CPU, Memory, or MoBo?

[ClayN]

Hi. I'm trying to put together the following system:

2600 Athlon XP @ 266
Albatron KX600 mobo
512 MB PC3200

Different things happen when I try to boot. On every cold boot it passes the POST, but only gets so far until it hangs. If I reset after a hang I never get video and have to cold boot to get it back. The BIOS will pick up the CPU correctly, but then hangs during the memory test. Where it should say how much memory is there it turns green and shows weird ASCI signs. Other times it will pick up the CPU and memory and I can get into the BIOS for awhile. Then the screen will freeze and blocks appear be taken out of the screen. More strange ASCI characters. How does a computer pass a POST then crash in the BIOS? Once I got far enough to start installing XP from a CD. It got as far as partitioning the drive and copying files, but on the reboot to continue installation it hung.

I've tried swapping out memory and video cards with no change. It appears to happen reguardless of weather or not drives are attached. I'm not trying to overclock. This leads me to believe either the CPU or MOBO is at fault.
Is there any way to tell if it is the CPU or the board that is at fault? It seems if it was a CPU it would not pass a POST.

I'm wondering if I don't have something wrong in the BIOS. When it does pick up the memory it says it is running at 400 mhz, but my chip only runs at 266 (was supposed to be an easy upgrade to a K7S5A mobo....that didn't work...maybe because of the chip). I thought everything would downgrade to the speed of the slowest component. Is that not the case?

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[TSDible]

I don't know if you have already thought of this or checked it...

HS/Fan Installation could be causing a heat related problem.

Commont problems I have seen...

1. User did not remove the plastic covering that protects the TIM for shipping.
2. User installed HS backwards or otherwise incorrectly. (Yes, this is possible)
3. User did not hook up fan properly

Just a thought.

 

[ClayN]

Thanks for the response. I don't think it is a heat related problem. For one it happens before the computer has a chance to get hot. Secondly heat distribution was a big concern on this box (I live in Texas with no central air). There are a total of 10 fans on it including a massive HS/fan. Still, that doesn't mean I didn't forget something stupid. Since it looks like I'll be trying another CPU on the board I'll double check that as well. Thanks again.

 

[TSDible]

You would be surprised how fast an Athlon XP will heat up... If the heatsink is not installed properly, it could be just moments before it locks up.

 

[ClayN]

TSDible, I owe you a beer. I think the problem did turn out to be heat due to the HS being backwards. I didn't even know it could be on backwards, but the tightly stretched wire from the fan plugging into the mobo should have been a clue. Watching the temp from the BIOS I could see it edging up to 60C. The die heat limit on the Athlon 2600 is 85C. I could see it getting that hot while playing a FPS, which I was doing when it crashed on my old board. It also explains why the more I messed with it the more it seemed to break.

Unfortunatly my case seems to have a design flaw (not sure what kind of case it is...doesn't say and I've tossed the box...they have been pushing them at Fry's...red and white box). The big HS will not fit due to the placement of the PSU too close to the chip socket. It could also be a design flaw on the Albatron board. If the cpu socket was rotated 45 degrees the HS would fit like it did in my old case. In the meantime I've put on my old HS (the right way this time) and reversed a case fan to blow onto the HS from the side. Now it idles at 49C and seems to max out at 56C (at least while installing XP).

This is, I think, still too hot. I'm going to have to get that better HS on there somehow. Either I can jury rig the PSU to move it 3/4 of an inch up or I can take the case back. I like the idea of whipping out the drill and fixing it the manly man way, but I'm wondering if the PSU has enough horsepower to run all those fans. It's 350W, but the little hardware monitor I'm running shows the -12 and -5 voltage in the red. Not sure what that means yet, but that is what google is for. Thanks again.

 

[arcenite]

What kind of thermal compound did you use?

Bill

 

[TSDible]

Not a problem... I have seen it before.

Check out the Cases and Cooling forum. You will find a ton of info over there on good heatsinks, and someone should be able to help you find one to fit your case.