Dead RAM or dead CPU?!? Help?!?

[agrall]

Hey folks,

About 11 months ago, I built a new system:

Abit IT7-Max
P4-1.6GHz
Samsung PC2700 512MB
.
.
.
etc.

I overclocked the system... up to ~2400 MHz with 4:3 RAM:CPU timing. After some time, I was beginning to have more and more frequent crashing programs and BSOD's (WinXP). Initially, it had appeared to be stable by Prime95, etc... I don't believe I was overheating the system, but the temp sensor on this m-board is notoriously off. Anyhow, I progressively decreased the overclock to avoid the crashing, until recently I was running the system at the default 1600 MHz. This morning, there was another crash, and now the computer will post, but WinXP will not load, in normal or safe mode, because a BSOD will show up during the loading of the OS and the computer reboots. Ugh.

Anyhow, it is my opinion that the overclock either killed the RAM or the CPU. I was thinking of ordering some RAM from Newegg this morning, and seeing if replacing the RAM fixes it. If not, I will likely be looking to do a minor rebuild... perhaps going AMD this time, and not overclocking or overclocking VERY minimally.

Any suggestions? Is buying the new RAM a good idea to try? Because this RAM may either be used in the current config or in a rebuild possibly along with the old RAM, what RAM should I buy? I've heard Corsair is good... Should I get some plain old Corsair PC2700 DDR 512MB? Or should I go for faster speed RAM for any reason?

Thanks.

 

[emjem]

While anything is possible it doesn't sound like your ram or cpu is shot. Your Samsung ram should not have been damaged by a mere 150fsb. Ditto for the CPU.

I'm really thinking your operating system is buggered.

Before you spend money pull the ram out and reinsert it. Then pull and reinsert your vid card and each of your pci cards, and every cable connection -- just to make sure that everything is tightly/cleanly plugged in. If that doesn't do any good try booting to the WinXP CD and repairing the operating system. Then let us know what's up.

 

[bgeh]

what's your voltage on your chip
you may have SNDS

 

[agrall]

Well, I reinstalled the OS recently, and I still had BSOD issues...

P4 is supposed to be 1.7 V? I think that's right where mine is right now. I did raise it while I was overclocking, but when I began having these issues I lowered it.

At some point my RAM was at 200 MHz (4:3 FSB:RAM)...

 

[agrall]

What is SNDS?

 

[emjem]

The next thing I would check out is the hard drive.

Do you have another hard drive to try in your system? Or can you try that hard drive in another system?

 

[agrall]

Well, from things I have read here and at other boards, it seems like my CPU is probably dying/dead.

Next question is... Should I just buy another P4 processor? Or should I do somewhat of a rebuild?

I have heard that some nforce2 boards are pretty nice and some even have built-in sound that is better than my SB Live value. Any input here?

Would it be worth buying a Radeon 9700 to replace my G4-4400 while I am at it?

 

[agrall]

bumpski

 

[prvteye2003]

your cpu isn't dead. If it was, you wouldn't get anything at all...no post, no beeps, no hard drive start up, nothing