Random BSOD's and lockups..

[Tuco217]

Well, I've made a few minor changes to my PC in the last month and have just recently started to experience random BSOD's and lockups.. Any help would be appreciated.

First off, my system..

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Abit FP-IN9 SLI mobo
4Gb RAM (4x1GB)
EVGA 8800GTS 640Mb
Antec True Power Trio 550W PSU
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 Bit

About a month ago I purchased 2GB additional RAM and did some minor overclocking bringing my e6600 from 2.4Ghz to 3.0 Ghz. The system ran stable for a couple of weeks with the OC and 4Gb of ram. Shortly after that I acquired a second EVGA 8800GTS card and set them up in SLI. This install also went smooth and the PC was running normal for a few days. The only problem I saw was an increase in temps which was alarming, but expected so I installed a new HS/Fan on the CPU and installed some PCI slot fans on both sides of the SLI cards. This setup also ran fine for about a week.. Then, while playing some games one night I experienced a Blue screen. Rebooted, pc ran normal for a few more days, before experiencing another blue screen. At this point I ran Memtest and determined that my newly purchased 2GB RAM had failed. I RMA'd the ram, installed it into the machine again and ran memtest extensively. Tests passed. So, after all that I had the 4Gb ram, SLI and cooler temps all running normal.. Or so I thought. The last week has been a nightmare. Random blue screens began appearing (0x70, 0x50, 0x1E - some referencing Dxgkrnl, nvlddmkm) Lockups have been occurring as well. Things went from a BSOD every 4-5 days to at least one or two every couple of hours. At this point I have removed my side panel for cooling and taken out the second GPU, but am still experiencing BSOD/lockups... I am starting to think that the PSU may have been damaged because of an overload with SLI and fans, or for some reason the new RAM is not working with the system. This system has been running smooth for almost 2 years until these recent problems.

Sorry for the novel, but this has been a long and complicated series of events leading to this point. Thanks for any info!

 

[ch33zw1z]

It sounds much like the PSU cannot keep up with the demands of the new hardware. IMO, you're changing to much at one time.

Bring the system down to minimum config with the original components and no OC. Run Memtest86+ for 12-24 hours. If it passes, boot windows (still not adding any additional parts) and run Prime95, checking for failures. I'd run it about 12 hours also.

If this goes ok, add the RAM and run the same tests. If that's ok, add the GPU and run the same test. Eventually you'll find the problem.

If everything runs fine at stock, don't OC! And if it's not ok at stock, try a new PSU and make sure you're at the latest firmware and drivers..

 

[Tlkki]

Yeah you surely got some work ahead of you, but unless you do this systematically from the start, you might end up with (a lot) more work or work already done once.

 

[Intexity]

and would definitely beef up your psu if your going to try to run sli...

 

[Tuco217]

Thanks for the replies. I took out the second GPU and brought my PC back down to stock speeds and have been running OK for a few hours. I'm gonna keep my fingers crossed. I'll take the new RAM out and possibly replace the psu if the problems keep up.


Another question is a bit off topic from this, but my plastic side panel has some cracks and doesn't look like its going to hold out long. I would also like to find a way to get some different fans on the side as the current case panel has the fan blowing directly into the HS about a 1/2 inch away. Any recommendations on replacing that side panel? I was thinking of getting a sheet of metal mesh and fitting it to replace the glass panel, then cutting out holes for fans. I'm assuming getting some fans pulling cooler air from the side would help, but I could be wrong. Any thoughts on whether that would hurt temps at all by ruining the case' airflow with essentially an open mesh side panel?