Played Warcraft 3 today then beep...crash!

[gspot2k2]

SYSTEM INFO:

AMD 1.4 GHZ @ 1.45
ABIT KG7 LITE
GAINWARD GEFORCE 2 PRO
SOUNDBLASTER LIVE!
512 MB PC2400 DDR MEMORY
IBM 75GXP 40 GIG
3.5" FLOPPY
400W ANTEC POWER SUPPLY
3257 ENLIGHT CASE
VIEWSONIC GS790
WINDOWS XP PRO

ALL BOUGHT SEPTEMBER 2001 (Except Windows XP)

I was playing warcraft 3 today and right in the middle of the game my screen froze up and my computer gave a continuous beep. I was totally locked up so I restarted the machine. Now the machine will power up, but no video gets displayed...blank screen/monitor does not auto switch. System has had no problems before. I tried to see if I could get Windows sound from my speakers by right clicking the mouse, but nothing. The beep is not there anymore. I was going to do some component troubleshooting by hooking video and sound cards to my other machine. At first I thought my video card blew out but since there is no sound, I'm thinking it may be the processor or motherboard, but I'm not sure. Just seeing if anyone has any suggestions or if this has happened to anyone and fixed it.

[saphalline]

Suggestions? Just the standard steps - check all cables & connections, reseat expansion cards, double check any jumpers on mobo & drives, take out all non-essential hardware (modem, NIC, sound card, etc.) and reboot. You know, that stuff. And the things you're doing, like checking as much hardware in other machines as you can.

Try a different processor if you can, or see if reseating your T-bird 1.4 will help, or try your T-bird 1.4 in another machine. Looks like good quality parts, but can't say they won't go bad. Does your rig at least POST? If it doesn't even make it to the BIOS (or you can't see it anyway) then maybe try clearing the CMOS? Gotta be the proc or the mobo at this point (if your GF2 Pro works in another machine).

[gspot2k2]

I temporarily fixed the problem. It happened at lunch time and when I turned the computer on 3 hours later it came on. After about 10 minutes it crashed at desktop though. My immediate reaction is that it is the processor because this is usually what happens when it overheats...crash due to overheating and no start until it cools. I ripped my machine apart and got rid of the settled dust cloud in there. I am using a Globalwin FOP38 which really makes me wonder because its supposed to be a top notch heatsink. Its on tight as can be and the fan is spinning so this really confuses me. Anyways, it seems that I have relieved the problem by lowering my overclock to 1.433GHz and setting my CAS latency to 2.5. I wasn't sure if my memory is going bad as well and thats why I changed the CAS latency. Maybe I just need a new motherboard/processor/memory. I'm pretty excited because I have a Viewsonic G790 that I bought retail 3 years ago and just picked up a Viewsonic GS790 at a government auction for $50.00. The GS790 works great so I just ordered a GeForce4 MX 440 to get dual display up. I have dual display at work with G810's on a Matrox G450 and it rocks. I'm not sure how it will play games since I heard most if not all games require you to switch the dual display to single. But desktopwise, this will give me a lot of real estate.

[mjc]

I would check the heatsink anyway...I have seen enough cupped ones (even supposedly good ones) to know that chances are very good yours is, and it is not making the most effective contact with the CPU.

Also, things like the northbridge chip, video card, RAM are all suseptible to heat problems...make sure the are not getting too hot. Especially since you were running overclocked.

Does your BIOS allow you to monitor the temps?

Do you have any windows monitoring software (either came with the board or other)?

[saphalline]

Originally posted by gspot2k2
I am using a Globalwin FOP38 which really makes me wonder because its supposed to be a top notch heatsink. Its on tight as can be and the fan is spinning so this really confuses me.

Cripes!! I didn't know you were using that HSF! It barely comes in as a recommended combo for a T-bird 1.4GHz, so yeah using it to cool a 1.4 oc'ed to 1.45 would be your problem. As heat goes, only the latest AthlonXP's and 2GHz Willamette P4's come close to being as hot or hotter than the T-bird 1.4! I use a Globalwin WBK38 myself and it does an average job of keeping my T-bird 1.2 cool. There's a lot of room for improvement...

If you want a real mother of a heatsink for Athlons, check this out! Thermalright is the new king of Athlon coolers, and this sucker needs only your best case fan to keep your processor ice cold. This is the one I'm getting for my next few Athlon upgrades, and I'll probably use it 'till my next upgrade of mobo, CPU, and RAM!

[gspot2k2]

OK, here is my solution. It was the processor heat sink/fan. I was actually using a TAK38 which is the same as the FOP38 with a bigger fan. It was loud as hell, but worked fine. I tried to take it off to put some new thermal paste on the processor and the damn clip broke. I ordered a Globalwin TAK68 and just got it 2 days ago. I put new thermal paste on the processor and slapped the TAK68 on. I can now overclock to 1.55 GHz without a hitch. 1.6 GHz boots into Windows, but when a game starts up it crashes. I am impressed with the design of the TAK68. Dual fan with an outstanding design on the clip. What even impresses me more is that it is far quieter than the TAK38 that I had...even with 2 fans on it. I recommend it and looking around online reviews on this HSF do too.

[saphalline]

Hey, thanx for the heads-up on the TAK68, I'll have to remember that one, my friend's building a new rig soon.

