PC reboot issue

[UnholyB0B]

System:

P4 3.4 Northwood
Abit IC7-G
1GB OCZ PC-4000 EL
ATI X800 Pro
Maxtor 160GB HD

Problem:
My system keeps rebooting/locking up while playing games. When it reboots the screen will lock for 1 second and a static sound will come over the headphones. It makes that sound maybe less then 1 sec before it reboot on its own. The other symptom is that it just locks up and I have to hit the reset button. Both these problems happen at random times.

I have switch power supplies 3 times from generic to Maddog 550w to Antec True-480. I have tried 4 types of RAM. All combinations of RAM (i.e. 1 512 sick in each slot,) Barebones approach, Disabled Hyper-threading/ Onboard items/ PC health items. CPU never gets about 60c. I switched back to my 9700 pro, reinstalled windows 2000. Installed new hard drives..

Edit: I have the latest Bios/ ATI drivers

Anyone have an idea of why this is happening?

 

[resStealth]

60c is kind of hot. mine runs about 35. check your northbridge and southbrige temps. consider installing a larger heatsink and more powerful fan on your cpu. also add small heatsinks to all parts of your chipset, and maybe to the memory chips on yourvideo card. check the temps on your hard disk drive, if they are too hot, then consider one of those hard drive cages with the fans that goes into your drive bay and your hard drive goes into them

 

[Riddleman]

It definitely sounds like heat issue, 60°C is way too hot. however, I don't think there's a problem with the heatsink, I think that the CPU fan is sucking in hot air because of a lack of airflow with in the case. So one solution is to install some more fans in the case or go all out and get a better case.

 

[jackschmittusa]

60° is hotter than you should probably want to run the cpu, but should not be hot enough to cause your problems. I agree that it is likely poor case airflow. The ram, northbridge chipset, or video card are the likely suspects. I would start by adding an intake and an exaust fan. 80mm will be ok, but if the case allows it, 120mm fans might be better and quiteter. Also clean any existing fans and test them.

 

[UnholyB0B]

Could anyone recommend a good CPU heat sink for the P4 3.4 Northwood?
I have a Buss-Cool card for my video card. It may not look like much but it kept a hot mpeg hardware encoder cool enough to work.

http://www.pcpowerandcooling.c...rd/buss_cool/index.htm

Keep in mind I don?t over clock.
Running Toast on my CPU starts around 53c and stops going up at 65c. I don?t have the side panel on my case and have a housefan on it.. If the case is an issue I?ll break out my old server case with 6 fans.

 

[beatle]

How clean is your heatsink? I have an old SK7 on my 1700+. When I cleaned it out, temps dropped 10C!

The Zalman CNPS 7000a-alcu is tough to beat for price, performance and sound.

 

[UnholyB0B]

My heatsink is only a few months old and very clean. I?ve cleaned it a few times and reapplied to different mobo?s.
I?ll see if I can get that Zalman in the morning.

 

[UnholyB0B]

Found that my IC7-G board reports hotter then what it really is. Put the Zalman on and it was about the same temp. Moved back to my other mobo P4C800-E DLX and the temp was around 35c. Still didn?t solve my reboot issues.
Picked up a new CPU (since I have enough spare parts to build a new system anyways) and it?s been work flawlessly.
Now for the dreaded RMA process.