random freeze or restart

[tumba]

Overview of the problem
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My computer freezes or restarts randomly. I don't get the BSOD. Sometimes I get colorful blotches or scratchmarks on the screen.


Full description of the problem and symptoms
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The problem is really random; however, I think there might be some pattern here. Here is the few things I've observed.

• There is an extremely high chance that my computer would freeze or restart if I play any kind of game. If a game requires more system resources, there's a higher chance of freeze (i.e. Civ 4. I don't even dare to play anything that requires more resources than this). But the timing is really random. Sometimes it will turn off in five minutes after I play the game or it will turn off after a few hours.

• There is a higher chance that my computer would freeze or restart if I play a video than just a simple netsurfing and/or office work.
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    • When I'm just netsurfing and/or office working, the computer is fine usually. But every now and then it still crashes.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Did it work normally at one time, or has the problem always existed?
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    Nope. Always.
    
    
    
    
    Is the problem consistent and repeatable, or entirely random, or semi-random?
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    I would say entirely random.
    
    
    
    
    I already tried these steps:
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    First, I thought the high temp might be the problem. I checked the temp and here it is:
    
    GPU: 61c (idle) 83c (underload)
    HD0: 32c
    HD1: 36c
    HD2: 40c
    Core 0; 33c
    core 1: 33c
    Core: 61c
    
    My GPU is definitely on the warm side. It's XFX 8600GT that is known to have overheating issue. I tried underclocking it. No good. 100% fan with Riva Tuner. Still no good. Besides, the computer crashes in both 70s and 80s of temperature.
    
    Second, I thought one of my hard drives would be the fault. I have 3 hard drives, so I uninstalled every one of them and only hooked one of them and installed Windows at a time. They all still crashed.
    
    Third, I swapped mobo, memory, graphic card, case, and PSU. Still no good. Now the only culprit that I can think of is hard drive. But I tested that as mentioned in the above text. I'm really lost now.
    
    Fourth, tried memtest on my previous memory and current memory. No problem there.
    
    
    My software:
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    WIndows XP PRO SP3
    
    Antivirus
    Avast, Threatfire
    
    Firewall
    Zone alarm
    
    
    My hardware
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    Self-built: This is the only computer among my other computers that has this problem!
    
    Motherboard brand & model
    Intel DP35DP
    
    CPU model (and is it overclocked?)
    Intel Core2DuoE4500
    
    Video card(s) brand & model
    XFX 8600GT
    
    RAM modules brand & model (the voltage being supplied to the RAM may also be helpful to know, particularly for high-performance RAM)
    OCZ Platinum 2GB PC3200 Dual Channel
    
    Power supply brand & model
    PC Power & Cooling 610W

 

[mpilchfamily]

Run memtest on the RAM to make sure its a RAM issue. Also be sure that everything is at there stock speeds.

 

[tumba]

Thanks, mpilchfamily. I ran the memtest and it froze after 6,7 minutes. Then, I tried prime95 and it ran for two hours without any problem. But then, I did some research in the OCZ forum (my rams are from OCZ), and my rams require at least 1.9v while my mobo sets the ram voltage to 1.8v without giving me an option to change it. I think this could be the problem and I'm waiting a confirmation from the OCZ support right now.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Yes under voltage can cause RAm issues. There is no reason why your mothebroard wouldn't have the ability to up the RAM voltage. If it is limited in that way you will need to find RAM that will operate at 1.8V.

 

[myocardia]

Your RAM requires a minimum of 1.9v, while you're providing it a maximum of 1.8v. See the problem? You'll have to buy new RAM, that doesn't require more than 1.8v. If in doubt, if it has a heatspreader (like yours does), it almost always requires more than 1.8v, and if it doesn't have a heatspreader, it almost always doesn't require more than 1.8v.*


*For all of the noobs out there, that only applies to DDR2.

 

[tumba]

Thanks, guys. Seriously, I never thought there would be voltage issues. I assumed memory card is memory card; there's not much to it. I never overclock my computer, so I was oblivious to this voltage issue. Right now, I intentionally underclocked my ram just to test it out and it's working like a charm! Thanks everyone!