Weird Restarts

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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
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Hello, I have a weird problem that pops up occasionally, and I have no idea why.

The computer locks up at odd times. It tends to be times when there is heavy hard drive access and/or while I'm watching XviD video on VLC 0.8.6c on Server 2003 x64. It never locks up right when the video starts or right when the hard drive starts thrashing. It always goes on for a while and then stops. Sometimes it locks up when it is idle.

But some mitigating factors: The computer is practically always on high hard drive access and the only video I have tested is XviD on VLC because thats about all I watch regularly. I have used MPC, and it still locks up on that too.

The problem is not 100% reproducible (or if it is, I don't know how to go about reproducing it). Because of the ambiguity, I can't be sure if it is XviD or VLC or anything else.

I've tested my RAM and Processor with standard stress testing tools. The one thing I haven't tested are my PSUs becuase I don't know how I would test them.

Thanks for the help all,
Eat Your Pizza

Here is as complete a spec list as I can think of:
Mobo: Gigabyte N680SLI-DQ6 Rev 2
Proc: Intel Q6600 B3 @ 2.40 GHz
RAM: Patriot 2x1GB DDR2-800 PDC22G6400LLK 4-4-4-12
VGA: EVGA 8600GTS Superclocked 256MB 256-P2-N765-AR
Cooling: Zalman 9700NT
PSU: Corsair 620W and COOLMAX CUG-600B 600W
Main OS: Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 SP2
Case: Lian-Li PC-201B
Peripherals: Standard PS2 Mouse and Keyboard and Gyration Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Set
Display: Samsung 245BW
==Other==
Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-1600 on PCI
AzenX Blitztorm System Slot Cooler
Promise Technology Ultra133 TX2 Drive Controller on PCI
D-Link DWA-556 PCI-Ex1 WiFi Adapter
4xStarTech USB2105S USB2.0 to 100mbit Adapter
==HDDs==
System: WD Raptor 150GB 10000rpm SATA
-Others-
1. Seagate ST3300620A - Barracuda 7200.10 PATA 300GB on nForce
2. Seagate ST3750640A - Barracuda 7200.10 PATA 750GB on Controller Card
3. Seagate ST3200822A - Barracuda 7200.7 PATA 200GB on Controller Card
4. Western Digital WD32 00JB-00KFA0 - PATA 320GB on Controller Card
5. Maxtor TM3320620A - PATA 320GB on Controller Card
6. Samsung SP2504C - SATA 7200rpm SATA 250GB on nForce
7. Maxtor 7L320S0 - SATA 7200rpm 320GB on nForce
8. Seagate ST3500630AS - Barracuda 7200.10 SATA 500GB on nForce
==OS==
Ubunutu
Windows Server 2003 x64 R2 SP2
Windows Vista Ultimate
==Tests==
2007/11/29 - 24 hrs on Meserene Prime Search - no errors
2007/11/28 - 24 hrs on Memtest - no errors
2007/11/27 - Scandisk on the WD Raptor - no errors
==Power Sources==
CUG-600B powers Mobo, CPU, 4 SATA drives, 2 PATA, 4 fans
Corsair powers VGA, 3 PATA drives, 2 DVD drives, 3 fans
 
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robisbell

Banned
Oct 27, 2007
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download ad install PC Wizard at http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php , post teh temp and volt reading if you could and run the benchmark and post that as well. I'd also suggest you get a multimeter and manually check the voltages (will be surprised with dual PSU's, but never ignore the potentials), and also doanload and use Ultimate Boot CD to test all the HDD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ .


also, did you verify all the hardware meets that version of Vista's requirements?
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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Originally posted by: robisbell
download ad install PC Wizard at http://www.cpuid.com/pcwizard.php , post teh temp and volt reading if you could and run the benchmark and post that as well. I'd also suggest you get a multimeter and manually check the voltages (will be surprised with dual PSU's, but never ignore the potentials), and also doanload and use Ultimate Boot CD to test all the HDD http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/ .


also, did you verify all the hardware meets that version of Vista's requirements?
Click to expand...

Below are the PCWizard stats. Also, Which PCWizard benchmark do I run?

I'll try to acquire a multimeter sometime soon, but I don't really have the time to run out and buy one right now. Assuming I can get one, how do I go about testing the PSU with a voltmeter/multimeter? Would buying a commercially available power supply tester expedite the process? If so, do you have any you would recommend?

