Weird Hang (Crash?)

Kipper

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2000
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Recently I have been experiencing some instability with my system. The problems go way back but I really don't want to have to RMA this motherboard. Recently, the problems I'm having are rather random, ranging from problems with my video card to strange freezes...only these freezes aren't any freezes - I can still hear the music I'm playing in winamp in the background. It is very erratic, but I can tell the general continuance of the song - whereas the computer is completely locked up (mouse AND keyboard).

I'm running Windows XP Pro on:

Epox 8k7a
Athlon 1.33 GHz
Gainward Golden Sample Geforce 2/64
Linksys Network Card
HP 9900ci CD-RW/DVD
Generic 48x CD-ROM
512 MB Crucial PC2100 ECC

No overclocking, no nothing. Running at standard 133x10. Any suggestions? I can't say exactly what causes the freezes - I could be playing video, I could be surfing the web. I should mention that recently I cracked open my Antec PP412X to adjust the 5V pot because the voltage was dangerously low - dropped as low as 4.5 on the 5V. Currently hangs between 5.08 and 5.02. 12V and 3V are stable and above spec.

I've attributed many recent problems to my motherboard and issues I've been having with it (not recognizing RAM on startup- which a bios flash fixed), freezes while playing large video files, hangs at the POST screen(s), miscellanious BSODs (file hive corruption, driver corruption, etc. Is it time to RMA this thing or am I overlooking something?

Note: It is NOT a voltage or heat problem. I am using an Alpha PAL8045 with a Panaflo H1A fan. The processor runs at a cool 35-37 degrees celsius, 40-41 under load. Ambient case temperature is 23 degrees, with four fans pushing air in and out of the case. Voltage on all rails is stable, especially the 5V (had to tweak the PP412X power supply recently to produce the desired result, was dropping to below 4.75).
 

altonb1

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2002
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I had some of the various systems you describe with my system recently when I upgraded from on-board video to an ATI Radeon 32MB VE card. It seems that my mobo and the card aren't completely compatible. HOWEVER...I read in my travels through Google looking for drivers and assistance that some people with my mobo combo and unsupported video cards had luck eliminating the problems by setting their AGP ports to not run at full speed. I got a program called Powerstrip (which they recommended) and forced my AGP slot to run at 2x instead of it's recommended 4x.

What';s this have to do with your problem? Maybe nothing at all. Then again, it might be worth checking into. Good luck!
 

Kipper

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2000
7,366
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What do you mean by "various systems?" I'm only running one system.

Could be, I suppose. My computer has trouble running video clips...in particular, those compressed with the DivX codec. Video is reliant somewhat on the card, isn't it? No problem running MPEG video however.