New PC keeps crashing, what to do?

[hero9989]

I only just built the thing and it's going wrong on me Why do I have so much bad luck with these things..

Processor: AMD Phenom X3 8750 Black Edition
Graphics: Club3D ATI Radeon HD4870 1GB Overclocked Edition
Motherboard: MSI K9AT Platinum
RAM: 2GB Corsair PC2 6400
PSU: Xilence 750W Redwing Modular
OS: Windows Vista w/SP1


All I'm doing with my PC, is trying to install/download things (Just basic multi-tasking) and it keeps crashing, I hear 2 bleeps from my MB and it just freezes
All the settings in the BIOS are default (apart from disabling the floppy drive controller thing)


- It's not overheating, it never goes anywhere near 40 degrees C with what I'm doing.
- I'm pretty confident it isn't the PSU, otherwise the thing would just die right? (also the voltages all seem normal)
- The RAM is the same I used on my previous system and I've never had any problems before.

I'm guessing it's a problem with either the CPU or the MB, I don't want to RMA anything until I'm sure I have to. and I'm sure what it is that's gone wrong
Are there any tests I can do (without specialist equipment) to help figure out what keeps going wrong?

Any ideas what it could be?

(in the time it's taken me to write this, I've had to restart the computer twice cos it's frozen like I said, the most recent time, all that was open was Firefox with one window/tab and the download window)


Please Help!!

 

[Proximon]

MSI K9AT Platinum

Did you mean K9A2 Platinum?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130136

I'm pretty confident it isn't the PSU, otherwise the thing would just die right? (also the voltages all seem normal)

You can't trust the voltage readings from your board. Not one bit. Your PSU would not be one I would recommend... what few things I can find on Xilence indicate poor quality, perhaps a step up from really bad. It's not however the primary suspect yet.

The RAM is the same I used on my previous system and I've never had any problems before.

The first thing you should do is confirm that all the settings for your RAM are correct in the BIOS. Frequency, voltage, timings.

Will the PC pass memtest?

http://www.memtest.org/

 

[hero9989]

Yeah that's the motherboard, dunno where the t came from

Huh, it looked like a pretty good PSU.. but yeah, see where this goes

Got the bootable CD version and it's running at the moment (65%), No errors so far, I'll update this post when it's finished though.

 

[hero9989]

The memory test went fine, no errors found

Also I should add, the motherboard, it was a refurbished product, So I don't really trust it too much, but it does still have a few months warrenty so it can be RMA'd if it's that.
Though like I said, I'd like to be sure so they don't test it and send it straight back to me and charge me for their trouble.

 

[Proximon]

Did you check the RAM settings in the BIOS yet? I know it seems odd, but incorrect settings will, and often do, cause problems even when memtest is passed.

Memtest doesn't normally catch the bad settings.

There are many different versions of 2GB Corsair 800mhz kits, so I can't tell you what the settings are without a model number.

 

[hero9989]

Huh, last time I trust My brother!
I took the ram out and googled the model number on it, turns out it's crucial not corsair

* Module Details: RM25664AA800.
* Module Size: 2GB.
* Package: 240-pin DIMM.
* Feature: DDR2 PC2-6400.
* Configuration: 256Meg x 64.
* Error Checking: NON-ECC.
* Voltage: 1.8V.
* Memory Timings: CL=6.

(I'm definitely gonna have to upgrade that soon regardless of whether it's faulty or not)

Apart from not being fantasticly great RAM, it all looks ok

 

[Proximon]

If you are satisfied with the actual RAM settings in the BIOS, the next step might be to update the BIOS:
http://www.msi.com/index.php?func=downloadindex
Updating the BIOS always carries some risk, but I would say you are close to RMA anyway.

 

[hero9989]

How would I go about updating the bios, the MSI auto updater thing won't seem to work, and I don't have a floppy drive. is there any way of making a bootable USB flash drive or CD to the same effect?

 

[Proximon]

There should be no problem with any device your board will boot from. It would certainly be my preferred method, anyway.

The MSI auto updater probably needs IE or something to work.

 

[hero9989]

Only just had chance to try the upgrade. I booted into freedos (from UBCD), did just what it said, it as: 'AFUD4280.exe A7376AMS.170'
and it came up with: 'Invalid Opcode at 035E 4F12 0202 7369 0CEE F169 230CF525 230C 6425 642D 202D 7420
:s

 

[hero9989]

Is there any chance this whole problem could be caused by false temperature readings from the MB?
I thought overheat usually caused the system to should down, a kind of safety measure, could overheating possibly cause it to crash instead of shut down?
I was just thinking if it is getting false readings, the MB won't even realise that the CPU is too hot so it won't even know to apply the safety measure of shutting itself down.

Using a Nexus AXM-8200 cooler

 

[Proximon]

Try HWMonitor:

url=http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/]Real Temp[/url]
HWMonitor

 

[hero9989]

HWMonitor says pretty much the same thing as the BIOS

it's only done it once in the past 4 or 5 hours today
I've been running things like 3dmark today, and only one freeze, makes me think that it may not even be a hardware fault now but instead a software fault that may have fixed itself. It didn't come up with any errors when I installed windows, but who knows. it's even let me go through with the download in firefox that it wouldn't let me do yesterday...

Know of any way to check the workings of vista 64bit? or I could reinstall and see what happens?

 

[hundredislandsboy]

It still sounds like incorrect RAM setting in the BIOS. What are the timings? If it crashes during different programs, is it always at the same spot in the game?

 

[hero9989]

Hmm, I've decided I'm going to upgrade the RAM anyway.
seems like It needs it anyway, and if I ever want to overclock this CPU this RAM will never cut it.
Anyone got any suggestions of what sort of RAM I should go for? not too expensive (also from UK) but, well, the best priceerformance ratio I guess, probably 2GB or 4GB of RAM (does 1066 RAM perform much better than 6400?)

 

[hero9989]

as for the timings of my current ram though, they're all as should be: 6-6-6-18 (according to cpu-z anyway, not sure where it is on the bios)