big prob (freezing)

[billbauch]

my computer keeps freezing... i have an Athlon 600 Slot a processor...gigabyte GA-7IX motherboard.. 32mb agp riva tnt 2 ultra video card... linksys nic... etc... i have taken the whole thing out of the case, thinking that it could be a short in the case(i have seen it before).. the motherboard with the video card memory and processor and video card are sitting on my desk, and it still freezes... i cant figure it out...
HELP

[IT Len]

Questions:

Is there enough system RAM? What OS? Has the machine been recently scanned for viruses? Any GPF or BSOD error messages? How many apps. are running in the background?

[billbauch]

There is 194 mb ram.. Win 98.. the partition was deleted, and it didnt freeze long enough to reinstall win 98, no other programs are on the sys.. viruses scanned before format.. no errors..

[Todo]

Have you checked the CPU temperature? it may be overheating. there might be an option in the BIOS to check the temp. was that a clean install or upgrade to 98? try switching out and use different RAM. Also make sure the motherboard is properly mounted in the case and just install the necessary hardware. NO Nic, sound and then see what happens.

[billbauch]

have not checked the temp, i will now, but doesnt really make sense... it is out of the case now, just sitting on my desk..clean install of 98..

[billbauch]

temp is around 95f

[billbauch]

it gets into windows, and the mouse moves around but i can not click on anything or use the keyboard

[Fubarian]

instead of doing things the hard way - do this

remove all unnecessary devices - sound, network cards, modems, floppy drive, cd rom drive and so on (except your boot HD)

drop your video down to standard VGA driver

if you get lockups this'll tell you a few things. 1. one of the major parts could be going out on you - such as the mem, processor or mobo.

2. eliminates the possibilty of a sound card, modem and so on to be causing the lockups.

if you remove 'em all and DO NOT get a lock up, install 1 thing at a time, and installing NEW DRIVERS for each if necessary (no driver for like your cd rom drive so, ya know....)

[DANIMAL]

IRQ CONFLICTS can cause this kind of lock ups as well.
usually mouse and modem conflicts.

[IT Len]

With all your information, Fubarian and Danimal are on the money for how to go about tracking this issue down, although I have one suggestion that might be an easy place to start.

Lockups as you describe are often influenced by the video acceleration...try tuning the slider for that down to the "least" amount of acceleration, then bumping it up by notches to see if the issue resolves.

With the equipment you describe, if it is the video accereration, the card might be going [or a driver update is in order]. If this isn't the problem, at least you tried an easy approach first. Then, I'd strongly suggest you go Fubarian's and Danimal's route.

[billbauch]

i finally got it working.... it turns out that it WAS the video driver..
thanks for all your help