New System Help

[mvandam]

I just built my first system:

ECS K7S5A
AMD 1333
128MB PC133
Generic GeForce MX200 32MB AGP
"Ever"Case w/ HEC300AR PSU
Reusing old 10GB WD HDD (Reformatted)
Fresh install Win98SE
On board sound
BCD 36X CDROM

My problem is random lockups and freezes. I built the system on Sunday and have not been able to keep it running for more than an hour or so without random lockups and Windows errors. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Adul]

I would point out has the ECS Mb has the main suspect. try a bios update.

 

[mvandam]

I have the latest official BIOS on my board already. I have set the BIOS to "Optimal" settings and am going to try this and see if it helps.

 

[eplebnista]

You could try looking/searching around the ECS Forums here.

hth,
eplebnista

 

[mvandam]

Ok, I set my BIOS to the safe levels which runs the CPU as a 1000MHz and the ram at 100MH. Everything works great. Then iset the RAM to 133 and everything is fine. But when I try to run the CPU at it's rated 1333 the system is very unstable and crashes randomly. Any ideas on the problem here?

 

[Yonux]

Just a quick question, what heat sink fan are you using on your CPU? When I got my AMD 1200 I unfortunately ordered it with a generic HSF and I could only run it at 900Mhz until I bought a swiftech HSF and now I?m running at 1333 with no problems.

Yonux

 

[mvandam]

I know it's a Coolermaster but don't know which one. The shope where I bought the parts installed it for me. It's rated for use up to Athlon 1400. The temp sensor in the BIOS has shown CPU temps as high as 51C but SANDRA has never shown a temp above 39C. Which one is more accurate?

I've also heard that this board is picky about memory. Since I have generic 128MB SDRAM, could that be a problem?

 

[Yonux]

well,. i would go with your MB temp sensor, I've heard that the SANDRA temp reading can sometimes be off or incorrect.

I would try setting your RAM to fail-safe within your BIOS if you can, then see if you can run your cpu at 1333 or try running your CPU at 1200@133fsb and see what happens or even 1000@133fsb. I kinda interestead in knowing if everything works at the 133fsb but just at lower CPU speeds.

I also think 51C is kinda warm since (and im just guessing here) you are actually in the BIOS when you check the sensor, as you pc has had time to cool down.

Yonux

Aslo maybe download the AMD CPUID and see wht it tells ya.
AMD Site to download CPUID

 

[mvandam]

Thru the BIOS I am able to use the following settings:

CPU MULT. / RAM Freq.
100/100
100/133
133/133

The first two are stable; the third is not. Is there something else I can try?

 

[bozo1]

That powersupply is only AMD approved up to a 1.2 T-Bird - it doesn't provide the amperage AMD wants on anything faster than 1.2. That would be my suspect and would explain why it works fine at 1.0GHz.

 

[mvandam]

This sucks. The local shop I bought the parts from told me everything was compatible. Now what?