computer locking up

[QueBert]

My PC is b0ffed, now my GF's is acting a fool too. She plays LOTR and it randomly locks up, when it does the screen goes black and she can hear the audio for 20 or so like regular then the audio gets choppy and loops. A hard reset is all that will get it back, there's no BSOD and no minidump.

I ran prime95 all night, and I ran a video stress tester, both went flawlessly. Memtest shows memory is fine. Her setup

AMD Sempron 3200+
2 gigs DDR
Radeon 1950pro 512 AGP
TT Truepower 430 watt PSU
2 HD's
1 DVD-RW

I know the PSU might be a bit skimpy for that video card, the rest of her system is pretty basic. She's had this same setup for 6 months with zero crashes/lock ups. The lockups started about a week ago, some days she'll have none, yesterday she had 3 in about 5 hours.

Temps seem find, according to the bios. System + CPU are both right around 40c.

All I can think of is it's the PSU but what else should I do to x stuff out?

 

[robisbell]

make and model of the HDD's.

get "PC Wizard" and post the voltage and temp screen please.

 

[MobiusPizza]

Can she recall any program installations a week ago that might trigger the crashes?
Trying running chkdsk too

 

[QueBert]

HUMMMM she installed 1 program, I don't know if it was before or after the lock ups started, good suggestion I totally forgot to ask her this.

HD's
-------------
WD5000AA
ST3200822A

to lazy to take screen shot and upload it (have no free pic account anywhere) here are the temps you asked for




Voltage CPU - 1.38 v
DIMM - 1.50 v
+3.3 - 0.94 v
+5.5 - 5.03 v
+12v - 4.01 v
Chassy Fan 2410 rpm
CPU Fan 3308 rpm
CPU TEMP 42c
CPU TEMP DIOD 29c
MB TEMP 31c
Power/Aux TEMP 16c
GPU TEMP 52c
HD temp WD 34c
HD temp ST 32c

something must be different in the numbers for the PSU voltage because those 3.3 + 12 v looks WAAAY off, what the hell?

 

[brikis98]

yea, those PSU voltage readings are way off. It's possible the PSU is starting to die and the voltage fluctuations are causing the lockups. If you can, try a different PSU.

 

[robisbell]

I agree, would suggest a manual test of the PSU with a multimeter, to be sure.

I would still say replace the PSU with something like 500 or 550 watt. that 430 looks like it is barely passing muster on botting and running the system under load.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: brikis98
yea, those PSU voltage readings are way off. It's possible the PSU is starting to die and the voltage fluctuations are causing the lockups. If you can, try a different PSU.

actually I think Pc Wizard reports numbers weird (inaccurate?) I just ran it on my system too (having different problems) that has a new Corsair PSU and the numbers are

3.3 - .70
5 - .94
12 - 3.54

something's fishy I find it hard to believe my PSU would have numbers very close to hers and both are going back. But it is possible I suppose.

 

[robisbell]

are the PC's both being used in the same residence?

 

[QueBert]

yes, hummm... I think I see what you're getting at - internal power issue.

if the PSU readings are accurate in this PC Wizard it makes sense they are so far off, ugh.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: robisbell
are the PC's both being used in the same residence?

Just spoke to the GF, she has power issues, like in her room if she's playing a game and uses the microwave (medium size one) it trips the circuit breaker and she has to reset it.

This definitely seems to be a power issue now and one I can't tackle on my own

 

[robisbell]

bad wiring, it's damaged the PSU's and hopefully nothing else. the outlets are probably not properly grounded.

 

[QueBert]

I don't know about the grounding thing, she told me it happens not just in her room but downstairs, hasn't always been like this (she's lived here like 8 years) it's pretty recent. In any event thanks for the help man I appreciate it, my bro in law is a life long electrician so he can probably shed all the light needed on this.

 

[robisbell]

okay, and until that's resolved, these issues will have to be on hold due to unstable electrical in the house.

 

[jackschmittusa]

The extremely low voltage readings would not even allow the rig to boot if they were accurate, so I would think them to be in error.

