CrashGate3
OSNN Junior Addict
- Joined
- 20 Mar 2006
- Messages
- 24
..but something definitely is.
Right.. my old system, of 2 years, looked like this:
ASUS P4C800 mobo
3GHz P4 800MHz FSB
1GB Corsair TwinX RAM
ASUS 256MB Radeon 9800XT
80GB IDE HD (primary)
120GB SATA HD
160GB SATA HD
DVD drive
CD-RW drive
Antec 480W PSU
running (a legal copy of) XP Home.
This ran with no problems.
About 3 weeks ago, I replaced the CPU, mobo and graphics card with:
ABit KN8 Ultra mobo
AMD 64 X2 4400+
PowerColor 512MB Radeon X1900XT
Zalman CNPS9500 CPU fan
Antec NeoHE 500W PSU
keeping all the rest.
Thats when things went awry...
At first, everything was fine, except when I tried to run a very graphically intensive game, like HL2:Lost Coast, when it would freeze completely after a few seconds and I'd have to reboot. It would also sometimes when I booted it, make healthy POST beeps, but no picture would appear on the screen (I have a CRT using a DVI-VGA converter). Other times it would get to the Windows loading splash screen, but no further.
I had a UV striplight in the case which was only lit halfway along, so I though that my PSU wasn't powerful enough. After a bit of research I found that the NeoHEs were a bit of a blot on Antec's otherwise spotless record, so I got an Enermax Liberty 500W instead.
No difference.
After this I discovered that it was actually one of my drives that was causing one of the booting problems. If I have my 120GB SATA's data cable plugged in then the PC boots fine, goes through the POST and gets as far as the 'Windows XP Loading' screen but no further. The green bar contiunues to move, but nothing loads. No drives are whirring during this time. I've left it for half an hour before, but nothing.
This drive hasn't got any system or OS files on it, its just data. And its only this drive, none of the others do it, even when I switch around the SATA channels they are plugged into. If I plug it in once Windows has loaded, it is recognised and I can use it as normal.
Recently, (ie, it didn't do this at first) if I boot the PC with something plugged into the USB ports on the front of the case, then none of my USB devices work. No mouse, no modem, no printer. If I wait till Windows has loaded, I can plug things in there and use it as normal.
The 3D problem still occurs if I try to run very graphically intensive games. There are no artefacts or anything, it just freezes after a few seconds.
Its not a cooling problem. I have 4 intake fans - two 80mm fans in the front at the bottom, and two 40mm fans in a 5.25" bay - and 4 exhaust fans - one in the top, one in the back, the PSU fan and the OTES on my graphics card. None of the air coming out of these feels particularly warm (except the OTES). All my cables inside are round (no flat IDE cables) and tucked away. The airflow inside is free to move around and over everything.
Its not the PSU, as I changed it, seeing no difference.
I don't think its the CPU. I've had it up to 100% many times with no problems. I run folding@home which regularly keeps if occupied for hours, showing no signs of trouble. I've also run that SuperPI thing with no trouble.
I made sure to regularly earth myself on the metal bath taps while I was putting it all together.
I have reinstalled all my graphics drivers and have DirectX up to date, and I installed all the drivers for my motherboard.
This leaves the mobo broken, or the card. Which do you think it is? Or have I missed something?
Please help, this stuff was *really* expensive..:cry:
Right.. my old system, of 2 years, looked like this:
ASUS P4C800 mobo
3GHz P4 800MHz FSB
1GB Corsair TwinX RAM
ASUS 256MB Radeon 9800XT
80GB IDE HD (primary)
120GB SATA HD
160GB SATA HD
DVD drive
CD-RW drive
Antec 480W PSU
running (a legal copy of) XP Home.
This ran with no problems.
About 3 weeks ago, I replaced the CPU, mobo and graphics card with:
ABit KN8 Ultra mobo
AMD 64 X2 4400+
PowerColor 512MB Radeon X1900XT
Zalman CNPS9500 CPU fan
Antec NeoHE 500W PSU
keeping all the rest.
Thats when things went awry...
At first, everything was fine, except when I tried to run a very graphically intensive game, like HL2:Lost Coast, when it would freeze completely after a few seconds and I'd have to reboot. It would also sometimes when I booted it, make healthy POST beeps, but no picture would appear on the screen (I have a CRT using a DVI-VGA converter). Other times it would get to the Windows loading splash screen, but no further.
I had a UV striplight in the case which was only lit halfway along, so I though that my PSU wasn't powerful enough. After a bit of research I found that the NeoHEs were a bit of a blot on Antec's otherwise spotless record, so I got an Enermax Liberty 500W instead.
No difference.
After this I discovered that it was actually one of my drives that was causing one of the booting problems. If I have my 120GB SATA's data cable plugged in then the PC boots fine, goes through the POST and gets as far as the 'Windows XP Loading' screen but no further. The green bar contiunues to move, but nothing loads. No drives are whirring during this time. I've left it for half an hour before, but nothing.
This drive hasn't got any system or OS files on it, its just data. And its only this drive, none of the others do it, even when I switch around the SATA channels they are plugged into. If I plug it in once Windows has loaded, it is recognised and I can use it as normal.
Recently, (ie, it didn't do this at first) if I boot the PC with something plugged into the USB ports on the front of the case, then none of my USB devices work. No mouse, no modem, no printer. If I wait till Windows has loaded, I can plug things in there and use it as normal.
The 3D problem still occurs if I try to run very graphically intensive games. There are no artefacts or anything, it just freezes after a few seconds.
Its not a cooling problem. I have 4 intake fans - two 80mm fans in the front at the bottom, and two 40mm fans in a 5.25" bay - and 4 exhaust fans - one in the top, one in the back, the PSU fan and the OTES on my graphics card. None of the air coming out of these feels particularly warm (except the OTES). All my cables inside are round (no flat IDE cables) and tucked away. The airflow inside is free to move around and over everything.
Its not the PSU, as I changed it, seeing no difference.
I don't think its the CPU. I've had it up to 100% many times with no problems. I run folding@home which regularly keeps if occupied for hours, showing no signs of trouble. I've also run that SuperPI thing with no trouble.
I made sure to regularly earth myself on the metal bath taps while I was putting it all together.
I have reinstalled all my graphics drivers and have DirectX up to date, and I installed all the drivers for my motherboard.
This leaves the mobo broken, or the card. Which do you think it is? Or have I missed something?
Please help, this stuff was *really* expensive..:cry: