Computer Resetting

pants · June 2004

<div class="IPBDescription">help please D:</div> PC specs:
Athlon 1800+
Elitegroup K7S5A
512MB 3200 DDR
ASUS GF4MX440
80GB WD HDD
(think that's all...)

i've been experiencing alot of resets since i got this computer, but only in certain programs. these programs aren't particularly cpu or ram intensive (namely lithunwrap and visualboy advance), so i dont understand why this is happening. it's come to the point where this is really **** me off. when the comp resets, it happens suddenly, like i just hit the reset button (but i didn't <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />). help would be very appreciated. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

hmmm... this seems very short but i dont know what else to say...

edit: oh yeah, i've changed my ram, so it's not that. i'm thinking the motherboard may be the problem, because it was such a cheap pos.

TychoCelchuuu · June 2004

Make sure your power supply is able to handle everything that's plugged into it, and that stuff isn't overheating. Also make sure you've got all the hotfixes for your OS, run a virus and spyware program, and then make sure all your drivers and firmware are up to date. Also, send me cash.

Jimmeh · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Jun 19 2004, 01:15 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Make sure your power supply is able to handle everything that's plugged into it, and that stuff isn't overheating. Also make sure you've got all the hotfixes for your OS, run a virus and spyware program, and then make sure all your drivers and firmware are up to date. Also, send me cash.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
What he said

pants · June 2004

400 watt PS, should be able to handle it all. it's not overheating, there's no viruses or spyware, i have all windows updates, latest drivers. what's firmware though?

Bogglesteinsky · June 2004

Make sure the heatsink is properly attached to the processor with the right type of glue. Instead of wasting lots of money on new parts, it could just be a £2 tube of glue that is your solution. To check if it's overheating, run it with the case off. If it resets less or not at all, something is getting too hot. Find what it is and fix it, then put the case back on.

pants · June 2004

im pretty sure it's not overheating, as i can run pretty modern games, but not a damn meshing program that takes like 30% cpu. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

Drfuzzy · June 2004

Could be your GeForce, i was having the same problem with my fx 5600. Bought radeon 9800 and it fixed it.

Damn you nvidia, waste of 300 bucks

pants · June 2004

but i <3 my geforce. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

Private_Coleman · June 2004

1. Unplug monitor and place it on your window sill, so it is *just* not falling off.

2. go to K-Mart and purchase a tennis ball propulsion device.

3. Plug TBPD into socket and aim at monitor.

4. Fill with tennis balls or similar. Turn power on.

5. Your computer is now fixed. Do not plug monitor back in. Purchase Sonwa Colour flat screen TV from Coles Supermarkets for $179.99 Australian. Plug into PC.

6. If plug does not fit, it is designed for United Kingdom outlets. Use a hammer to manipulate the plug so it meets your requirements.

7. Turn computer power on. If all goes well, you should recieve a black screen that confirms your sucess.

8. Play NS! <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/asrifle.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='asrifle.gif' />

<span style='font-size:8pt;line-height:100%'>Disclaimer: I am full of s**t.</span>

pants · June 2004

that didn't work either. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

napi · June 2004

I had similar problems with my comp a few months ago... only thing that fixed it was a new motherboard :s

antifreeze · June 2004

same problem, haven't fixed it yet. On my other pc tho, and i mainly use that for IIS and emule...
What usually kills it for me is running to many K-Lite searches at the same time.

Jasp · June 2004

Well having the exact same issues with my old PC id put it down to either the RAM is fryed, the motherboard can no longer keep up the data speeds and is fryed or the GFX card RAM is fryed.

I would start first by putting your RAM into diffrent slots, this tells you if its the MB or not, secound get some old RAM that you know works and put that in instead see if stablilty improves or not. Now you know if its the RAM or not, last try a diffrent AGP and a PCI gfx card that you know works, that tells you if its the GFX card or AGP slot.

Last but not least if you are running windows XP and sometimes get memory access blue screens id put it down to the RAM.

The reason i didnt mention the CPU was that they normally outlive all the other components of a base unit but it could be that the cache on the CPU is fryed. Its very hard to tell if it is or isent tho.

Thier are a few programs out thier to test RAM, docmem, mem86 i think, and microsoft has one on thier website. Ill edit the websites in later.

