Help with a PC build

[TJN23]

Last Sept. I started and failed a build - I was really rushed with time and the machine basically was overheating and would shut itself down when it got too hot.

I now have the machine back with all the time in the world. What should I replace / upgrade?

The two fans I had in there I thought were cooling the system pretty well but I was wrong. I am looking to spend the least amount of money but make the machine totally reliable. TIA

Here are the specs:
-Rosewill TU-155 Black Steel/Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 400W Power Supply
-ASUS A7V8X-X Socket A (Socket 462) VIA KT400 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
-GAINWARD VGFMX4000DT Geforce4 MX4000 128MB DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail
-AMD Athlon XP 2100+ Thoroughbred 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor Model
-Crucial 256MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 266 (PC 2100) Unbuffered System Memory
-Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y080L0 80GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive - OEM
-NEC Black IDE DVD Burner Model ND-2510A - OEM
-VANTEC TD8038H 80mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan - Retail
-THERMALTAKE POLO 735 80mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan - Retail

 

[apologetic]

Originally posted by: TJN23
Last Sept. I started and failed a build - I was really rushed with time and the machine basically was overheating and would shut itself down when it got too hot.

I now have the machine back with all the time in the world. What should I replace / upgrade?

The two fans I had in there I thought were cooling the system pretty well but I was wrong. I am looking to spend the least amount of money but make the machine totally reliable. TIA

Here are the specs:
-Rosewill TU-155 Black Steel/Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case 400W Power Supply
-ASUS A7V8X-X Socket A (Socket 462) VIA KT400 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
-GAINWARD VGFMX4000DT Geforce4 MX4000 128MB DDR AGP 4X/8X Video Card - Retail
-AMD Athlon XP 2100+ Thoroughbred 266MHz FSB Socket A Processor Model
-Crucial 256MB 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 266 (PC 2100) Unbuffered System Memory
-Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y080L0 80GB 7200 RPM IDE Ultra ATA133 Hard Drive - OEM
-NEC Black IDE DVD Burner Model ND-2510A - OEM
-VANTEC TD8038H 80mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan - Retail
-THERMALTAKE POLO 735 80mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan - Retail

Need more info.

How do you know it was overheating? Did you check to see that your heatsink/fan were clipped in correctly?

 

[TJN23]

I assumed the heatsink/fan were clipped in correctly - I apologize - the machine first started auto-shutting off during the Windows 2000 Installation after I booted off the CD...The 2nd time I got through windows, began loading software, and then randomly the machine would auto-shut-off to the point where it became unusable

 

[apologetic]

Originally posted by: TJN23
I assumed the heatsink/fan were clipped in correctly - I apologize - the machine first started auto-shutting off during the Windows 2000 Installation after I booted off the CD...The 2nd time I got through windows, began loading software, and then randomly the machine would auto-shut-off to the point where it became unusable

Sounds like a hard drive or RAM problem. You can test the RAM through a program called Memtest which can be run through DOS. You can test the hard drive using Maxtor's PowMax utility which can also be run through DOS.

You'll need a bootable floppy to run both of these programs.

EDIT: I would also consider trying a different powersupply. I assume auto-shut-off does not mean BSOD?

 

[boomerang]

I believe that board has jumpers for the FSB. Have you set or checked those?

Remember for that processor, you want it set at 133 using the jumpers. I bet you're overclocking the system.

Edit: Also, if I remember correctly, there is a BIOS upgrade that speciifically deals with Power Supply compatability. You should see where you're at and flash if you're not at the latest.

 

[TJN23]

ok, boomerang, can you explain that...are these jumpers set from within the BIOS? i don't have anymore documentation for this equipment...

 

[boomerang]

Hold on a sec.

Edit: Wouldn't you know it the ASUS site is not cooperating right now. I was going to check out the manual for your board.

No, not through the BIOS. There are physical jumpers on the board. I don't recall there being anything on the board itself to tell you how to set them. You really need the manual.

And this is all from memory. Let me see if I can come up with a link for you.

No, I'm getting "Service Unavailable" from their site. The Asus site is frequently down but comes up rather quickly. I can't get to the downloads section for you board right now.

You can download the manual off the site. Keep checking, it will be up eventually.

 

[TJN23]

i appreciate it, i will check it out too

EDIT: i didnt fiddle with anything on the board when i bought it and installed it...i cant see how they would set it to overclock by default, unless i need to tweak it to 133 for my proc.

 

[boomerang]

It's not set to overclock, it's set for a different FSB. Probably 333 which equals 166 on the board.

 

[TJN23]

i see, so i need it to be set to 133 on the board...i see a small jumper to the left of the processor, OVERVOLT 1 - it is set to disable

 

[boomerang]

Eh, wait until the site comes up.

Actually my experience is with the A7V8X board. You might want to poke around in the BIOS. I just gave a pic of your board a close look at the ASUS site and I don't see any jumpers. There would be a gang of them grouped together.

I'm thinking your board may be controlled by the BIOS. And, in actuality, if may autodetect and adjust automatically.

Get the manual. Sorry if I'm not remembering correctly, this was a few years back and it's all from memory.

 

[TJN23]

thanks for your help, so if i see a setting for Front Side Bus (FSB), I'm going to need it to be under 333

 

[boomerang]

Heh-heh.

Well it's not the Asus site but I found it here.

Edit: Your Processor runs at 266. You need to set the board at half of that =133.

 

[apologetic]

Here it is. Manual

It looks like the board supports 200/266/333mhz. I don't see any jumpers on the board, just the overvolt.

 

[TJN23]

thanks for that, one of the features is ASUS JumperFree

 

[boomerang]

Yes, I apologize. My memory was of the A7V8X. There are no jumpers. The board is designed to auto-detect the Processor FSB.

Sorry if I messed you up.

 

[TJN23]

no problem at all, it's helping me narrow down everything

 

[TJN23]

alright so let me review this and see if anyone can help:

This machine has been through a windows 2000 install. On the first install the machine shut itself off mid-way through. On the second attempt it installed and I got it up and running then it would shut off periodically.

This is what I've done:
-Replaced the power supply 3 times, 1st was a dud, 2nd and 3rd I swapped and both seemed to work fine.
-verified that the board has no FSB jumper-connectors, it auto detects the processor and adjusts the FSB accordingly

This is what might need to be done:
-case only has one fan
-run the memory / hard drive tests but since i've already brought it up to a Win2k install shouldn't this problem be ruled out?
-replace the board totally?

 

[apologetic]

Don't rule out bad ram or hard drive problems.

I hate the same problem with a maxtor install. It kept crashing during install, but it finally worked, yet still buggy. The drive completely failed in two months, but if I had run a stress test on it, I might have caught it earlier.

 

[supagold]

I'd check out that heatsink to be sure. From the thread it looks like you're just assuming the heatsink is on properly. If you can pull the motherboard, check and make sure that the heatsink is flush with the chip. I've seen some athlon heatsinks that will install in either direction, but if oriented in the wrong direction, they won't sit flush on the chip. Any modern MB should have hardware monitoring in the BIOS, open that up for a few minutes, and see what the temps do.

 

[TJN23]

Thanks for the advice - I have a feeling the heatsink is not on square...I'll follow the SOP for removing the thermal paste off the HS / processor and putting on a fresh layer...i did notice the temps going up...