Help! My PC freezes, and the merchant is no help - bad motherboard?

[JamesBond6996]

My PC freezes constantly during even mundane tasks (i.e., I only have one program open) like playing Windows media player, surfing the net, trying to play any game, using Dreamweaver, etc.

It's got 128 Mb RAM, an Athlon 750 processor, etc.

I've replaced the memory card, and it has fixed nothing. All of the fans in the case are working properly.

Do I need a new motherboard? What else could be causing this? I'm at a loss. Every system check I run turns up nothing.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions...:frown:

 

[Yzzim]

Have you tried reinstalling Windows?
What version of Windows are you running?

 

[jamarno]

Test with just DOS to make sure that the hardware and not Windows is at fault. First try every possible memory setting in BIOS, and don't automatically assume that CAS3 is safer than CAS2 because Infineon memory chips often don't work with CAS3.

Is the heatsink making good contact with the CPU, and is there some kind of thermal conductant between them - grease, thermal tape, thermal pad (rubbery sheet), or glue?

 

[JamesBond6996]

I've reinstalled Windows twice (Win98).

I sent it back to the merchant once already, and they did nothing to it, but sent it back with nothing fixed.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Yzzim]

have you tried reseting the CMOS at all?
Also, what type of cooling do you have on the processor?

 

[JamesBond6996]

I've toyed with the CMOS as much as I am comfortable with, and it has offered no change.

The processor has a .7 inch fan (50 mm), and I have a second fan, but I don't know the specs (I'm not a techie by far...)

The fans are running when this happens, that's the first thing I checked. My processor doesn't seem to get over 116 Farenheit.

The motherboard is a m805lr socket A. Does it have known issues?

All I can guess is that the board is defective. The whole PC freezes (no mouse or keyboard response, CD-Rom powers down, no lights blinking, nada). It doesn't reboot itself or nothing - everything on the screen just freezes like I took a snapshot.

It occurs during every attempt to play a game like the Sims, Axis and Allies, or Army Men 2. It occurs when surfing, like if I'm shopping at half.com, or even at this forum. It occurs if I'm downloading things, on occasion. It has frozen while playing mp3's on Windows Media Player.

I did try running several utilities to check on the problem. The only one that found anything was a troubleshooter included with DirectX 7.0. It checked some issues with the 3d capability of my video card, and the PC froze during that. That led me to think it was a video card problem, but that wouldn't explain my problems while surfing or playing media player.

I'm at a loss...:frown:

 

[Yzzim]

It very well could be a bad motherboard...but it sounds like a heat issue. Have you taken the fan off the processor to see if there's any thermal pad or goop on it?

 

[RBuck]

There is a bug in DirectX 7 and 8 in that one or more DirectX components can be forced into compatibility mode. In order to correct this bug you need to download and use the DirectX control panel for your version of DirectX. You can find these (very small) files on www.reactorcritical.com in the downloads section.

Once you have the control panel installed (extract the .cpl file from the zip to your windows\system directory) launch it from the Control Panel. Then carefully go through the different tabs and ensure that debug level is set to the LESS side of the slider bar (all the way to the left) for all components. Normally you will ALWAYS find at least one component with mid-level debug enabled which causes that component to run in compatibility mode. This often causes crashing both inside and outside of games.

Just another thing to check, hope it helps.

 

[JamesBond6996]

RBuck,

I tried reinstalling Directx8, and ran the control panel file you selected, and changed all of the debug options to their lowest option (there was only one). However, running the DirectX Diagnostic, my PC still freezes. All of the panels, (sound, input, network, etc.) test fine, except the "Display" panel.

If I runany of the tests, "test DirectDraw, Direct 3D, or AGP texturing" and it freezes, just the same as when I try to play any game, or when I'm surfing the net, or occasionally playing mp3's, etc.

Back to the drawing board?

My BIOS says, after the reboot, that my CPU temp is at 114 degrees Farenheit. I think that that should be OK, so it's not a heat problem, right?

 

[littleprince]

have you ever check your powersupply?
both the normal power supply and the power from the outlet?

i noe since i've moved to my aparment, theres been some power fluctuations from the wall outlet that've caused my computer to freeze a couple times

 

[JamesBond6996]

Naw, it's not the power supply, because it happens every time I try any of my games, and could happen five or six times an hour, if I'm surfing the net, etc.

Still lost for a solution. Maybe I just have a bad motherboard?

 

[Durron]

I'm thinking either heat on your video card, or a bad motherboard.

When you sent it to the manufactuer and they just sent it back, did they say that it worked fine for them or some such? Or did they just send it back and say "F' you we wont fix it" ?

 

[JamesBond6996]

When I sent it back, they said that it never froze on them. They said they tried running several applications at once, and ran several diagnostics, with no problem. Then they sent it back.

