Help me diagnose a faulty PC

[Penelope Plopworth]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief. It's got a non-overclocked 1.3Ghz Athlon & one of
the original 32Mb Radeons and is used for little more demanding than office,
email and internet.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the picture
and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the screen, but it
won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've removed all peripherals
barring the Graphics card and it still won't boot, until I give it 20 mins
to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable. Any
suggestions? Board, CPU and PSU seem like the only variables. I'll take any
suggestions...

 

[Michael Cecil]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief. It's got a non-overclocked 1.3Ghz Athlon & one of
the original 32Mb Radeons and is used for little more demanding than office,
email and internet.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the picture
and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the screen, but it
won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've removed all peripherals
barring the Graphics card and it still won't boot, until I give it 20 mins
to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable. Any
suggestions? Board, CPU and PSU seem like the only variables. I'll take any
suggestions...

Sounds exactly like an overheating problem. Try removing the
fan/heatsinks from the CPU and motherboard, clean and check the fans are
working, then reattach them using a very thin but fresh new coat of
heatsink grease.

 

[Gazwad]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief. It's got a non-overclocked 1.3Ghz Athlon &
one of the original 32Mb Radeons and is used for little more
demanding than office, email and internet.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the
picture and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the
screen, but it won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've
removed all peripherals barring the Graphics card and it still won't
boot, until I give it 20 mins to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable. Any
suggestions? Board, CPU and PSU seem like the only variables. I'll
take any suggestions...

Find another machine with which you can swap CPU's for an hour.

--
Lunch was nice;

Broiled bison tripe accentuated with seared prairie dog spit putrescent
aside tainted marmot tail and vulture breast compote, simmered in a bubbling
double boiler heaped with medium to well done cabbage, thin morsels of beef,
crayfish and mussel, anchovy gravy, a side of fruit and a keg of whale milk.

 

[Penelope Plopworth]

Sounds exactly like an overheating problem. Try removing the
fan/heatsinks from the CPU and motherboard, clean and check the fans are
working, then reattach them using a very thin but fresh new coat of
heatsink grease.

That was my first reaction too. However, after running Motherboard Monitor
5, I can confirm that the CPU temp never gets above 48 degrees prior to
lockup. I used to run the same PC overclocked at over 10 degrees hotter
without it missing a beat.

 

[Penelope Plopworth]

Find another machine with which you can swap CPU's for an hour.

Unfortunately, the neighbourhood isn't exactly overrun with old AMD Athlon
compatible motherboards. Which is a shame, it would make identifying the
problem component much easier, as you suggest...

 

[dadiOH]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief. It's got a non-overclocked 1.3Ghz Athlon &
one of the original 32Mb Radeons and is used for little more
demanding than office, email and internet.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the
picture and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the
screen, but it won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've
removed all peripherals barring the Graphics card and it still won't
boot, until I give it 20 mins to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable. Any
suggestions? Board, CPU and PSU seem like the only variables. I'll
take any suggestions...

Got another PSU you can try? As long as temps are normal, that seems
most likely to me and is eay to check.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

 

[Gazwad]

Penelope Plopworth, <[email protected]>, the rotund, long-headed
fishmonger, and diviner of character based on the bumps on one's head,
alluded:

Unfortunately, the neighbourhood isn't exactly overrun with old AMD
Athlon compatible motherboards. Which is a shame, it would make
identifying the problem component much easier, as you suggest...

So buy the cheapest CPU which is compatible with the motherboard from Ebay.
You'll be able to sell it for more or less the same money when you're done
with it.
Alternatively buy one which is a bit better than the existing CPU, if the
problem doesn't go away they you could sell the original one, knowing it's
not faulty. If the problem does disappear then you have a slightly faster
machine for your trouble.

