Looking for opinions

[meltdown75]

I'm working on a Duron 1.3 ghz on an ECS K7SEM v1.0 w/ version 1.2b BIOS (newest).

I received this PC about a week ago and immediately recommended a new power supply and hard drive, which have been installed. The drive is a WD 40gb and the PSU is a 250W replacement PSU (this system is used for a small business and doesn't need much power).

The original issue was intermittent lockups and shutdowns. It seems pretty random how long the system stays up before it shuts down or restarts. I have tried reinstalling XP but the system freezes or reboots during the install process. Even when booting with the previous hard drive which has a working XP pro install, it rarely makes it to desktop before crapping out.

I have tried memory and tested other memory using memtest86... that isn't the problem either. Is it the CPU or the motherboard, or am I missing something completely?

It's just sitting next to me in BIOS... looking dumb... 🙂

 

[meltdown75]

still looking for opinions!

i might be looking for mobo / cpu / ram bundles today for this system... but right now i'm still stabbing in the dark! i'd love to know which component is at fault.

help!! 🙂

 

[Db2012]

Try to get a program called DFT, drive fitness test and run it before booting up to windows on a bootable cd, also try to throw memtest on their to test memory while not in the GUI. single those 2 pieces of hardware out atleast. It sounds like memory to me to be honest.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Db2012
Try to get a program called DFT, drive fitness test and run it before booting up to windows on a bootable cd, also try to throw memtest on their to test memory while not in the GUI. single those 2 pieces of hardware out atleast. It sounds like memory to me to be honest.

damn. well... i have ran memtest-86 v3.2 for over an hour on the ram that was in it with no errors, and the HD that is in it is brand new. i have also tried another stick of ram which i had laying around. thanks for the suggestion though... i hope i can get this figured out. 🙁

 

[CraigRT]

Sporatic reboots or lockups are normally only from a few things:

RAM.
PSU.
less likely mobo, but since it's ECS, i wouldn't put it past it.

I really doubt it's the CPU, I have seen 1 CPU in my life be RMA'd for flakeyness, and I've seen a fair number of CPU's.

I know this sounds dumb, but do you have another PSU you can try with? Something 300Wish perhaps?

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: CraigRT
Sporatic reboots or lockups are normally only from a few things:

RAM.
PSU.
less likely mobo, but since it's ECS, i wouldn't put it past it.

I really doubt it's the CPU, I have seen 1 CPU in my life be RMA'd for flakeyness, and I've seen a fair number of CPU's.

I know this sounds dumb, but do you have another PSU you can try with? Something 300Wish perhaps?

the one I am trying it with is new out of the box... 🙁

i doubt it is the CPU too. this sucks!