Yeah, two fans can push more air than one fan, and with less work! Probably why it's quieter. Probably also some improvements to the heatsink design itself, which can often keep the CPU core cooler better than adding a faster fan.

Kudos on the 1.55GHz, I didn't think the hot T-bird core could get that high! Just out of curiosity did you increase the fsb speed or the CPU multiplier?

Or both?

[gspot2k2]

I have the FSB running at 148MHz. Of course my preference is to increase the bus speed because it increases peripheral performance as well (PCI, AGP, Memory) while increasing the multiplier does not. AGP is at 1/2 multiplier and PCI is at 1/4 multiplier. I think the thermal paste I bought from Radio Shack also helped to cool it by giving better heat transfer as well. The clip on the TAK68 is neat in that it is a hand screw on top that connects to the unit. Just tighten that baby down hard and it gives a better seat on the CPU than just putting on a clip. I may have been wrong on the acronym on my last HSF. It was probably a WBK38...I just know it was XXX38. I looked around online and it looks like a WBK38 to me. I noticed that AMD doesn't really update their "approved" components for use on their processors that well. I use a KG7-Lite and it isn't on that list. The TAK68 also isn't on that list as well. Thank God for online computer component reviewers because they seem to be the best source for this information. And they give you numbers to back it up. I just go around and average their reviews (firingsquad.com, sharkyextreme.com, anandtech.com, HardOCP.com, etc.)

[integral]

A whopping 50Mhz OC, come on, is it even worth your while? I have a 50Mhz oc on my celeron, but for a 400MHz processor that represents a 25% increase. Whats 50Mhz compared to 1.4GHz , I get about a 3% boost, this is within the margin of error in most benchmarks, so is not even measurable. Meanwhile you risk memory, hard dirves and all other perifierls on the PCI bus for what? braging rights? .... hmmm... Not even that much to brag about. Just run at default, there will be no noticable differences.

Sorry just my opinion.

[gspot2k2]

There really is no human noticeable difference on any processor overclocked over 1GHz because there is no software that warrants it. Benchmarks may show different, but in reality my 1GHz Pentium 3 feels about the same as my 1.4GHz Athlon. Besides, if you read properly its 150MHz OC. I don't know what math you take, but 1.55GHz-1.4GHz = 150MHz. What this equates to is actually 150/1400 = 10.7% increase. Another aspect is since it is the FSB and not the multiplier, I get performance boosts off AGP and PCI. You say ruining your AGP and PCI components is an issue when it really isn't and hasn't been for a long time. I've had my components over a year above 140MHz x 1/4 (PCI) and 1/2 (AGP) without any problems. Hell, most GeForce cards nowadays can handle a 100MHz AGP bus without a problem. Another thing is that your Celeron was undoubtedly the best overclocked cpu of its time. I'm surprised you didn't get the 300A cheaper with a likelihood of reaching 450MHz not uncommon. Due to size and heating issues, there will more than likely never be a cpu that overclocks percentagewise as well unless a new technology comes out. Besides, you shouldn't bash people for any mods to their systems no matter how small. Think of it like a grease monkey who tries to squeeze any extra HP out of his car's engine. As an analogy, you can say "I have a video card that does 250fps" but in reality a normal human eye can't see a distinction above 30Hz = 30fps...so what's the point? The point is that someday somebody may come out with software that works it that video card hard enough to where that once 250fps video card now pumps 40fps. Its not just about performance anymore, its become a hobby and I don't condone anyone who does it, even if its just an extra 1MHz! Lighten up...you might make more friends. Unless of course you are working for the cpu companies condoning this stuff.

[integral]

Cripes!! I didn't know you were using that HSF! It barely comes in as a recommended combo for a T-bird 1.4GHz, so yeah using it to cool a 1.4 oc'ed to 1.45 would be your problem.

Sorry I was just reading what you wrote, not what you meant.(See your system specs as well.) I thought something didn't jibe. The FSB at 148 is ~ about a 10% o/c. As you state yourself the only real reason is bragging rights. To each his own.

I tried OCing my 1Ghz Duron/ ASUS a7n266e combo and could only get 50Mhz, didn't feel it was worth my while.

[BigBlue66]

I still cannot to this day figure out why people overclock. If you want a fast computer, buy or build a fast computer.

Overclocking does nothing for everyday computing. Sure, it may give you a little better frame rates in games, but at what cost? Needlessly straining components and building up heat is not in my book of must do's.

Sure, I could overclock my rig. KT3 Ultra, XP 1900+, 512mb original Samsung PC2700, MSI GF4 Ti 4200, etc., but what for I ask?

I admit, I use to overclock my vid card and then run 3DMarks to see the improvement. But that got boring and why should I wear out my vid card any faster?

To each his own I reckon.

[gspot2k2]

You are right! There is no reason...at least nowadays. In the past, software and hardware were running side by side as far as compatibility, but not anymore, hardware is far ahead so whats the point? I totally used to think like you, but some people opened my eyes. Its an art, a hobby if you will. If you read my last post, you will hopefully see what I mean. Some people are into cars, some skateboards, some instruments, some even drugs, and others fine tuning their computer. I don't see any validation on why someone is into instruments, but thats because its not my cup of tea. I don't bash people for upgrading their tuba. Now take this same philosophy and apply it to fine tuning a computer. Open the mind...all people are different so what you don't like or understand isn't the same as the next person.