--
Lunch was nice;

Nasty bacteria nostril with anus vinaigrette complemented by disintegrating
earwax balls and sheep skin vinegar malignant with monstrous garden snail
buttock with banana garnish con putrescent flea excrescence with garlic
dressing, dished up in a circulating tureen stuffed with wilted whole green
bean, almond and eggplant in endive broth, a side of sweetbread and a bowl
of emulsified sweat and grease from the chef's forehead.

 

[Rene Lamontagne]

Got another PSU you can try? As long as temps are normal, that seems
most likely to me and is eay to check.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

What DadiOH said, I agree this is the most likely culprit.

Regards, Rene Lamontagne

 

[dannysdailys]

I concur, I believe you'll find your CPU heat sink to be plugged.
You're overheating that Athlon and they don't take kindly to it

I'd buy a new heatsink fan combo. From a good name. If it'
original, you're on borrowed time

Best of luc

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the picture
and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the screen, but it
won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've removed all peripherals
barring the Graphics card and it still won't boot, until I give it 20 mins
to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable.

You can virtually rule out an overheating problem if the side of the
case is removed and all the fans are spinning at their normal speeds.

Capacitors can be bad even if they look normal, and even many quality
companies have used defective capacitors. For example, I had a
3-year-old 300W Antec PSU where only one capacitor bulged. All the
other capacitors tested OK for ESR, but a week later the companion
capacitor to the first one bulged and developed high ESR. This PSU had
been running a load of just 60W. www.badcaps.net has more info.

I would try another PSU, if it won't cost you anything, because the
current one may have rotting capacitors. Otherwise get a cheapo
digital multimeter to verify not only the PSU voltages but also the
mobo's CPU and AGP slot voltage regulators. If you buy another PSU,
look for something made by Fortron-Source (Fortron, Sparkle, Trend,
Hi-Q, PowerQ, Powertech but not Powertek) because they're really good
but cheap.

 

[Conor]

That was my first reaction too. However, after running Motherboard Monitor
5, I can confirm that the CPU temp never gets above 48 degrees prior to
lockup. I used to run the same PC overclocked at over 10 degrees hotter
without it missing a beat.

But what about the graphics card?

 

[Michael Cecil]

But what about the graphics card?

And what about the motherboard chipset fan(s)? Are you sure MBM is
working - does it actually show the temps change when the machine is
stressed?

 

[Wes Newell]

Unfortunately, the neighbourhood isn't exactly overrun with old AMD Athlon
compatible motherboards. Which is a shame, it would make identifying the
problem component much easier, as you suggest...

I assume you've cleaned the CPU cooler of dust and the fan is functional.
Other possible cause include a program with a memory leak or bad driver.
Could be a virus also. Boot with a memtest CD or some other boot software
that doesn't use the standard os and see if it still locks up. Try Linux
Knoppix CD and see if it locks up the same. If it doesn't then you can be
sure the MB/CPU or ok.

 

[Buffalo]

My mother has a four year old Iwill KK266-r based PC that has suddenly
started giving her grief. It's got a non-overclocked 1.3Ghz Athlon & one of
the original 32Mb Radeons and is used for little more demanding than office,
email and internet.

After about half an hours use, it virtually locks up -freezing the picture
and not responding to any input. Pressing reset wipes the screen, but it
won't post or even make a confirmation beep. I've removed all peripherals
barring the Graphics card and it still won't boot, until I give it 20 mins
to sit.

I have tried it with different RAM and searched for blown capacitors.
Temperature seems normal and I've reseated everything removeable. Any
suggestions? Board, CPU and PSU seem like the only variables. I'll take any
suggestions...

Try removing a side case cover and have a room air fan blowing hard into the
case. If it now continues to run, a high heat proglem is indicated.
Are you monitoring the cpu temp? Perhaps its heatsink is not properly seated or
is loose.
If you can obtain a different PSU to try temporarily, do it.
Buy her a new computer.
Simple things to try:
Disconnect and reconnect all plugs and connectors.
Remove and reseat the ram and video card.
Start it in Safe Mode and run a program on it and see it it still freezes after
a half hour or so.

