Sudden problems with hanging and access errors

[DS]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus,alt.comp.periphs.mainboards.asus (More info?)

Hi

My pc has been stable for about a year, but now i get several problems a
day. When using normal apps such as Borland Delphi i have been getting
access errors, when running games such as C&C Generals, it will get to
loading the begining of game 5 (USA) and hang every time. I have also seen
the screen saver crash. This has started happening in the last week. I have
not installed any new hardware, software or changed system settings for
several months.

I have tried a scan disk, and looked at system info, used the DirectX tests,
but nothing appears to be wrong. mobo runs at 28C cpu at 51C

The system is:
ASUS A7N8X Delux
1 Gb of Crucial memory (2x512Mb)
120Gb Maxtor SATA drive connected to mobo SATA port

I was thinking of testing the memory with something like memtest86
http://www.memtest86.com/#download0

Does anyone have any suggestions? (polite ones only please! 😉

D

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus,alt.comp.periphs.mainboards.asus (More info?)

"DS" <DS@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:ch77ag$pii$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi
>
> My pc has been stable for about a year, but now i get several problems a
> day. When using normal apps such as Borland Delphi i have been getting
> access errors, when running games such as C&C Generals, it will get to
> loading the begining of game 5 (USA) and hang every time. I have also seen
> the screen saver crash. This has started happening in the last week. I
have
> not installed any new hardware, software or changed system settings for
> several months.
>
> I have tried a scan disk, and looked at system info, used the DirectX
tests,
> but nothing appears to be wrong. mobo runs at 28C cpu at 51C
>
> The system is:
> ASUS A7N8X Delux
> 1 Gb of Crucial memory (2x512Mb)
> 120Gb Maxtor SATA drive connected to mobo SATA port
>
> I was thinking of testing the memory with something like memtest86
> http://www.memtest86.com/#download0
>
> Does anyone have any suggestions? (polite ones only please! 😉
>
> D
>

It's likely a power supply issue or a bad RAM board. If you have more than
one memory board, try running with just one at a time. If you only have one
RAM stick, see if you can borrow a good RAM stick from another
ystem. -Dave

 

[DS]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus,alt.comp.periphs.mainboards.asus (More info?)

Hi

I have 2 sticks of 512 memory, but the system passes both memtest86 and the
microsoft windows memory tests. However, if I run prime95, it will crash
instantaneously on the benchmark tests and produce various symptoms (hang,
do a bit and hang etc, stop after 100 warnings for illegal sumout) on the
torture test.

Does this pinpoint the problem better?

Thanks
D


"Dave C." <mdupre@sff.net> wrote in message
news:2pop67Fngo78U1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> "DS" <DS@btinternet.com> wrote in message
> news:ch77ag$pii$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> > Hi
> >
> > My pc has been stable for about a year, but now i get several problems a
> > day. When using normal apps such as Borland Delphi i have been getting
> > access errors, when running games such as C&C Generals, it will get to
> > loading the begining of game 5 (USA) and hang every time. I have also
seen
> > the screen saver crash. This has started happening in the last week. I
> have
> > not installed any new hardware, software or changed system settings for
> > several months.
> >
> > I have tried a scan disk, and looked at system info, used the DirectX
> tests,
> > but nothing appears to be wrong. mobo runs at 28C cpu at 51C
> >
> > The system is:
> > ASUS A7N8X Delux
> > 1 Gb of Crucial memory (2x512Mb)
> > 120Gb Maxtor SATA drive connected to mobo SATA port
> >
> > I was thinking of testing the memory with something like memtest86
> > http://www.memtest86.com/#download0
> >
> > Does anyone have any suggestions? (polite ones only please! 😉
> >
> > D
> >
>
> It's likely a power supply issue or a bad RAM board. If you have more
than
> one memory board, try running with just one at a time. If you only have
one
> RAM stick, see if you can borrow a good RAM stick from another
> ystem. -Dave
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus,alt.comp.periphs.mainboards.asus (More info?)

"DS" <DS@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:ch9as4$c91$1@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk...
> Hi
>
> I have tried swapping the memory like you have suggested, but it still has
a
> problem. Is there a way I can further check the psu? ie will it help if i
> unplug cdrom etc?
>
> thanks
> D

I don't think it will help, but it won't hurt anything to test like that.
If you do unplug a cdrom, make sure you unplug *all* cables from it. Also
be aware that if it's on the same cable as a hard drive, you will need to
reset the jumper on the hard drive. -Dave

 

[Andrew]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

>How would a power supply problem cause the machine to crash
>reproducibly on launching a game and to crash at exactly the same
>place in the loading of the game every time?


If the CPU and several items (HDD, Video card) all wanted power at
that moment, the computer could crash, if only doing one or the other
as some games do, then they will not be requiring power at the same
time and so not cause this problem.

It is rare to see this (see my other post) but it does happen.

A

 

[milleron]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

On Sat, 04 Sep 2004 09:19:18 -0700, Andrew
<aimcnabb@spamfreehotmail.com> wrote:

>>How would a power supply problem cause the machine to crash
>>reproducibly on launching a game and to crash at exactly the same
>>place in the loading of the game every time?
>
>
>If the CPU and several items (HDD, Video card) all wanted power at
>that moment, the computer could crash, if only doing one or the other
>as some games do, then they will not be requiring power at the same
>time and so not cause this problem.
>
>It is rare to see this (see my other post) but it does happen.

My point is that it's SO rare that it actually militates against the
possibility that this problem is a bad PSU.


Ron

 

[Andrew]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

>I have tried a scan disk, and looked at system info, used the DirectX tests,
>but nothing appears to be wrong. mobo runs at 28C cpu at 51C


have you checked the capacitors on the mother board? A computer at
work was crashing a lot several months ago, when we replaced it we
noticed that 3 capacitors where about to blow (expend) and two already
had. Machine had been on 24/7 for 18 months , so it does occur over
time.

causes are bad capacitors and / or bad power supply (mains or from the
power suppy)

cheapest solution if this is the case for you, warrently on the board,
or a new board. Repairing them requies a speacial touch and access to
similar boards (most mother boards use unusual size capacitors.

A

 

[Andrew]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt,alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

>I have tried swapping the memory like you have suggested, but it still has a
>problem. Is there a way I can further check the psu? ie will it help if i
>unplug cdrom etc?


You could try, but if it is power from the power supply and the cd is
not being accessed at the time, then it wil not make much difference.

unplugging unneeded HDD and fans would be the best option (They always
draw power)

A