My Duron cores are in danger of being crushed...deliberately! Help!

[Vyle]

I've posted this several times but haven't gotten much help. Hopefully someone has seen a problem like this. Sometimes my computer (Epox 8KTA+ Duron 700*800, 128MB PC133 Micron, 5400RPM 20 gig, 32X CD, CDRW, 56K modem, ATI Xpert 2000, Linksys NIC, Windows 98FE) reboots spontaneously upon bootup. It'll get to Window, show my wallpaper and before any icons appear, it'll reboot. Or sometimes it'll get to Windows, show my wallpaper and the icons will never appear! I can move the cursor around but no icons.

My girlfriends computer (Epox 8KTA+ Duron 750, 128MB, Linksys NIC) doesn't reboot but it goes to Windows, shows the wallpaper and no icons, too. The machines are very similar.

I thought it might be the Webshots program. Uninstalled that. It didn't help. Thought it was a conflict with the NIC. Took out the NIC. It hasn't done the no icon thing with the NIC out but it still sometimes spontaneously reboots on startup. It NEVER reboots while using the computer. It doesn't lockup while using the computer. This stuff only happens on startup.

It's not heat. They have AMD recommended fans. CPU temp is 37. Room is cool and I have room fan blowing this way. Plus, like I said, the computers only reboot or do the no icon thing upon rebooting.

Could it be the PS? Both computers have generic 250 watt power supplies. I don't know anything about voltages but in the BIOS it says (3.3v -- 3.39 5v---5.10 12v---12.6 is this within spec?) I'm going to get new AMD recommended power supplies (because I'll need 'em when I get some Tbirds) but does anybody know anything else I can try? Do you need more info?

I'm all ears. Thanks.

 

[J3S73R]

I had a problem with my ram that made my system restart randomly once... you may try that.

Its possible i could be the psu aswell.

 

[LordSandMan]

I'm not familiar with the Epox board, but I've got a few things for you to check.

Have you updated to the latest non-beta bios?

Do you have any IRQ conflicts? Especially with your graphics card and your NIC.

Go to start>Run>msconfig
Post what is listed in there. This is were some things are loaded at startup, and you can disable some of them.

Did you check for virii? There's a good one at CAI.

Let me know what you find. There might be some other thins we can try too, depending on what you find.

 

[littleprince]

my gut tells me its to due with some kinda startup program you both have
either a hidden one, or one that goes to the task bar.

and the reason i say this, is coz of the timing of it...

i bet you installed the software on both computers, and its something like an antivirus software you downloaded of the web...

thats my guess

 

[MrMojo]

What happens when you go into safe mode? If it boots up ok in safe mode, I'd say its videocard issues, older Ati cards have problems with AMD systems.

 

[Vyle]

Thanks for the replies! I don't believe it's ram related since I've tried three different sticks in my computer and the problem hasn't changed. Plus, that would mean the ram would be faulty in BOTH computers. Unlikely. I have the latest BIOS for the 8KTA+. I've checked for conflicts and have found none. This happens on me and my girlfriend's computer. I have an AGP video card. She has a PCI one.

Funny you should say that, Little Prince (about antivirus software). We do both run Innoculate IT antivirus software that I downloaded from the Web. That is a common denominator. We have close to the same stuff in startup.

Okay...went to MSCONFIG...here's what's in startup:

Scanregistry
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
Vet Startup
Vet Alert
Vet Tray
StillImageMonitor
TweakUI
NPROTECT
LoadPowerProfile
TrueVector
MiniLog
ATIPOLAB
NPROTECT
ZoneAlarm
Webshots
Microsoft Office Startup

Jeez, think I got enough stuff in there??? Any more ideas?

 

[LordSandMan]

Personally I'm not a Norton fan, I've seen it cause too many problems. Any idea what that Vet stuff is? I would probably disable that.

You could also try disabling the following temporarily to see if it fixes the problem, they aren't installed with the system.
StillImageMonitor
TweakUI
NPROTECT
TrueVector
MiniLog
ZoneAlarm
Webshots

Also one other thing you could try, is setting it back to the default clock speed.

 

[Vyle]

The Vet stuff is the antivirus program. This happens at the default clock speed and it happens on my girlfriend's computer, which isn't overclocked. I'm going to try running it minus some things in the startup like you suggested. I'm going to uninstall the virus program and run it for awhile and see if that makes a difference.

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

Vyle,

Is that the Epox 8KTA2 with the KT133 chipset by any chance? If so, I built a Duron system around that board and experienced the same problem while I was overclocking the board. Did you load the Via 4-in-1 drivers? I don't think that's the problem, but I want to know.

Second, what's the vcore voltage of the CPU currently? I had to bump mine up to 1.75 to get it stable at 950. Anything below that and it would reboot right after I logged into Windows 98. Sound familiar? Try bumping the vcore voltage up it is below 1.70v.

 

[ST4RCUTTER]

Vyle,

If it is the board I have, you can find the vcore reading in the BIOS under the Health Status.
The adjustment for it is actually a dip switch between the ATX power connector and the port riser(thingy where the cables plug in) at the back of the board. You will need the manual to set this correctly. If you set it wrong I'm not responsible for the resulting Global thermonuclear warfare that will ensue.

 

[Vyle]

This is the 8KTA+ with the KT133 chipset. The board you have is identical except for the ATA100 support, I believe. The voltage is default voltage, which shows as 1.63 volts. That could very well be the cause of the rebooting as it gets into Windows. I'll bump it up.

But the no icon problem is frustrating. Remember, this happens on my girlfriend's (non-overclocked) computer. I haven't disabled the virus program yet. I'm going to do that and see if it makes a difference. As you can see in my long list of startup programs, it may be conflicting with something.