 

[Michael Hawes]

Try removing a side case cover and have a room air fan blowing hard into the
case. If it now continues to run, a high heat proglem is indicated.
Are you monitoring the cpu temp? Perhaps its heatsink is not properly seated or
is loose.
If you can obtain a different PSU to try temporarily, do it.
Buy her a new computer.
Simple things to try:
Disconnect and reconnect all plugs and connectors.
Remove and reseat the ram and video card.
Start it in Safe Mode and run a program on it and see it it still freezes after
a half hour or so.

Run manufacturers diagnostic on hard drive. If drive 'hangs' on read you
will get that symptom.
Mike.

 

[DaveW]

In all likelihood it's either the power supply unit or the motherboard
that's failing. The easiest way to eliminate one of these two is to replace
the PSU with a known working one of adequate power output. If that doesn't
fix it, then it's probably the motherboard. CPU's generally do not fail,
and if they do they fail entirely; not intermitently.

 

[Mahatma Gazwad]

In all likelihood it's either the power supply unit or the motherboard
that's failing. The easiest way to eliminate one of these two is to
replace the PSU with a known working one of adequate power output. If that
doesn't fix it, then it's probably the motherboard. CPU's
generally do not fail, and if they do they fail entirely; not
intermitently.

You dumb ****.

--
For my own part, I have never had a thought which I could not set down
in words with even more distinctness than that with which I conceived
it. There is, however, a class of fancies of exquisite delicacy which
are not thoughts, and to which as yet I have found it absolutely
impossible to adapt to language. These fancies arise in the soul, alas
how rarely. Only at epochs of most intense tranquillity, when the
bodily and mental health are in perfection. And at those weird points
of time, where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of
dreams. And so I captured this fancy, where all that we see, or seem,
is but a dream within a dream.

 

[Guest]

I have seen everyone post and say what may be the culpret, however, everyone
has missed the most basic first check.... I know on alot of video cards
after a few years the vpu cooling fan fills with gunk and either stops all
together or spins at an eye splitting 15-60 rpms. Why not check that out,
cant make you any promises but hell, even my G4-4200 TI fan started giving
me trouble after only 2 years..... the dissadvantage of putting a computer
on the floor. Good luck dude and do let us know what you discover

--
{SFU} Jackyl

MSI K7N2 Delta ILSR
Athlon XP2500
ATI Radeon 9800 pro
1gb Geil DDR 3200 DC

 

[Mahatma Gazwad]

I have seen everyone post and say what may be the culpret, however,
everyone has missed the most basic first check.... I know on alot of
video cards after a few years the vpu cooling fan fills with gunk and
either stops all together or spins at an eye splitting 15-60 rpms.
Why not check that out, cant make you any promises but hell, even my
G4-4200 TI fan started giving me trouble after only 2 years..... the
dissadvantage of putting a computer on the floor. Good luck dude and
do let us know what you discover

Why the **** would I check my video card fan?
Perhaps you meant to reply to the original posted.
I'm sure she has already checked that, she has stated that everything looks
ok.

--
For my own part, I have never had a thought which I could not set down
in words with even more distinctness than that with which I conceived
it. There is, however, a class of fancies of exquisite delicacy which
are not thoughts, and to which as yet I have found it absolutely
impossible to adapt to language. These fancies arise in the soul, alas
how rarely. Only at epochs of most intense tranquillity, when the
bodily and mental health are in perfection. And at those weird points
of time, where the confines of the waking world blend with the world of
dreams. And so I captured this fancy, where all that we see, or seem,
is but a dream within a dream.

 

[Michael Hawes]

Why the **** would I check my video card fan?
Perhaps you meant to reply to the original posted.
I'm sure she has already checked that, she has stated that everything looks
ok.

Why the hell do you think jedmister1 is replying to Mahatma Gazwad? It's
a NEWSGROUP!! You reply to the group! Or are you just stirring?
Mike.