My fairly new computer is having major issues.

[Xeoneex]

So this computer of mine isn't even a year old.

I've had alot of issues since I had it put together. The main being sometimes it will get to the windows logo, but wont load into windows. It rarely happened but lately its happened alot more.

Next is programs wont load, I can't get to the add/remove programs in control panel. This all happened this past weekend, then I reformatted and it still is happening. On top of it I have weird graphic issues that cuase the game I play to lose all shapes except backgrounds and some objects. Alt tabbing fixes it.

I dont know how to diagnose hardware problems, but I'm fairly sure the RAM is fine. I did a test not too long ago and it checked out fine. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Big Fat Fish]

Sounds like a shabby setup. First thing I would do is to try testing your RAM modules one by one, if you have another video card laying around then pop it in and see if that clears up the issues. Listen for HDD clicks or clanks in case its your HDD. Make sure the CPU HSF is seated properly. Make sure your voltage and CPU frequency are were they should be.

You can always run utility's such as UBCD or Hirens Boot Disc, you can try mem test as well to test your RAM.

What are your temps?
Have you tried using just use video card?

 

[Xeoneex]

The ram is fine i had it tested like a couple weeks ago. my hard drives are fairly new. I dont know none of this makes sense, no noises no clanks. I dont know. No spare graphics card either but they are brand spankin new as well.

 

[Old Hippie]

Got a decent power supply?

 

[seemingly random]

Originally posted by: Xeoneex
The ram is fine i had it tested like a couple weeks ago. my hard drives are fairly new.

Was the ram tested in your pc or removed and tested elsewhere? If not done already, create a bootable cd with memtest86+ and/or run orthos in Windows.

Get orthos here. Copy the contents of the .cab to a new folder and run the .exe. Use the default settings -Test:Blend. It will reveal most problems in minutes but letting it run overnight is more telling. Monitor temps in the first hour.

Speedfan is a very useful system monitoring tool. Get it here. The latest version gives temps of many GPU's - pretty slick. It's accurate with most but not all h/w. Run it with system admin rights (right click) with Vista.

New doesn't necessarily count for anything.

Virus/malware check?

What psu?

What OS?

Have all OS and driver updates installed? This should be checked monthly.

Is any one of the problems consistently reproducible? It would be convenient as this one could be concentrated on. Try with one GPU and no external sound card.

This looks like a fine rig - there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be completely satisfied.

 

[JustaGeek]

Do all the settings manually.

I mean, even if you are not overclocking, set:


CPU voltage, frequency and multiplier.

RAM voltage, frequency and timings, including the subtimings if possible. Try 2T command rate, too. (I don't have any experience with the AMD platform, just a feeling that it might help...)


You should be OK with all the other settings on Auto.

Good luck!

 

[Xeoneex]

Originally posted by: seemingly random

Originally posted by: Xeoneex
The ram is fine i had it tested like a couple weeks ago. my hard drives are fairly new.

Was the ram tested in your pc or removed and tested elsewhere? If not done already, create a bootable cd with memtest86+ and/or run orthos in Windows.

Get orthos here. Copy the contents of the .cab to a new folder and run the .exe. Use the default settings -Test:Blend. It will reveal most problems in minutes but letting it run overnight is more telling. Monitor temps in the first hour.

Speedfan is a very useful system monitoring tool. Get it here. The latest version gives temps of many GPU's - pretty slick. It's accurate with most but not all h/w. Run it with system admin rights (right click) with Vista.

New doesn't necessarily count for anything.

Virus/malware check?

What psu?

What OS?

Have all OS and driver updates installed? This should be checked monthly.

Is any one of the problems consistently reproducible? It would be convenient as this one could be concentrated on. Try with one GPU and no external sound card.

This looks like a fine rig - there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be completely satisfied.

My RAM was tested with Memtest 86 and checked out fine the other week. I can check it again but Im sure its ok.

My PSU is an Enermax ATX 12V 600W SLI ready. And it too is fairly new.

OS is Win XP SP2. all drivers are as far as I know, up to date. I seemed to fix the graphic problem, I had used the EVGA version of Nvidia's drivers, but I uninstalled them and used the ones from Nvidia's website and they haven't given me any toruble.
Also I just did a fresh reformat this last weekend so.

Still have the weird issue of programs not loading, like winamp. It will try to load but freeze, I can't even close it via task manager. and in one weird rare instance i couldn't reboot becuase it says windows was still trying to close an application.

I uninstalled AVG7 antivirus, I still have the spyware, I used 2 dif virus apparently dont work well together it seems.

Also if I ever get the problem where windows doesnt load past the windows logo, if I powerdown completely for 10+ minutes sometimes even longer, it seems to fix my issues. I've checked for heating problems, unfortunatly theres not a whole lot I can do for my system, running 2 high powered GFX cards, a high powered CPU with 1 giant fan in the back, I may need to resort to a liquid cooling system but I have absolutely no knowledge of that.

Thats where everything is as up to right now.

 

[seemingly random]

Did the system ever operate satisfactorily? How long? hours, days, weeks, ...?

Did you try running with one GPU? Have there always been two GPU's installed?

What temps does Speedfan show?

Did orthos run ok?

Check ASUS for updates.

Do the firewall settings look appropriate?

All else aside, it sounds like malware. It can take just a few minutes to get infected. Might try methodically uninstalling some 3rd party apps and testing after each one. Run several different malware scanners.

You need to get a handle on whether it's s/w or h/w. As far as checking for heat problem, try running with the case open and a small house fan directed at the mb. What case is it?

 

[Xeoneex]

Haven't had a chance to use Orthos, speedfan, let me do that now.

If I turn of SLI that runs 1 GPU correct? Or do I have to physically remove the unit?

The very first time my system acted like this was several weeks after it was put together for the first time. But I think it was due to a soundcard issue, thats a long story there.

 

[Xeoneex]

Ok using Speedfan most of my temps were high, the CPU temp isn't registering, its at 0C. But about half my temps

Temp 1, 3 and Internal are fairly high. Opening up my case I realized my rear chasis fan was struggling so I took it off and found that it was hard to spin. I set up a huge house fan blowing into it, my temps came down more than half on some. I also noticed my system was sluggish when I opened up my case the first time while running Speedfan and a game. After putting the fan on the system, it stopped lagging. I'm not exactly knowledgable with computers as far as voltages and what not but here are the voltages it shows:


Vcore1: 1.22V
Vcore2: 3.18V
+3.3V: 0.00V
+5V: 4.87V
+12V: 11.46V
-----------------
-12V: -16.97V
-5V: 8.78V
Vbat: 2.91V
Vcore: 0.00V
---------------
+3.3V:3.28V


side note, the fan speeds dropped, CPU by half, the other fan its registering, i dont know which one, is about 1k less.

 

[Xeoneex]

bump

 

[Captante]

Originally posted by: Xeoneex


I also noticed my system was sluggish when I opened up my case the first time while running Speedfan and a game. After putting the fan on the system, it stopped lagging.

It seems you've figured out the problem ... your system was majorly overheating.

Provided you haven't already damaged some of your components you should be fine if you improve your system airflow ... what kind of case do you have?