Will use UBCD's other tools on the other HDDs. I ran the Western Digital Drive Diagnostics tool on the raptor already from UBCD, and it passed.

Monitoring Chip : ITE IT8718F
Voltage CPU : 1.14 V
DIMM : 3.36 V
+3.3V Voltage : 2.21 V
+5V Voltage : 4.85 V
+12V Voltage : 13.77 V
VTT : 2.21 V
VBAT : 3.10 V
Chassis Fan : 1092 rpm
Processor Fan : 375 rpm
Power/Aux Fan : 1562 rpm
Processor Temperature : 36 °C
Processor Temperature (Core 1) : 46 °C
Processor Temperature (Core 2) : 44 °C
Processor Temperature (Core 3) : 40 °C
Processor Temperature (Core 4) : 39 °C
Mainboard Temperature : 17 °C
:
GPU Fan : 100%
:
Hard Disk Temperature ST3300620A : 43 °C
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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0
Would the low voltages have something to do with speed stepping? I noticed that the proc was not running at 2400mhz, but rather at 1600mhz
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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Okay, I'm going to scrouge up a multimeter somewhere and report back here. Should take me a couple days.
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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OKay, sorry for not replying. School happened, and then finals, and then it was winter break and I had no access to the dorm. Now winter break is over and I can finally do some testing with the multimeter... this weekend, but here are some updates on the computer's status. It seems to have deteriorated.

1) It just froze up while not watching video, so it isn't video related. I was simply typesetting some math in LaTeX, which is hardly CPU intensive. I was running F@H on one core.

2) It also refuses to POST sometimes. Sometimes, if I just wait a bit, it'll POST. I've also had it POST when I removed an externally powered USB hub with a USB wireless mouse/keyboard receiver attached.

I swear I'll test with the multimeter when the weekend comes.
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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Okay, I followed the instructions here: http://www.driverheaven.net/guides/testingPSU/

With some modifications. I booted into Linux and ram ECM, which is a prime factoring program. Whatever it is, I basically ensured that all four cores were at 100%. A screen shot is here http://i31.tinypic.com/xo30oy.jpg. I used a used Wavetek 5xl I bought from ebay

And here is what I recieved:

For 3.3V, I got 3.36 V (stuck leads into the 24 pin connector that was connected to the mobo -- black and orange)

For the Corsair PSU (stuck leads into a molex from this PSU)
5V, I got 5.01 V
12V, 12.08 V

For the Thermaltake PSU (stuck leads into a molex from this PSU)
5V, 5.07 V
12V, 12.03 V
 
J

jackschmittusa

Diamond Member
Apr 16, 2003
5,972
1
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I'm wondering if all of those hds are causing a heat problem. Could be any number of things that overheat, vid card, NB, ram, etc.. How well is the case ventilated?
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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The case is not at all well ventilated I admit. Here are some pics I just took. Red boxed places are where fans are. I use a Lian Li PC 201 B. I don't know how I can clean up the cabling, honestly. There's simply too much equipment inside.

http://www.turboimagehost.com/...4086/DCFC0081.JPG.html http://www.turboimagehost.com/...4087/DCFC0082.JPG.html
http://www.turboimagehost.com/...4088/DCFC0083.JPG.html http://www.turboimagehost.com/...4089/DCFC0085.JPG.html http://www.turboimagehost.com/...4090/DCFC0086.JPG.html
 
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robisbell

Banned
Oct 27, 2007
3,621
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cabling is seriously affecting airflow and cooling capabilities, it needs to be cleaned up before any other help can be given.
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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I honestly doubt airflow is causing the problem. I'm not overclocking at all, and all the temps are within accepted limits. Also, theres really no way to clean up the cabling. I'm running with 8 hard drives in the lower 3.5in drive bays and 7 other drives in the 5.25in bays. I'll try but I've been thinking about this problem for the past couple months and I still haven't come up with a solution.
 
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EateryOfPiza

Member
Jul 19, 2007
75
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0
Okay I cleaned it up a little bit. Now there is about 4 inches of relatively clear space in front of the CPU fan. That's about the best I could do. I also placed the PCI slot fan right above the graphics card. There used to be a raid controller there that had four ide drives hooked up to it. Ill post a picture in the morning, for now I sleep and run mprime.
 
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