Random Crashes

[bheffern]

Here's my system:
Cpu-Pentium 4 1.9 Ghz
Mobo-Abit TH7-II i-850
Ram-Samsung 800mhz rdram
Video-Radeon 9700
Sound-M Audio Revolution
Hard Drive-IBM Deskstar 60gxp
Pioneer 106s DVD player
Plextor 24x12x40 cdrw
running WIndows XP

Recently I've been having somewhat random hard lockups, sometimes associated with graphical errors (vertical and horizontal black lines/colored lines). Typically, the computer will just go into a black screen and the monitor will suspend. Upon reboot, the system will hang at a random stage of the boot or just give warning beeps. Safe mode doesn't help. Windows sometimes reports a problem with the graphics driver "could not complete draw request". I thought it was a problem with the graphics card, so I upgraded from my old geforce 3 and still the same problem, and it also can't be a driver problem because the computer hangs before it gets to windows. Sometimes I get crashes after 40 minutes or so, or sometimes 40 seconds. Heavy use doesn't seem to affect it, I can run sandra or 3dmark and it won't crash any more than usual. My intuition says its a cpu problem, but memory could be the culprit as well. Thanks for any help.

 

[WayneTeK]

Hmm.. sounds like a memory problem. Try reseating it... Also, it could be a CPU problem. But most likely, ram seems to be the culprit. Try reseating it or swap some ram with your friend to see if it works. goodluck.

 

[bheffern]

Thanks!