• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Weird behaviour, boot problems with low temps!!!!

B

Braveheart77

Member
First, sorry because my poor english! 😉

Here is my problem. I have this setup:
-Asus A7V8X-X
-AMD AthlonXP 2000+ (1.667 Mhz Tbred-A - factory unlocked from 5x-12.5x)
-Thermaltake Vulcano9 HSF
-2x256 Micron PC2700 RAM Modules
-ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 128Mb
-LG-DVD ROM
-Asus 52x CD-R
-Seagate 160Gb 7.2k 2Mb HDD

-400W Generic PSU.
-2x80mm fans (1in/1out) + 1x120mm fan (in)

I've always used the system in a 166Mhz FSB + 10x multiplier, technically the stock speed of my cpu (1667Mhz), mobo (166mhz) and RAM (166mhz DDR). While the machine was rock solid even under heavy load, it had a strange behaviour while resetting, the machine powered on fine, but when resetted it hanged at post everytime while using 166FSB. That doesn't happens when using 133FSB. All I have to do is avoid resetting and just turning off and on again. To that point all was relativelly under control. Till this winter (I live in South America, Argentina).

My mobo has two features called C.O.P. and C.P.R. which supposedly shuts down the machine when the CPU is at risk and reverses to defaults. Remember that I'm running at stock speeds (in a Mhz basis). Well, I noted that trying to power on the machine while the ambient temperature was low (5°C approx.) the machine powers up and immediately shuts down without even posting (that seems a C.O.P./C.P.R. intervention or maybe a PSU failure). The next power up throws me to the bios saying me that the machine is running in safe mode because a bad cpu configuration. This keeps happening for a while and when the machine warms up this problem suddenly dissapears!!!!! This started happening this winter, while last one worked like a charm, save the reset problem told before...

What do you guys think? Is the Mother, the CPU, the PSU????
Im getting really frustrated because I've always believed that low temps were good for computers!!! This is weird.... I want a computer that works all year not just in summer!!! 🙁

I'll appreciate all help you can give me... THANKS!!!
 
Maybe this is a stupid question, but why are you sitting in a 5°C room? That's freezing! Well, technically it's not *quite* freezing, but it's extremely cold.

If you don't have heating perhaps you could get a small space heater and point it at your computer, although this seems a very silly thing to have to do.


Your English is excellent by the way, better than my Italian and certainly mas bueno de mi espanol!
 
Well, I consider dangerous keeping stoves on overnight, and this is the winter temperature in my room (actually is disgusting gatting out off my bed... LOL). What is annoying is that supposedly cold is good for computers, and mine refuses to start in this condition... my targets are the PSU or the Motherboard (chipset) but I have no clue, I can't replace both of them.

By the way, thanks for the languaje stuff.... 🙂
 
I wouldn't keep stoves on overnight, but I can't believe you can live in that temperature, let alone play games. Can't you get a small space heater that you can turn on to warm up your computer to bootable temperatures?

Now that I think about it, I think it should have been "mas bueno que mi espanol", but I'm not sure.
 
Originally posted by: Braveheart77
Don't even a hint? Please help... I'm on a tight budget so can't upgrade the whole thing....
Click to expand...
I have no (written) Spanish, either, although I get along with menus and ordering in the local Mexican restaurants, at which rather few waitresses have much English (south Texas, can't you figure it?) Anyway, I'm trying to think of some non- electronic something that is affected by the cold, because you are correct that the hardware shouldn't have problems at the temps quoted.

The only thing I keep coming back to in my head is a possibly too thick application of some type hsf paste that doesn't pass the heat to the sink until it warms up completely, but that doesn't make sense. If the cpu is hot enough to protect itself with an immediate shut down, it's plenty hot enough to get the paste heated all the way through! But the situation sounds like it MUST involve the interface between the heat sink and the cpu. I'm just not sure how, yet. I'll ruminate on it some more, and probably long before I reach a logical conclusion, someone else will beat me to it!



😕
 
my mother doesn't have voltage control for RAM, but changing CPU voltage up to 1.8v doesn't solve the problem...
with cold ambient I must turn on, then the machine shuts itself off. turn on again, it enters to the bios in safe mode. wait about 10/15 minutes in these state and reset... then it runs rock solid even overclocked at 11x166Mhz (stragely enough it detects my cpu as an AthlonXP 2600+ in these mode).
 
try putting a cover over the case or something to keep it warm, when you are not using it until you can boot, then remove it.
 
Yes, I'm getting up on it... maybe it's a sign that I must start thinking of upgrading mayor components. I'm looking forward to an Athlon64 939 3000/3200. The bad point is that hardware is really expensive here in Argentina (the ratio is more than 3:1 than USA).
By the way, which motherboard will you recommend (socket 939). Initially I'd thought of an AGP one to save my Radeon9800Pro but I'm starting to consider GeForces 6600 o 6600GT (PCI-X variants).
 
Check the caps on the mobo. I have an nForce2 chipset/XP2100+ combo that is a hard starter after being off in the AC overnight. Takes a couple of hard reboots to get started in the a.m. Also, the maximum fsb capability of the mobo has been reduced from 220+ down to 166ish. The caps are bulging and obviously my setup needs replacement caps or a mobo.
 
That seems a similar behaviour... I've checked the caps and don't remember seeing anything suspicious (inflated caps or burned ones). I'll recheck them tonight, but anyway everything indicates that I must change components, in which case I will opt for a complete upgrade.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top