Desperate for help with lock ups under windows xp!!

[Metalloid]

I noticed this starting to happen two nights ago. My computer will be running fine and then it will just freeze. Ctrl+Alt+Del doesnt do anything, and I have to push the reset button. It then boots up and works fine for a while and locks up again. I had just upgraded to Windows XP Pro a few days before so I decided to go ahead and reinstall it. Part way through the installation it locked up again. I tried reformatting again and installing Windows 2000 Pro, but got the same results. I then tried XP again and it still locks up after 1-2mins of installation. I dont think I will even be able to finish the installation due to the fact that I have to restart after 1 minute. Someone please help me!

Here are my system specs:
AMD Athlon XP 1900+
Abit KR7A
256mb Crucial DDR
PNY Geforce4 TI4400
Maxtor 40GB 7200rpm
Netgear FA310TX NIC
Hercules Fortissimo II Sound Card

 

[Metalloid]

Here is an update. I deleted the current partition and created an FAT32 partition to install Windows 98SE. When restarting my computer it froze on the memory test at POST and reported that I had 122mb instead of 256mb. Then I restarted and got no video. I restarted a few more times and still had no video. Then I restarted and it froze on memory test and said that I had 478mb. Then it restarted fine and I am currently reformating to install Windows 98SE. If anyone can figure out what is going on please let me know.

 

[HaroldW]

How long was has this system running fine (one day, two days, two months) before the problems started? Did you replace or add a component recently? Is the power supply on AMD's recommended list?

Random lockups in different operating systems can have a number of causes. First thing I would do is to check the CPU temp with one of the motherboard monitor, type programs. If the temp looks OK, then strip the system down to minimal components: remove everything except the Video Card from the expansion slots and totally disconnect all drives except the primary hard drive.

If removing these components fixes the problem then it is one of the components you removed, or the power supply. Then replace components one by one until the problem re-occurs. When it re-occurs the problem was the last component reinstalled or your power supply.

If removing the above components does not solve the problem, then it could be CPU, RAM, motherboard or power supply. Try replacing what you can from spare parts and/or moving the memory to a different slot.

I recently had the same problem after a power spike and it ended up being a bad motherboard.

 

[Metalloid]

Had been running fine on 98 for a few months. Had XP up for 2 days before it went crazy. Temps are fine due to my very extensive cooling. Will try all the things you mentioned.

 

[HdwGuy]

If you can not intall an operating system try different ram first and or download memtest-86 version 2.9 is the latest i think . Also a underpowered power supply is a possibility if the computer reboots like a cold start ( ie bios screen). Good luck

 

[Metalloid]

Well I tried a different stick of ram, a different ram slot, took out sound card and NIC, unplugged cd-rom, unplugged all of my case fans, and it still doesnt work. So it's either the video card, motherboard, or CPU. I will try a different video card and let you guys know what happens.

 

[Dreadogg]

you had the OS up for two days and it was running smooth correct? IF so what did you do differently on that second day that is causing system lockup? could it be Video card drivers?

 

[Metalloid]

I didnt change anything with the video card drivers. The only thing I wa changing were my network settings. Thats when I noticed that it started to lock up.

 

[Metalloid]

Well I think it has something to do with the video card. I switched my video card, a 32mb DDR Radeon, out of my other computer, and both computers worked perfect. When I switched the cards back, the Geforce4 box got no video on bootup. The other computer continued to word fine. Are there any known compatibility issues between my PNY Geforce4 TI4400 and any part in the rest of my system?

 

[KouklatheCat]

I would look at the power supply. Ive heard that the GF4s suck more juice. My computer was running just fine with my GF2 GTS but when I put my GF4 TI4400 in my voltages on my PS started to fluctuate. Ive since replaced the PS and my voltages are much better.

 

[Metalloid]

I would consider that, except for the fact that the machine where the Geforce4 doesnt work has a 400w PSU, and the machine where the Geforce4 does work has a 300w. That just doesnt make any sense to me. And also, I tried unplugging everything in the system except for video card, hard drive, cpu fan, and floppy, and it still didnt work. And also, I had the computer up for a month. It was a few days after installing XP where my box died. Keep thinking guys.

 

[KouklatheCat]

I had a generic 300W PS originally. I replaced it with an Antec 300W PS. I was monitoring my +5 rail via my digital doc. My +5 was dropping to 4.45 v (within specs) on the old PS, now it stays constant at 5v and my 12v rail stays at 12.45. What brand is your 400W PS and is it AMD approved?

