I really need some help/advice cant fix this devil computer

[Instan00dles]

I have tried everything on this damm computer but it just keep randomly crashing. All I know so far is when it crashes the HD is on solid all the time and the system requires a reset ctrl+alt+del doesnt work. I have tried replacing many parts like the hd, psu, vid card, ram to no avail. Only thing I havent been able to replace is the motherboard and the CPU but if it is one of those things that is causing it to crash and is defective would it still beable to POST? I dont know I am lost with this one. Is there some sort of program that will allow me to test this stuff to see if it has defects, well I am off to well I dont know but I gotta figure this one out.

sys specs before I changed anyhting

esc K7VZA
tnt2 vanta16mb
128mb pc133 generic
52x lg cdrom
onboard sound AC'97
some POS psu that has 140w total power on the 3.3v and 5v rail (300W)

after some changes

same motherboard
voodoo 5
256mb oc133 generic
same cdrom
5.1 c-media soundcard
another psu slightly better that has 170w on the 3.3 and 5v rail (300W)

 

[BD231]

Sounds like a CPU heat issue to me, how is your cooling?

 

[Instan00dles]

42-45 degrees idel.. It could be its a cooler master low end aluminum hs with the fan that comes on the retail heatsinks with durons

 

[WarCon]

I have seen a few threads similar to your situation and came to this conclusion.

ECS mobos don't play nice with generic components.

Why don't you try the lowest settings (fail-safe settings if your bios has this setting) on everything in bios and raise them one at a time to try and isolate the problem.

 

[Bartman39]

that generic ram is almost a dead give away... I have ran several ECS motherboards and they just dont like cheap ram...? Try the lowest possible speed settings and also disable the 4 way asso. setting (think it has this...?) Or get a good stick of PC133 and try that...?

Oh one other item... Make sure the AGP setting in the bios is set to "disabled" not 4X (the Vanta wont like 4X...)

 

[ai42]

that generic ram is almost a dead give away... I have ran several ECS motherboards and they just dont like cheap ram...? Try the lowest possible speed settings and also disable the 4 way asso. setting (think it has this...?) Or get a good stick of PC133 and try that...?

Ok well lots of cheapish ram out there does not fully comply with PC133 standards, and basically make it kinda close and hope it works out ok and they make money. There are some ram that is cheap and fully meets PC133 standards its just hard to figure it out if it is or not just because it says PC133 dosen't mean it really is. Same goes for PC2100, PC2700, and DEFINTELY PC3200 (since no standard has been set yet). But if you go with a memory manufacuter you know you should be ok, and Micron is very anal and will not sell ram before the standard is finalized, unlike lots of other companies.

 

[Instan00dles]

hmmm I can try that ram thingy, I guess other boards like MSI and asus are more forgiving. What I dont understand is the computer was working fine with that ram for almost 1/2 a year than it just started crapping out and everyhting. I know his old maxtor drive went bad but it was replaced.

 

[Instan00dles]

*bump*

 

[Instan00dles]

about the heat problem how accurate is it if say the heatsink is always really hot. When I turn his computer off to work on the inside about 10-15min later the temp didnt not change at all the heatsink was still friggen hot.