<a href='http://www.memtest86.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.memtest86.com/</a>
<a href='http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp' target='_blank'>http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp</a>
<a href='http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp</a>

Thansal · June 2004

I am guessing you are running XP (probably home)

thuse there is a chance you are getting BSoDs, however you are not seeing them.

There is a way to turn this on/off

(unfortunatly I have 2K, thus I now must poke....)

bah, I can't find out how to do this.

any one?

the general soloution thoe BSoDs is to update ALL of your drivers (don't forget motherboard, modem, router etc)
Also possibly upgrading firmware for your hardware.

antifreeze · June 2004

i have 2k too. let me know what you just said means, and how to fix lol

DY357LX · June 2004

Keep an eye on the running background processes.
Check whats there immediately after a boot-up and
make a note of what appears after closing programs/games.
Run your PC with the side panel off and this <i>apparently</i>
can help with cooling some components.
(Be careful doing this if you have small pets that may get curious.)

I had PainKiller closing on me when I had the sound options set to
anything other than the "Miles" option.

Trial and error should help narrow down the problem, if not
then i'd go for a full format. But thats probably abit drastic.

sheena_yanai · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Z.X. Bogglesteinsky @ Jun 19 2004, 07:19 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Make sure the heatsink is properly attached to the processor with the right type of glue. Instead of wasting lots of money on new parts, it could just be a £2 tube of glue that is your solution. To check if it's overheating, run it with the case off. If it resets less or not at all, something is getting too hot. Find what it is and fix it, then put the case back on.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
its thermal compound. not glue. and never ever use thermal compount epoxy resin, or "cement"

its a pain to remove the heatsink from the cpu

Emsee · June 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Thansal @ Jun 19 2004, 03:13 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>I am guessing you are running XP (probably home)

thuse there is a chance you are getting BSoDs, however you are not seeing them.

There is a way to turn this on/off

(unfortunatly I have 2K, thus I now must poke....)

bah, I can't find out how to do this.

any one?

the general soloution thoe BSoDs is to update ALL of your drivers (don't forget motherboard, modem, router etc)
Also possibly upgrading firmware for your hardware.</td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'>
This may be what you mean...

pants · June 2004

Jasp: it couldn't be my ram as i just bought a new stick thinking it would solve my problem (it didn't). i don't really have any other gfx cards to test in here, but i tried the one in here on my brother's computer (his has onboard gfx) and it was fine. and xp has never given me a blue screen. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

Thansal: i've got xp pro, never had a bsod. would it help doing what emsee said to enable them?

DY357LX: the only background program i've got running is winkeykill, i'll try closing that but ti doesn't seem likely. these problems always have a stupid cause. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />

thanks for the help everyone, i'll report back in an hour or so. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' />

antifreeze · June 2004

no luck me emsee, that was already unticked...

Thing is it doesnt crash on games or anything like that. It hapily run UT2K4 for hours no problems. It also can take high load, i had it RAR compressing 4.5Gb of files the otherday on max compression, it took about 45 mins but it did it. Processor was maxed out and it was using 680Mb of ram.

pants · June 2004

can someone tell me which bios i should get? i am confused. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

<a href='http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Downloads/ProductsDetail_Download.aspx?CategoryID=1&Typeid=4&detailid=74&DetailName=Bios&DetailDesc=K7S5A(1.1)' target='_blank'>http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Downloads/Pro...Desc=K7S5A(1.1)</a>

jumpingjoda · June 2004

I would say the first one (it's usually the first one...).

Another solution, get rid of windows <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' />
I know that it's not a real solution but hey, i just had to say that...

pants · June 2004

ok, i've never flashed a bios before so this better not **** up or i will be scarred for life.

edit: i think i may have found the problem. i ended up not flashing my bios because it seemed too complicated, but i updated all my drivers and crap, and started messing around in lithunwrap for a while to see if it was fixed. it was going fine about 15 minutes (longer than usual), then i opened winamp, couple of minutes later it resets.

i realised that every time it has reset winamp has been open. i'm using the onboard sound which is probably not a great idea, so i think this may be the cause. although, i have winamp open when im playing ns and other games, and it's fine... <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' />

so is this cause likely, or would it be a waste going out and buying a new sound card?

edit2: **** it just reset when winamp wasn't open. there goes that idea. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

Computer Resetting

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