I think my motherboard is dead...

honion

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Aug 20, 2007
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18,510
I have had this custom built machine for a few years(its probably time for an upgrade anyway) but this thing has been rock solid since I got it. Now the machine is locking up at completely random times while I am doing all different things. Sometimes it takes only five minutes to freeze other times it takes over an hour. I have also noticed that once I shut it down using the power button after a few hours it will just boot up by itself (and still freeze up)I am unable to Ctrl/Alt/Del or do anything, I have to hold in the power button to power down. I have tried to diagnose the problem so I have done the following:

removed all devices except video card and hard drive with the OS. = still froze

swapped out video card = still froze

swapped out all memory dimms = still froze

installed fresh copy of windows on new, different drive and tried with both video cards = still froze

updated/flashed the bios = still froze

replaced power supply = still froze

I think the motherboard and processor are the only things left I have replaced or left out of the sequence.

The board is a gigabyte GA-7VAX with 2GB of ram (PC2700 DDR-333mhz). The motherboard is definitely out of warranty and I just bought the ram upgrades a few months ago. Do I have any hope of finding a new motherboard/processor that will take the ram?

Does anyone have a better idea of what my problem could be?
 

honion

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Aug 20, 2007
4
0
18,510
I replaced the fan and heatsink a few months ago and it was working fine. I had my boyfriend who is in IT and has built a number of computers supervise so I don't think thats the problem...but I guess its possible.