Having problems

[fremlin]

Can someone with a bit of time please help me. I am not sure if this was the best place to ask but I have been having some problems with my system. Now and then although more frequently recectly since I have been playing The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind my computer has been crashing to the desktop during the game and quite a lot in the game and also just when I am browsing the web or running various programs my computer restarts itself. Sometimes as soon as the computer starts up again it restarts all over again. I don't know if there is a problem with the heat but I don't think so. I have done virus scans and it appears to be totally clean. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I can provide any other information that you might need.

I am running Windows Xp and have a NVIDIA GeForce FX 5900 graphics card.

[fremlin]

Have just been reading that when your computer is on cpu temperature should be between 40C and 55C, mine is running at like 59C and when I have been playing games for a while approaches 70. I have a brand new computer so why is it going so high? It says in the display panel that core slowdown threshold is 140C. Surely not?

[Whyzman]

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If it is not an issue voiding your warranty, I would remove the cover to the case and allow a fan to gently blow on the innards and see if that corrects the problem.

If this is a proprietary (i.e., not built by you) then I would talk with the assembler and check for their possible solution...

Would you provide us with a bit more system information?

If your system has a floppy I would suggest running a RAM tester: http://www.memtest86.com/

[Orion]

My first instinct is a power supply, but that wouldn't explain morrowind crashing to the desktop, rather than just rebooting. Power supply should just totally reboot the computer. The thing that strikes me, is that so should a heat issue. would a memory issue really have that kind of unpredictable results? I can't remember what my friend's comptuer did when he had one side of his memory stick fail...

I had similar results when I had an issue of outdated drivers for my video card, so perhaps that...

and of course, for most modern processors 70 Degrees celcius is too high, but I know there were some hotter running processor cores out there at one point.

For anything more concrete, knowing what kind of a system you are running would definately help. Drivers, whether the system is built by you or a company, if by you then what motherboard, processor, memory do you have, and also where are you getting the temp readings from? what does it indicate in your system log? or does it?

Orion

[fremlin]

Okay tried that memtest and about an hour into the test I was at about 90000 errors. That can't be good. My computer was built for me by a local company. Have all the latest drivers for the graphics card. Temperature reading is from the Bios and from the NVIDIA display properties.

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer ASUSTeK Computer INC.
System Model A7N8X-E
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 10 Stepping 0 AuthenticAMD ~2079 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe ACPI BIOS Rev 1008, 05/12/2003
SMBIOS Version 2.2
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\System32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.1106 (xpsp1.020828-1920)"
Time Zone GMT Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 722.18 MB
Total Virtual Memory 4.90 GB
Available Virtual Memory 4.41 GB
Page File Space 3.90 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[Orion]

90000 errors seems rather high. ::chuckles::

I think that's probably your problem, then. Since you ahve a gig of ram, you likely have multiple sticks. if so, then just cut down to just one stick, test it, and if it has errors, then it's your culprit. if not, it's a good stick, and move on to the next stick. it's usually only one stick that goes bad, from my experience.

a word of warning though-many companies void your warranty when you open the case. if your company does this, then you may want to just bring it to them and tell them it has a problem with the memory, and let them do the work so you preserve your warrantee.

Orion

[Whyzman]

Yes, don't mess...have the company fix it!! It's hard to say with only 90000 errors what the possible problem might be...:rolleyes:

[Orion]

actually, looking at those system specs makes me wonder-yes, the memory has 90000 errors, but why? that's a barton 2800+, it looks like, as that's the only AMD I know of that runs at 2.08 gig. the a7n8x series temp diodes are pretty reliable, from what I've heard. mine is, and I doubt they use a different system on the deluxe vs the -E. so why the high temp?

My overclocked 2500 runs at 49-50 degrees C. heavy load will get me up to 55. I've got a fair to middling heat sink, and I'm runnig at 3200 speeds (2.2 GHz). you should be below all that. I would wonder if the airflow situation is so bad that the old memory just roasted. getting up to 70 is something you don't want to do on a barton.

all this leads me to wonder if when the company or you replace the memory whether it will just happen again. if you do it, check the cooling situation. doesn't sound like you're got good airflow. if you have the company do it, tell them about the high temps. it could be a temp isolated to the processor, and not general mobo temp, in which case the problem would be heat sink seating, but if it's general mobo temp, this may happen again.

Orion