I know that they must be somewhat screwy because, though they put the PC together, I still had to find a sound driver and install it myself after receiving the PC. (Unfortunately, it took a newbie like me a while to do that - but it's all good now.)

I called 'em yesterday and I'm gonna send it back in with specific instructions (which I did the first time, but the guy must be illiterate) on what to do to get the PC to freeze.

If it was a problem with my video card, why would this occur during shopping on half.com? Or when downloading crap from the net?

It must be motherboard, not? A buddy said it might be my system bus. I really have no clue. What sort of suggestions should I give the company when I send it back?

Thanks to all of you guys for your help. In the least it's reassured me that I'm not crazy. My PC is f@#*ed up.:|

 

[JamesBond6996]

Anybody else have any good ideas before I ship it back?

 

[Bakwetu]

They might have forgotten to install the proper drivers for the mobo, graphic card or some other component. You could check that they have installed the via 4in1 (or at least the via agp driver). But if you bought it prebuilt it is their responsability to make shure it works. Did you buy the whole system prebuilt or have you included some hardware of your own afterwards (like reused an old harddrive or something)?

 

[JamesBond6996]

They built the whole system.

Where would I find the right via 4in1 for my system? I should check that out before I ship it back.

Thanks

 

[RBuck]

aRyll: Oops, its a MSI K7 Pro, been awhile since I've been in the guts of the system and I just fat fingered my rig from memory. Im new to the Anandforums and didn't expect anyone to ever prune over my riggage. I will go over it more carefully today. *ahem*

JamesBond6996:
What brand, model, make and interface method is your video card? It sounds very much like video.

 

[JamesBond6996]

RBuck,

Here's what I can give ya about my cards:

"The mainboard uses the VIA VT8363 chipset which provides a 4x AGP slot for highly graphics display..." (from my motherboard manual - it's a PCChips m805lr board, with an AMD Athlon 750 MHz processor).

I am using a Tident Blade 3d video card, (8mb, AGP Cardex video).

I'm going to take my motherboard CD and try to reinstall some of the graphics drivers. Wish me luck!

 

[RBuck]

So, onboard video. Really important question here: Can your onboard video be disabled in the system bios? It should auto-disable when you insert another video adapter, but not always. If there is anyway for you to get another video adapter (preferably an nVidia based card) that is what I recommend you do.

There is such a strong driver team at nVidia, when a problem such as this surfaces an nVidia owner can cycle through about a hundred different driver versions to find one that is the best match of performance and system stability. You can find TNT based cards for around $50, and it should run circles around your current onboard adapter. AGP is preferable if you have an available AGP slot.

If you aren't willing to replace your onboard video. Then round up every driver you can find and try them all.

Good luck,

 

[Kingofcomputer]

It's PC-Chips mb!!!!!!
That's why.

 

[JamesBond6996]

Thanks for the tips...

Bakwetu pointed me in the direction of the viatech page, and I've downloaded the via 4-in-1 driver setup, and am also downloading the MVP4 PLE133 driver for trident blade video, and the VT82C686A Southbridge .exe file or sound, since those all correspond to the VIA Apollo KX133 chipset I've got (I hope I'm making sense, I barely understand it myself).

I'm gonna install 'em all and hope something works.

RBuck, in my BIOS I can disable 4x AGP Mode. it is enabled. Would that cause a conflict with the trident blade? I have very little understanding of what to play with in the BIOS to reach my desired effect.

Kingofcomputer, I know I've got a cheap motherboard, and that I got it from a cheap company. That's why I've got these problems. Obviously I won't be using this board or company again, but it's too late now. I need to find a way to get this thing working though, 'cause I've got no cash.

Unless you're willing to buy a new PS2...

Anyway, thanks all again!

 

[RBuck]

Ugh, I think Im a bit confused with your config. Are you using the onboard bios, or are you using an add in video adapter?

 

[JamesBond6996]

Kingofcomputer,

If none of this works, and I can convince the manufacturer to supply a new motherboard, which board do you recommend I tell them to put in? I have the Trident Blade 3d card (8mb), AMD Athlon K7 750MHz processor, and I need a network card, built-in or not.

Any suggestions?

 

[JamesBond6996]

RBuck,

In my system properties window, my display adapter lists the trident blade PCI/AGP 3d as the device, and that seems to be the driver that's running.

But if I need to turn off the onboard crap, I'm not sure how to do that.

 

[JamesBond6996]

OK, so I loaded a new driver I found at the VIA page for my trident blade. It's now a "cyberblade" driver.

I ran the Via 4-in1, and even worked around the "viagart.cat" problem inherent in that process.

Still hasn't fixed it. So, it can be a few things:
[*]the onboard video crap is scewing with the trident blade
[*]still don't have the right drivers
[*]bad motherboard

At this point I think I'm gonna send it back tomorrow. What sorts of things should I instruct the manufacturer to certainly do?