P5Q WS / Intel q9650 Sporadically Reboots

[Zeerover]

I just purchased a new custom built machine comprised of a

P5Q WS mainboard
Intel q9650 quad core 3.0 ghz
8Gb of Kingston DDR2 1066

The machine sporadically reboots. Sometimes once a day, more often every 5 to 30 minutes.

It is plugged into a stable ups power supply (TrippLite).

It will reboot even sitting in the bios screen, though I've also tried it with VistaUltimate, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 installed on the machine.

I've set the bios to factory defaults (auto on all timings). It's never been set to anything else.

I've removed and swapped ram around with no effect.

Before I purchase a new power supply, (I live in the middle of a jungle and had the machine shipped in) I thought I'd ask if anyone had any other ideas that could narrow down the problem. Or does anyone know if the P5Q WS has known problems with a q9650 or anything like that. Or, oh yeah, just set the such and such jumper. Any speculation would help and I'm glad to offer more info if I've left out anything pertinent.

 

[PeteRoy]

First thing I'd do is ground the machine, unplug the power cord and press the power on button to ground the system.

1. Try different power outlet
2. Try different hard drives
3. Reseat the video card

 

[eternalone]

Dead hardrive or Dying Hardrive, did you accidentally shock the computer with static?? Had the same symptoms once after I accidentally touched the computer with static cling. Ended up killing the hardrive and giving me similar problems like the ones your describing.

Peace.

 

[JonW]

Remove all the voltage settings from auto and bump them a notch or 2 from the default. IIRC Asus mb's overvolt everything when they are set on auto.
Set your ram voltage to 1.9-2.1v, NB voltage to 1.20v-1.30 (important), Vfsb/Vtt (1.15v-1.25v).
5-5-5-15-72 (TRFC) play with TRFC starting at 72 and up. Your system reboots due to ram timings and insufficient nb voltage (quad/8gb of ram).

 

[BoboKatt]

Nothing shorting out your mobo? little screw that feel behind maybe? Are all the screws connecting the mobo to the case in properly with their spacers etc? i know it's trivial but you would not believe the hell I went through on a friend's machine only finding out that there was a small screw stuck in the back that kept shorting it out every so often.

Otherwise... it sounds voltage related. Manual setting for your Vcore is YOUR FRIEND. Find what the VID is for your CPU (use Coretemp) and then dial that in your bios and just for the hell of it set it 1 or 2 bumps higher. It won?t fry you CPU and will ensure that even with Vdrop it won?t go too far down. Find out what your voltage is for your RAM (chek the packaging or if you can make it to windows run CPU-Z and where the memory tab is check to see what your sticks are rated at (it will usually show you a few columns that have various speeds and then at the bottom it will give the respective voltage required for those timings. Most boards on auto will actually underclock your RAM but do you know what speed your RAM is running at?? I mean using the CPU-Z you can see what speed the actual RAM is clocked at divider etc along with the specs I mentioned.

I set that manually as well along with the timings (like the packaging will tell you) like 5-5-5-15 1066 Mhz 2.2 Volts etc.

Everything else "USUALLY" can be left to auto... but those 2 please please set them manually.

Also last item: 8 GB or RAM right so? 2 X 4 or 4 X 2? If you got 4 slots filled that pushes your system a bit more and not sure if you mobo supports a T1 rate but make sure you are set to T2 (again it?s an advanced setting within your RAM in bios). I have 4 X 2 of DDR2 and my Asus mobo gives me the option of T1 but it?s not stable at all. Has to be on T2.

 

[Zeerover]

Thanks! I'll try some of these suggestions and let you know how it goes.