Mainboard question

  • Thread starter Thread starter EVD
  • Start date Start date
E

EVD

Dear all,

For a long time, i've been suffering from freezing /
hanging problems with my windows xp based pc. My computer
would completely freeze (crash) during applications,
making a hard reset the only option if i wanted to use the
pc again. Sometimes even directly after windows xp gets
past the welcome tune, but more often during applications
of all sorts, this annoying condition does sometimes
happen every ten or so minutes.

Of course i wanted to change this; i bought a new
videocard (old one seemed to have trouble with xp),
reinstalled xp and tried other configurations of my
hardware and software. None seem to exert any influence
over the matter; it still happens quite regularly that i
have to press the reset button. You can imagine this makes
my life, as far as it is concerned with computer work,
miserable.

Now, since i don't know anything else anymore, i was
wondering if something that is wrong with my mainboard
(especially the connection between the mainboard and the
videocard, the agp slot) could be the cause of these
irrations. If anyone could confirm this, it would be very
much appreciated.

And, does anyone know this condition, or what its causes
are, and how to solve the problem?

I'm really desperate for a solution to this condition.
Thanks, in advance, for any help. EVD
 
EVD said:
Dear all,

For a long time, i've been suffering from freezing /
hanging problems with my windows xp based pc.
Click to expand...
< snip >

Check out your hardware:

1. Make sure your CPU and case temperatures are OK.

2. Shut down your computer and turn off power *at the
surge protector* (which cuts off standby power while
leaving your computer grounded) or unplug it. Take
the standard protections against static electricity
(wear a wrist strap or keep one hand grounded at all
times).

3. Open up your computer and and make sure all your CPU
and case fans are working. Then dust it out. (*Do not
use a vacuum cleaner* - it might cause static discharge.
Get some dust remover spray (RadioShack has it) and
a dust mask, and take your computer outside and spray
out the dust.)

4. Reseat all the modules and cables inside your computer.

5. Do a hardware reset of your CMOS and set up your
BIOS again.

6. Run a full set of hardware diagnostics. ("diag378.exe",
downloadable from ftp://ftp1.dell.com/diags, after a few
complaints, will run on most non-Dell computers.)
You should get zero errors.

7. Run "memtest86" (download from http://www.memtest86.com)
to thoroughly check out your memory. You should get
zero errors.

-- Bob Day
 
Back
Top