computer freezing

[champ]

Hi,

i have just brought a gigabyte mb, xp1900 cpu and 512mb mem to upgrade my pc. The problem im having is my pc is hanging all the time, so what i did i disabled the on board sound card but i still get the occational hang. I tried a pci video card and no hangs with that. Then i installed a pci sound card and it hung straight away..
My video card is a Asus 3800 TNT2 AGP

Any ideas??

I tried upgrading the sound card drivers (pci vibra - creative) and installed the latest nvidia drivers. I then downloaded the latest VIA 4 in 1 drivers for the motherboard.

Thanks

[ilovetheusers]

Most motherboards have a setting to reset to factory default or failsafe default or basically the most stable configuration. Give that a whirl and see if it stops the thing from hanging.

BTW - What OS? How long has it been installed? Have you loaded new software? What is the cpu temp? What is the PSU rating (i.e. - is it enough to handle the cpu)? What is leading you to think this is related to the video or sound card? Need more info.

[NooNoo]

Champ popped into the chatroom and the first problem identified was the cpu idle at 64 degrees C (147 f). On further investigation Champ had used both the thermal pad and thermal paste when building his new box. Case fans comprise of 1 slot fan exhausting out of the case.

When he fits a 32mb agp card it locks up, when he fits a 4mb pci video card it doesn't. I asked him to solve the heat issues first, because I have a feeling that adding the agp card pumps up the heat within the case and the system is freezing as a result. I may well be wrong, but I would prefer to get the heat issue firmly out of the way first.

The motherboard he has upgraded to is a gigabyte ga-7vrx with 2x256 2700 ddr and a 1900xp proc.

He has windows2000 installed and the 4 in 1's and the latest dets.

[Ruslan]

It could be PSU isn't powerfull enough (or sorta cheapo fake 300Wt PSU)...
It could be also just only incompatibility issue - I've seen it few times personally, and it was solved by updating the BIOS...

Besides that, 64C is hot enough... I would suggest to buy better FAN/heatsink combo...may be You have put to much thermal compound (usually thermal compound isn't needed if special thermal pad is used)...

[Garak]

Originally posted by Ruslan
It could be PSU isn't powerfull enough (or sorta cheapo fake 300Wt PSU)...
It could be also just only incompatibility issue - I've seen it few times personally, and it was solved by updating the BIOS...

I was thinking the same thing, the AGP card pulling more juice than the PCI correct??

All things to consider i guess..

Personally I would take it down to basics, get the machine running cooler as NooNoo suggested, then work from there, IE start with Graphics card, and add other cards when system is running stable

Good Luck.

[champ]

Hi,

I got the cpu temp down to 53..
ill try updating the bios now and see how that goes..

Thanks for the posts guys..

[Garak]

53 is still a bit high, I'm just wondering about air flow and your cable arrangement, these are major factors in cooling, (I'm using an ANTEC box so cables aint much of an issue )


Also, did you use either thermal pad or thermal paste, or are you still using both??????

If this is the case, I'd advise you to use one or the other, this may cool it a little more, also, what fans are you using, and where are they situated??

Good Luck.

[champ]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all your help..

I got the cpu down to 44 degrees and no hangs after 1.5 hours of basic pc use, mind you i havent tried games yet..

I used different paste.

hopefully the problem is solved..

Thanks Again..