System lock up

[kellymrich]

Hi i am new to this forum but i am working on a computer i built for my father in-law a few months back. The computer starts and runs fine for random amounts of time then it will just freeze and the screen sometimes gets lines down it or the screen seems to shift and the letters blur a little and is frozen. I can not find a consistent pattern but was wondering if anyone has any ideas. I thought i had it narrowed down because every time it would freeze i would go back and look at the event log and it always happened after the IMAPI cd-rom entered a stopped state but i disabled that and it still does it.
I have the
K8m800-m78 motherboard
AMD socket 754 amd sempron 2800+
512mb ddr 400
120 gb western digital hard drive
Lite on dvd burner
I am thinking it is some sort of hardware or motherboard issue i would love some ideas thanks for any input

 

[LordOfLA]

It is potentially a video card issue. try a different one and see how you get on.

 

[kellymrich]

Ok it has been a while since i messed with it so i got a new vid card for the computer and now it still stalls out but now the keyboard and mouse shut off when it freezes but the screen still freezes. so i am thinking there is a small chance that it is the power supply or just a messed up motherboard i would love to hear any comments

 

[American Zombie]

Try testing the ram with Memtest.

 

[ray_gillespie]

Could be RAM but the graphical glitches could mean it's something else. Download SiSoft Sandra Lite and show us a copy of the report you generate from the 'Burn-in Computer' test. Also check out all the Hardware reports to see if it flags up any errors.

You can get it free here

 

[trainmaster77]

what is the monitor? How is the monitor hooked up? DVI or good ol analog? Might be a simple ... reset the mobo bios thing.

What did your father in law do last on this computer. I'm guessing since you built it from him ...either he has little knowledge of computers ... or someone else ..like a grandkid ...or neighbor or something ...came over and started "mashing keys"

Of course it could be a broken motherboard, bad video card, overheating processor, or any number of things ..but its always best to start with the basics.

 

[gentlextreme]

i also have an ibm pentium 3 which says when i put it on wrong cosmos battery keyboard locked your system is now locked any idea on how to unlock it?
please...