009 BIOS. Check www.asus.com for your motherboards cpu support: http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx?SLanguage=en-us There is no such thing as "durability ratio".

2) Download memtest86 and use trail and error to find the top speed your memory can handle. Or find a socketA overclocking guide.

3) This is unique to each cpu and can only be found by trail and error.

4) Make sure any unused audio inputs are muted or turned all the way down. Make sure your computer is properly grounded. Also make sure that any powered speakers are plugged into the same power outlet as your computer. If all that fails try using an el cheapo pci sound card.

5) This is probably due to bad memory or a bad driver. Use memtest86 to check your memory and update all your drivers. Google[win32k.sys bsod] for more info.

Good luck.

 

[Nicoamil]

Ah, thanks.
I never meant a "durability ratio", I meant: (speed / durability) relation, but english aint my main language so you know what happens when its like that....

About that noise, its not like its coming out form the speakers. I got no speakers plugged, i use headphones when im at the computer, and take them with me when im not there. my computer SHOULD be properly grounded, since it plugs to a power stabilizer and not directly to a wall. Its some sort of physical noise, like if the axis of a cooler would be displaced or something, but its not the cpu cooler, nor the case cooler. cant try the psu one, but i oiled that one and nothing... it sounds like there were bats inside my computer, and like there were even more bats when i click and hold or drag. o_o

and that blue screen... what can i do? all my drivers are up to date... will check the memory thing.

thanks again, and will preciate more feedback here.

 

[Nicoamil]

well, just ran memtest86 (took like 90 minutes, is that normal?) and it found zero problems.

how can i test my memory speed with it, and not having to wait those 90 mins every try?

 

[tk11]

If the noise is comming from inside the computer you might be able to use a piece of tubing help you locate it by putting one end by your ear and moving the other end around inside the case.

Yeah, memtest is slow... You don't have to wait for the entire test to complete if your just searching for the highest speed. I usually just run test 5. Allow memtest to do a complete run once you find settings that may be worth keeping to ensure stability.