 

[biltmyown]

the power supply may be to blame,i dont know.i do know that if you use cheap memory you can have hardware problems like the ones you are describing.my dragon board has burned 3 sticks of memory in a very short time.when it started acting up, i pull the memory out and check the gold connectors carefully.i would usually have one or more of the connectors discolored(black).so i just take it back and get another one.anyway the remedy to my little problem was to take the mobo back to where i got it and i upgraded to the plus board for 35 bux.no problems so far!

 

[biltmyown]

also i have a pny ti4400 and noticed that i had problems with xp once i installed the card.so after reinstalling xp a couple of times i went back to 2000.i know that youre having a hardware problem but just thought that it would help you to know that i didnt get good results out of xp using that video card.good luck.

 

[Dreadogg]

had just upgraded to Windows XP Pro a few days before so I decided to go ahead and reinstall it. Part way through the installation it locked up again. I tried reformatting again and installing Windows 2000 Pro, but got the same results. I then tried XP again and it still locks up after 1-2mins of installation

I would think the ram is spent!

 

[Metalloid]

I would think so too but as I already said, I tried swapping the sticks of RAM and the computer still froze. Also the other computer with the "questionable" RAM in it worked fine as usual.

 

[Metalloid]

Not the hard drive. I put my other hard drive in my messed up box and it still didnt work. I am calling PNY tommorow.

 

[ACE101]

I'm having very similar problems as you are. I have Win XP Pro, an Asus TI4400 (same problem with a TI200), 512 megs of ram (just purchased new because I assumed old ram was bad), took out all devices but the vid card, moved the memory around to different slots, motherboard is an A7V266-E. The problem started happening when I added a Pinnacle analog-digital video capture card. Was running Win 98-SE. It started locking, so I bought pretty much everything new but the motherboard and CPU. Then installed XP on a freshly formatted disk, and same problem.

I'm just getting the feeling that it's not a bad piece of hardware. I can't count out the motherboard or power supply, but I just get the feeling that it has something to do with the video using the AGP buss to access main memory. I lock under certain video conditions, but I replaced the video card and it clearly wasn't that. I replaced the memory and it clearly isn't that. I reflashed the BIOS as well.

Anyhow, if you find anything out, please let me know. This is driving me nuts!

Ron

 

[yazz]

dude

ACE101

your CPU is BAD. it happens every now and then. those symptons lead you to believe that it is the vid card. but it is really your CPU. it has a bad instruction somewhere on the chip. it is a bummer, but it does happen and is the hardest problem to diagnose. does the system still lock whne you run 200mhz FSB?

 

[Metalloid]

Is my problem also caused by a bad CPU? I dont get the lock ups under certain video conditions, I got the lock up under all video conditions.

Also when I switched my video cards, the computer with the problems worked, and the computer with the "bad" video card worked too. Is it just a compatibility problem?

 

[ACE101]

Well, amazingly I figured it out, but I don't understand it. I removed all the fans in the case (other than CPU heatsync fan, and memory fan) that were getting in the way, and just put a 10 inch desk fan pointed at the CPU. Before, the CPU would run at around 60C normally, and under real duress would hit 70C, but would be fine. Then I added a Video Capture card, and it started locking up. After all my changes, the only thing that solved it was a 10 inch fan pointed at the CPU. With that fan, there's no lockups no matter what my vid settings are. With the fan, the CPU runs at around 48C with spikes up to around 58. So should I just get a better heat sync and fan? Or did my CPU fry and this is a symptom?

But why is heat an issue all of a sudden? The CPU ran at that temperature before with no problems. And why did the problem start when I added a Video Capture card? After putting it in, I got lockups. Then I took it and every other card out of the motherboard, but it STILL locked up. Did I push something over the edge?

I dunno. It would make sense that my CPU has some fault in it now that is susceptable to heat. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Ron

 

[Metalloid]

70c is extremely high for a CPU full load. I guaruntee that is why you were locking up. What kind of hs/f are you using? Also, how much case cooling do you have?

Unfortunatly that doesnt help me at all. My CPU runs 39c idle and 45c after a few hours of Prime95. Any other ideas?

 

[jetsend51]

 

[Metalloid]

Hmmm, did you mean to write something in that big white space?