system unstable

[ifixedit]

hey all,

ive recently built a new rig and im having some problems with it. it seems to be very unstable... either freezes or a blue screen pops up saying something like a "hardware malfunction"

Intel Pentium 4 3.2GHz E (800FSB)
ECS PT800CE-A Socket 478 Motherboard
DDRAM PC3200 MUSKIN MEMORY (1GB)
SEAGATE BARRACUDA 120GB HDD
and an older VIPER video card...
which is running in a ROSEWILL 103A case using supplied PSU

im not sure what to do about it, the only thing ive done is windows update and updated the bios, which didnt help very much. im thinking it has either to do with the video card, the memory or the temp (i have no extra fan, except for cpu) or i have checked out other threads and they say to replace the psu.

any suggestions?

and id like to spend as least money as possible, so if there are any tests/software i can ran to perhaps diagnose the problem, please let me know.

 

[Ausm]

Number 1 question did you do a clean installation of Windows for you new rig?

Ausm

 

[imported_Kensai]

Probably that PSU

 

[ifixedit]

what do you mean by the clean install?

 

[agibby5]

I would start by getting the newest drivers from the manufacturer sites for all your hardware including mobo chipsets and video cards. I wouldn't recommend using any of the drivers off of the CD that came with the hardware. I'd also consider getting at least one case fan (I have two, one in the side and one in the top running a P4 3.0ghz).

Btw, what version of Windows do you currently have on it?

The PSU might be a problem but I doubt it (I ran my hardware w/ absolutely no problem with a 20.00 PSU for 1 year.)

Also, I have had a world of problems with ECS mobos not to mention quite a bit of instablility.

My suggestions are all assuming that you did a clean install of Windows (ie. did you reformat the HD and start from "scratch"??).

~agibby

 

[ifixedit]

as a matter of fact i did do a clean install...

i have win xp pro running on the system... i think i will get a fan for it and ill try to figure out what drivers i havnt installed yet... i have contacted ecs about my problem and they said to test out every other piece of hardware, nothing on the mobo though.