Upgrade advice? Instability and lack of GPU options = upgraditis

[RollWave]

So now for some reason my computer has started to hang. I feel like its USB related because my keyboard powers down during these freezes. Anyone have any ideas I have no idea how to explain this problem besides my hunch that it has something to do with USB. At the last freezing i looked at the wireless thing and it had no power going to it even though my system was on.

EDIT: So I'm thinking of changing my mobo and PSU to the following:

PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470W ATX 1.3 Power Supply (OEM)

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Audio/Lan/PCI-E and AGP/SATA3G/DDR/ATX 64 939

I want to get the ability to get PCI-E in the future....so I figure maybe this is the time. My current PSU is a 480W TT Purepower...I'm thinking that its a POS PSU and that it needs to be switched out...additionally I have a MSI Neo2-FIR MOBO that I cant seem to get to stop beeping like 7 beeps at startup...

EDIT#2:

I have a A64 3000+ Venice @ a mild 2.0ghz
2x1 Corsiar Value ram (bought separately but currently work Dual Channel)
MSI Neo2-FIR (refurb mobo)
AIW X800XT
Audigy 2
Thermaltake Purepower 480W (I think its crapping out, now my system hangs because I have a lot of USB ****** plugged in or something)
DELL 2405WFP and SAMSUNG 172T

My usage profile is I do a lot of web surfing/school work/BeyondTV usage(it'd be nice to eventually be able to showsqueeze while I game or do other ****** without computer slowdown)...i DO however play games from time to time. generally RTS and MMORPGs but I like to dick around with FPSs from tiem to time.

 

[corkyg]

It would appear that this new USB device is sucking out more power than your system can provide. Does it have it's own power source? If not - can it?

 

[RollWave]

So I'm thinking of changing my mobo and PSU to the following:

PC Power & Cooling Silencer 470W ATX 1.3 Power Supply (OEM)

ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 Audio/Lan/PCI-E and AGP/SATA3G/DDR/ATX 64 939

I want to get the ability to get PCI-E in the future....so I figure maybe this is the time. My current PSU is a 480W TT Purepower...I'm thinking that its a POS PSU and that it needs to be switched out...additionally I have a MSI Neo2-FIR MOBO that I cant seem to get to stop beeping like 7 beeps at startup...

 

[RollWave]

Oh and anyone know how the ASROcks deal with 1gb sticks of Corsair Value?

 

[RollWave]

Also, would I get more boost by going to a 7800GT or by going to a Dual Core proc...I have a 2405WFP and a 172T Samsun monitor...

 

[RollWave]

SOMEONE has to have SOMETHING to say.

 

[RollWave]

?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: rnp614
Also, would I get more boost by going to a 7800GT or by going to a Dual Core proc...I have a 2405WFP and a 172T Samsun monitor...

Are you looking for better gaming performance? That's usually going to be videocard as the better jump. Did you mention what you currently have as your system?

 

[RollWave]

Instability issues and lack of money may just lead me to a MOBO PSU and crappy PCI-E vid card upgrade...while I know I need to get an X2 or a opteron Dual Core so my BTV can work in the background.

 

[RollWave]

After doing some research on the ASRock Mobo I'm wondering...if I should go with a better MOBO...something a little more plug and play. It seems that the mobo has some major stability problems.

Looking for something not too expensive that is known to work well with X2 procs and Corsair Value Ram (2x1gig).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

How much is the PSU you're considering?

 

[RollWave]

Its around 100 bucks at Monarch Computer. I dont ever want Power problems again so i figure PC Power and Cooling is the way to go.

EDIT: Or maybe i'll just chance it with the ASRock as I plan on never needing SLI and not having ot spring for a GPU yet would be nice...

*sigh* computers are a pain

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

Asrocks are rock stable from what I've read.

 

[RollWave]

My worry I guess isnt about the ASRock's stability as much as it is about the ASRock's pickiness.

 

[mordantmonkey]

my ASROck works great. but your right it is a little.. "weird"
for instance, initially it wouldn't boot with my 2x512 of corsair value RAM. so i put in just one. booted fine. switched it out for the other one.. booted fine. I had to switch off SPD timing and manually set it to 2.5-3-3-8. Now it runs dual channel with my corsair perfectly. at 1T too! see what i mean? weird.
A few other things.
I couldn't boot with my SATA in the second sata port it had to be in the first sata port.
if vcore is on manual it keeps resetting it to .8volts in bios when i reboot, but i think it actually is changing the voltage, just displays .8 in bios. could just need a bios flash.

it's a quirky board. but still very stable. got my 146(2.0) overclocked to 2.5 24hrs Prime stable and runs games fine at 2.7. And that's without volt mod!

 

[RollWave]

I'm wondering if it will help me get a better OC out of my Venice. My crappy Refurb board wont let me get anything stable over 2.0 Ghz...its ridiculous. I highly doubt my 3000+ A64 Venice is that crappy an OCer

 

[mordantmonkey]

Originally posted by: rnp614
I'm wondering if it will help me get a better OC out of my Venice. My crappy Refurb board wont let me get anything stable over 2.0 Ghz...its ridiculous. I highly doubt my 3000+ A64 Venice is that crappy an OCer

check on my post above yours. got me a decent OC on the opty.

i assume you're running dividers and lowered htt? cause yeah that's a really bad overclock.

 

[RollWave]

Yeah I tried all sorts of combinations...even at 2.2 the system would restart spontaneously and I had zero temp problems.

After all this vacillation I think I'm going to go with the ASRock board...now I just need to make sure that this PSU is good. I now that the Ultra/Max performance PC Power and Cooling PSUs are great but I'm not sure about the Silencers...

 

[mordantmonkey]

Well i'm getting my OC from a 400w fortron. Now i could probably oc more with a stronger or better PSU. But from what i've read pc&c blows fortron out of the water.

 

[RollWave]

Yeah I'm hoping the switch gets me the stability I want and the ease of upgrading in about a year without changing much...just drop in a Opteron or a X2 and a PCI-E card and I'm good to go since I already have 2 gigs of ram.

 

[mordantmonkey]

just figured out the voltage setting glitch. my software readings were between 1.40-1.42. If i set the voltage and multiplier to manual and set voltage then reboot into BIOS, it show in settings as .800 vcore... BUT the HW monitor shows 1.47-1.5 volts...
this is why 2.7 has only been 6hrs prime stable. now i should be able to hit 2.9*crosses fingers*