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New parts, random crashing
Joeslop
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So after finally getting my new parts and installed (CPU, video card, RAM), I've been having issues with programs locking up, or just crashing.
Examples include: Left 4 Dead 2, Firefox, Crysis, World of Warcraft. I played Bioshock for several hours and didn't have any crashes.
I've had one BSOD, and a couple of freezes, but most of the time everything just crashes. None of these games did this before I got the new parts.
For reference, the parts I got:
BFG Tech GeForce GTS 250
Intel Core 2 Duo Wolfdale 8500, 3.16GHz
1 GB Kingston RAM
I'm using an Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard which has worked fine so far. I had to flash the BIOS to get it to recognize the new CPU but have had no other problems. XP hasn't given me any major trouble since I installed it either.
I thought it might have been the new stick of RAM I got but I ran Memtest86+ 4.00 on two separate occasions; the first for 6 hours, no errors. The second time was 8.5 hours, still no errors. I realize it could still possibly be the RAM but Memtest makes think its unlikely. The RAM itself is the exact same thing I bought from Newegg before, same model and size, though the actual physical dimensions are smaller.
Thoughts: Is Windows XP shitting itself and needs to be repaired or reinstalled? Is the RAM bad and causing the random lockups and crashes? Is the video card somehow to blame? Did flashing the BIOS screw everything up?
Examples include: Left 4 Dead 2, Firefox, Crysis, World of Warcraft. I played Bioshock for several hours and didn't have any crashes.
I've had one BSOD, and a couple of freezes, but most of the time everything just crashes. None of these games did this before I got the new parts.
For reference, the parts I got:
BFG Tech GeForce GTS 250
Intel Core 2 Duo Wolfdale 8500, 3.16GHz
1 GB Kingston RAM
I'm using an Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard which has worked fine so far. I had to flash the BIOS to get it to recognize the new CPU but have had no other problems. XP hasn't given me any major trouble since I installed it either.
I thought it might have been the new stick of RAM I got but I ran Memtest86+ 4.00 on two separate occasions; the first for 6 hours, no errors. The second time was 8.5 hours, still no errors. I realize it could still possibly be the RAM but Memtest makes think its unlikely. The RAM itself is the exact same thing I bought from Newegg before, same model and size, though the actual physical dimensions are smaller.
Thoughts: Is Windows XP shitting itself and needs to be repaired or reinstalled? Is the RAM bad and causing the random lockups and crashes? Is the video card somehow to blame? Did flashing the BIOS screw everything up?
Joeslop on
0
Posts
Check following:
--RAM related--
Have you tried taking out or replacing the 1GB and see how it runs with that (just Windows and a few probgrams, if you experience randowm lockup issues). I would also suggest running memetest with just the 1GB RAM module in your PC - but it seems unlikely that is broken right from the start.
Avoid clusterfuck RAM setup - like "slow 256MB module", "another 512MB module at another speed", "1GB module". Its hard to troubleshoot. RAM is dirt cheap nowadays (may not apply to DDR1 which got more expensive because its not mainstream anymore) - rather get another 1GB and throw everthing else out.
Are all slots filled with RAM modules? Some boards won't work correctly if all slots are filled out - mine for example -- it won't boot if I try to add the a 2GB module into the 4th (last) remaining slot.
Do you use different RAM modules with different speed? Mainboards which accept DDR1 seem to the most compatible in this configuration. Boards which accept DDR2 RAM seem to be more "fragile" if it come to different speed, different brands.
Another guess is, that you have to enter RAM timing / speed into your BIOS manually. Some boards over or underclock RAM with the (auto setting) or use the wrong timings which can cause issues too.
-- PSU related --
Could you write down which brand of PSU you got and how much Watt the "output" is? I don't think the Geforce 250 should draw to much power - but it could still be a factor.
-- CPU related --
Please check also the temperatures of you CPU. Lockup can be caused by that as well, if the fan hasn't been seated correctly. Especially the Intel stock cooling plastic holders can be a bitch at times. Use a temperature monitoring program like speedfan etc. to check how hot your CPU gets under stress.
RAM is all the exact same besides the physical dimensions; same model, same 1GB each. Only 3 of the 4 slots are taken up. I didn't have to manually set anything on the RAM when I installed it the first time and its worked fine since then.
PSU: MSI AL-B450E 450w.
CPU: With nothing going on but Firefox, the CPU is running at 36C. I just ran Crysis for about 20 minutes and the CPU didn't go above 60C. When I died and went to reload the save, the game crashed.
I'll try running without the 3rd stick, and running Memtest with just the one stick.
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal
I removed the third stick of RAM and reloaded. CPU-Z told me that the two sticks I had in were now on Single channel mode. Turns out, the whole time I've had this computer, I had the sticks in single instead of dual. I blame not reading the manual.
I put both of the old sticks in the proper Dual channel spots now and I'm going to run some things and see how they go. If its all peachy, I'll throw the third stick back in.
Do you think that could have had something to do with it?
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal
It appears that switching the RAM around in the slots has fixed things. I played two full games of L4D2 and a bit of Crysis, no problems.
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal
CPU-Z is showing the RAM as Dual channel still, with 3 gigs.
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal
Well I'm surprised, I looked it up and yes, for some time now, motherboards are now able to run dual channel with 3 sticks as well. It used to be that you needed to have even number of sticks. From what I gathered, this has been possible since the nForce 2 chipset!
I re-learned something today.
Everyone wins!
Ayliana Moonwhisper Ecksus Cerazal