Line voltage fluctuations can cause problems as you have described, but can usually be overcome by using a UPS.

I have powered a very similar rig with an Antec 430 Trupower before with no problems.

 

[QueBert]

the readings seemed wrong to me, I know 3 volts on the 12 rail won't even post a system. And I knew the 128c temp reading for my PSU was waay off. Factor in my BIOS is showing the voltage as exactly where it should be, I really don't know what to believe. I need to pick up a multimeter and get some real numbers and not rely on a piece of software that might be totally inaccurate.

Even with that said, there are definite power issues in this Condo, I was going to suggest she invest in a good UPS, but even if that fixed her PC issues it would be like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound and the power issues would still exist. Not being able to use a microwave while you're on your PC iwithout it tripping the breaker's pretty ridiculous lol.

 

[robisbell]

I totally Agree!

 

[QueBert]

I found out what the electrician said, the power is fine, when the circuit breakers are tripping it was from overpower. homes have less juice upstairs, and with her mini fridge + PC running in her room at the same time she was drawing a bit of power. The fridge is 8 amps on it's own. I would imagine the PC uses a lot, with only 13.5 total I guess it was just too close.

Any ways, back to her problem, she told me she believes it was her external HD, and every time she noticed the activity light would come on it on, the game would lock up. To test this I had her play Hellgate London, it crashes to her desktop a few times, but nothing where she had to hard reboot. I think the game might just be buggy. Playing Lords Of The Rings: Online, it locked up 3 times in about an hour. After she mentioned the external HD thing, I removed it and she's been playing fine for 3 days with zero lock ups.

Not sure exactly how an external HD is causing issues but that's all I can come up with,the fix is just to shut it off while she plays (for now)

 

[robisbell]

that's not right. so that means if you put a tv/dvd/ and video game system in that room it's trip it. that sounds like a BS answer from the electrician. I've never had a place ever have that bad of wiring job that the most basic items trip the circuit breaker.

does the external HDD have it's own PSU?

 

[QueBert]

well if the fridge pulls 8 amps by itself, and a PC pulls ??? I know it's a decent amount - it's probably the fridge messing up the flow of things. When you're saying you've never had a trip from basic stuff, me neither. But apparently 13.5 amps is what the circuity upstairs can handle and she's pushing over it with 3 devices running. As for the downstairs he said the portable grill uses 1400watts, so running that with a deep fryer which uses even more juice will lead to problems.

I have to believe he was honest because his job is to do repairs and make money. And his recommendation was "don't turn so much shit on. But if you must I can install a higher amp box that will get rid of your problems" Sounds honest to me.

the external HDD has it's own PSU yes.

 

[robisbell]

well, sounds like I'd gripe to whomever you bought the place form, that's substandard wiring.

considering, I'd say the external was running low on power and would error out and cause windows to crash.

 

[jackschmittusa]

If the fridge and the PC are on the same outlet, I can see where the problem is. The outlet is almost certainly 15a. Try plugging one of them into another receptacle.

 

[QueBert]

jackschmittusa - same breaker different outlets, the electrician should have known what he was talking about, he was sent by Old Republic and they seem to contract decent people to do their service jobs. Seeing how he was going to make money if he had to do a repair, I don't see the logic in him saying "just run less stuff" it resulted in him only getting paid a $50 service fee and nothing else.

 

[robisbell]

probably did not want to work in the cold.

 

[jackschmittusa]

robisbell

How would he be working in the cold?

Quit pretending that you are an electrician.

 

[QueBert]

Originally posted by: jackschmittusa
robisbell

How would he be working in the cold?

Quit pretending that you are an electrician.

lol I'm in Southern California, cold would be 68 during the day and that pushes it. I think Robisbell has a point about something still sounds wrong, but if an electrician who gets paids to fix electricity problems says "no problem really" and suggests we don't have anything done. That tells me maybe I need to listen. He was the owner of the company so he makes the $$$, I will consult my bro in law who's an electrician and see what he thinks. either way, the power issues here wern't contributing to either of our PC's messing up so it's a moot point right now.