why does my EPoX/Duron system freeze??

[duuuma]

I run Win2k...

Lately, my computer freezes completely during regular use, no error messages, just frozen. I don't use any heavy applications when it happens. Just now, I had MS Word, Adobe acrobat, instant messenger, and Internet explorer opened, and it totally froze. My old Intel440BX/P3 550mhz never had problems like this...

could be it my new mobo/chip combo?
memory? hard drive?
perhaps some settings in BIOS?


My basic system components are:
EPoX 8KTA2L (VIA 133E)
Duron 800mhz
128MB 168-pin DIMM SDRAM PC133 (Crucial)
128MB 168-pin DIMM SDRAM PC133 (PNY)
Diamond Stealth III S450 32MB
onboard sound AC97
Western Digital Caviar 20Gig. 7200rpm

anyone have any suggestions? I don't want this system to crash.....i've crashed so many others before it...

 

[duuuma]

any suggestions at all?

 

[Oli]

Have you reinstalled the os when you changed the mobo ? Any new hardware (drivers conflict) ?
Try to remove one of the memory dimm as they are of different manufacturer.
Have you installed the 4 in 1 Via drivers ?

 

[duuuma]

I'm going to try removing the PNY memory and see how it runs.

What's the VIA 4 in 1 driver?

Thanks.

 

[bevancoleman]

Three things to try

1 - Make sure the via 4-1 drivers are upto date, these let the OS know what in your system and provide the drivers.

2 - Check your memory using a tool like MemTest86 (see sig)

3 - Check for bios update, my gf has an epox board that had major problems with GF 2 MX cards and would hang for no reason all the time. The updated bios fixed the problem and all has been good from tehre.

 

[baldy]

read your other thread.

directx 8.1 is probably the problem.

seems all your problems started with the loading of the new vid card drivers and dx8.1.

i am assuming it was running fine BEFORE you did the updates?

if so, ..................

VIA=4 in 1's, needed for everything to cooperate on the MB (you should have installed the original versions when you built the system, they are included on the installation CD), available at VIA's website, your M/B manu's site, and various other sties on the net.

baldy

 

[duuuma]

you're right; the problems came after I installed the new drivers....

I installed the VIA 4 in 1 update but my windows are still jerking/freezing for a second when I minimize or maximize them, and the scroller on my mouse lags sometimes now....

I hope it fixes my freezing problems though.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

<< my computer freezes completely during regular use, no error messages, just frozen >>

This is very similar to my Epox 8KTA2 + Duron problem when using elsa geforce2mx card, the problem cannot be solved. Later changed to ati readeon le, then no problem at all.

 

[bevancoleman]

<<

<< my computer freezes completely during regular use, no error messages, just frozen >>

This is very similar to my Epox 8KTA2 + Duron problem when using elsa geforce2mx card, the problem cannot be solved. Later changed to ati readeon le, then no problem at all. >>



You sure? I think that could be the board (not 100% sure, but it sounds about the same) that my gf has and a BIOS update fixed it. The list of fixes for that board where a little scarry, I don't know how it got out of the Epox factory with so many errors.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

I refunded the card to onvia as DOA before new bios update came out,
so I didn't have a chance to test if the new bios update can solve it.

However, later I saw someone here mention a site about the problem of Epox mb and Elsa vga card especially geforce series, both have fault on making the problem.

 

[duuuma]

This is an old post of mine...I'm still having a problem with freezing.

I looked up the Epox BIOS upgrade...so this is what it means to FLASH the BIOS?

Is it safe? Can someone explain to me the process? Thanks.

 

[bevancoleman]

It's a rick, but not very large.

* Make sure you have the right Bios file.
* Allways boot to DOS, this reduce the chance of failure ( a blue screen during flash will result in a dead computer ).
* Generally you will have an executable and a bin file, the exact steps depend on the manufactuer.
* Reset settings in the bios back to defaults after finished flashing bios.

The risk is that if the flash failes (rare) that yor PC will no longer boot.

 

[duuuma]

when you say boot to DOS...what does that mean? I run win2k, so there is no DOS.

 

[zzzz]

use a floopy to boot to dos. Go to bootdisk.com and download their drdos image and then execute the file to create a bootable floppy. Then copy over the bios file and the flash utility to this disk. boot using this floppy and then execute the flash utility.