Hey people,
My luck with computers is unbelievably bad and always has been, but my latest problem far eclipses all those that ive had in the past (and thats pretty bad). The problem i have is that i bought a brand new computer (custom-built) and although it is a powerhouse, it is just about the most unstable computer ive ever seen in my life.
The computer randomly freezes or reboots itself at any point in time and me, my mates, and all the tech-heads ive asked, have no idea what causes this whatsoever. Sometimes it happens as soon as i boot into Windows, sometimes after half an hour, sometimes after a couple of hours, when im listening to an mp3, playing a game, surfing the net... whatever! the computer will suddenly freeze up and there will be nothing i can do except reboot it (not even push power-off button), or it will reboot itself uncontrolably and i will lose whatever i am doing.
I am pretty sure that it is not a Software/Microsoft Windows problem because it happens with both Windows ME and XP (i dual boot the two). I returned the hardware to the point of purchase, where they tested the parts and sent them back saying they were all OK (im not sure what methods they used to test them). I have tried using minimum spec (CPU, Motherboard, RAM, GFX, HDD) but the problem is still there. Maybe it is a hardware compatability issue? I dont have a clue
Here is a list of my hardware components:
CPU: Intel P4 Northwood 2A GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P4533-E (updated with the latest version of the bios too)
RAM: 256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM
GFX: Gainward 64MB GeForce4 Ti-4200 Golden Sample
HDD: Maxtor Diamondmax 40GB ATA133 7200RPM (x2)
and the usual extras such as CDROM, CDRW, FDD, etc
Other problems include dodgy shutdowns (i think this may be a Windows ME thing tho), the screen going black (and the monitor going into standby mode - only comming out when the ESC key is pressed), Jumpy framerates/music/games... etc.
Could this be a problem with the power supply (PSU)? A program that came with the Motherboard, ASUS Probe Utility, sometimes reports the CPUfan is below the threshold; although the fan is still spinning constantly and the CPU is NOT overheating (somewhere around 40degrees c). I once read somewhere that Intel P4's underclock themselves if the fan isnt functioning properley or if they start overheating... this could explain why games start jittering and framerate drops while playing (maybe). Also, sometimes after a random reboot, the BIOS reports that the CPU speed has changed or is incorrect.
Im not sure what the problem could be... I thought power supply because i can sometimes hear a whining sound when the computer is shut off (shouldnt it be silent?); also, the same sound was heard when i plugged the 12v power connector into the Motherboard.
I hope there is someone out there who can help me... and i hope this long post hasnt put all the potential helpers off.
My luck with computers is unbelievably bad and always has been, but my latest problem far eclipses all those that ive had in the past (and thats pretty bad). The problem i have is that i bought a brand new computer (custom-built) and although it is a powerhouse, it is just about the most unstable computer ive ever seen in my life.
The computer randomly freezes or reboots itself at any point in time and me, my mates, and all the tech-heads ive asked, have no idea what causes this whatsoever. Sometimes it happens as soon as i boot into Windows, sometimes after half an hour, sometimes after a couple of hours, when im listening to an mp3, playing a game, surfing the net... whatever! the computer will suddenly freeze up and there will be nothing i can do except reboot it (not even push power-off button), or it will reboot itself uncontrolably and i will lose whatever i am doing.
I am pretty sure that it is not a Software/Microsoft Windows problem because it happens with both Windows ME and XP (i dual boot the two). I returned the hardware to the point of purchase, where they tested the parts and sent them back saying they were all OK (im not sure what methods they used to test them). I have tried using minimum spec (CPU, Motherboard, RAM, GFX, HDD) but the problem is still there. Maybe it is a hardware compatability issue? I dont have a clue
Here is a list of my hardware components:
CPU: Intel P4 Northwood 2A GHz
Motherboard: ASUS P4533-E (updated with the latest version of the bios too)
RAM: 256MB PC2100 DDR SDRAM
GFX: Gainward 64MB GeForce4 Ti-4200 Golden Sample
HDD: Maxtor Diamondmax 40GB ATA133 7200RPM (x2)
and the usual extras such as CDROM, CDRW, FDD, etc
Other problems include dodgy shutdowns (i think this may be a Windows ME thing tho), the screen going black (and the monitor going into standby mode - only comming out when the ESC key is pressed), Jumpy framerates/music/games... etc.
Could this be a problem with the power supply (PSU)? A program that came with the Motherboard, ASUS Probe Utility, sometimes reports the CPUfan is below the threshold; although the fan is still spinning constantly and the CPU is NOT overheating (somewhere around 40degrees c). I once read somewhere that Intel P4's underclock themselves if the fan isnt functioning properley or if they start overheating... this could explain why games start jittering and framerate drops while playing (maybe). Also, sometimes after a random reboot, the BIOS reports that the CPU speed has changed or is incorrect.
Im not sure what the problem could be... I thought power supply because i can sometimes hear a whining sound when the computer is shut off (shouldnt it be silent?); also, the same sound was heard when i plugged the 12v power connector into the Motherboard.
I hope there is someone out there who can help me... and i hope this long post hasnt put all the potential helpers off.
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