P4C800-E Deluxe Hyper Threading Problem??

[Darren]

Hello everyone,

I've had an ongoing issue with my PC that's been driving me bonkers.
My PC worked fine for about 4 months after I built in and then started
having a random rebooting problem. I believed it was related to a
bittorrent client, so I did the usual thing and updated all my drivers
and I updated my BIOS. The problem continued, so still assuming this
was a driver issue (that's what the BSOD pointed to, although NEVER to
a specific driver) I decided to do a fresh install of Windows XP Pro.

Long story short, clean machine, fresh install, all new drivers,
random rebooting still happening. It can happen under full load or at
idle, it doesn't seem to matter. I've checked the temps and they're
fine. My power supply is a new Antec 430W.

Once I reinstalled XP I figured it had to be hardware, so I started
removing things like my sound card, all USB devices, memory, etc. The
only thing I didn't try was a different video card, as I don't have
one handy. (I'm running an ATI RADEON 9800 Pro 128MB)

I was about to wits end when I read something about disabling Hyper
Threading, which I did, and all of a sudden my system is rock solid
with all hardware installed and running. The minute I turn off Hyper
Threading, the random reboots and BSOD occurances start again.

My question is, does this most likely point to a motherboard hardware
problem with Hyper Threading?? Am I safe to say it's not my
soundcard, video card, etc. since they work fine with Hyper Threading
disabled?? Is there any known issue with Hyper Threading on the
P4C800-E Deluxe??

I'm running a P4 3.0, 1GB of Corsair matched pair RAM, ATI RADEON 9800
Pro 128MB, Soundblaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum & a Plextor PX-708A DVD
burner.

Any help or assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

-Darren

 

[James Bald]

Greetings Darren.

It could be many things. The first of which I would suspect it's potentially
a HEAT related issue.. Have you played with the Heat Sink and poorly relplaced it ?
Measure the CPU temperature using ASUS Probe.

Hyper threading is an IMPORTANT feature of the new P4 processors.
It will greatly improve performance under an OS that supports it.

Maybe you installed a new software that is totally incompatible.
Maybe it's too hot in your computer room these days.
But if the CPU and system is running without Hyperthreading, I would think all
the hardware in your computer is fine.
CPU might have an odd defect..

Recommended test:
0) Measure CPU and motherbord temperatures during tests. Hyperthreading enabled
1) TEST with hyperthreading ON using SANDRA 2004 SP1... Is the computer crashing elsewhere.
2) BACKUP & reinstall your Windows OS; minimal software; Sandra 2004 SP1 to test.
OR Install latest Linux Kernel 2.6 with hyperthreading support. (Mandrake 10) and see.

If minimal OS setup crashes, and that you never touched the HS and upon inspection the FAN
is spinning properly then it's likely to be a defective CPU.

Always try to isolate the problem.. Reinstalling the OS is a very good start for that matter.
DO NOT remove the HS on the CPU unless you have to.

That's for a starter.

 

[Darren]

Thanks for the input,

It could be many things. The first of which I would suspect it's potentially
a HEAT related issue.. Have you played with the Heat Sink and poorly relplaced it ?
Measure the CPU temperature using ASUS Probe.

The temps in the PC have always been very good. With or without hyper
threading on it idles around 22-25C and even under full load I've
never been able to get it to a point to break. The room gets hot at
times so I even did a test (probably not recommended) where I blew hot
air from a hairdryer into the case and still couldn't get it to fault.
So, I'm 99.99% sure this isn't a heat issue.

Hyper threading is an IMPORTANT feature of the new P4 processors.
It will greatly improve performance under an OS that supports it.

Maybe you installed a new software that is totally incompatible.
Maybe it's too hot in your computer room these days.
But if the CPU and system is running without Hyperthreading, I would think all
the hardware in your computer is fine.
CPU might have an odd defect..

I thought at first it was Azureus, a Java based Bit Torrent client,
but I never have installed that after the fresh install of XP pro.
That is what made me feel it might be my anti-virus software (AVG 7.0)
but even after removing the anti-virus software the system displayed
the same crashes and reboots.

Recommended test:
0) Measure CPU and motherbord temperatures during tests. Hyperthreading enabled
1) TEST with hyperthreading ON using SANDRA 2004 SP1... Is the computer crashing elsewhere.
2) BACKUP & reinstall your Windows OS; minimal software; Sandra 2004 SP1 to test.
OR Install latest Linux Kernel 2.6 with hyperthreading support. (Mandrake 10) and see.

If minimal OS setup crashes, and that you never touched the HS and upon inspection the FAN
is spinning properly then it's likely to be a defective CPU.

I hadn't thought of installing Mandrake, that's a good idea. A bit of
a pain, but a good idea nonetheless! I may contact the vendor I got
the MB and CPU from and see if I can't RMA the CPU and see if that
helps.

Thanks again, I'll keep trying! The PC has been stable for 23 hours
now since I turned HT off again, so I'm sure the issue is related
somehow to there, hopefully a solution will find me sooner or later.

-Darren

 

[H]

I don't know of any specific problems relating to hyperthreading. I have a
pc800e-deluxe and 3GHz P4 with hyperthreading and mine is rock solid. Are
you overclocking any componants. If you are you need to put everything back
to standard until the only thing left is hyperthreading. If you get to that
point the only other thing I can thnk of is putting the cpu in another
computer and see if it shows the same problem. Then swap the motherboard.
Not practical I know but if you contact asus or intel or the shop you bought
the items from I am sure they won't want to know unless you know for sure
which item is causing the problem. If you can trace the exact componant
causing the problem you can then send it back under warranty.

H

 

[billh]

Greetings Darren.
<snip>

I don't have the whole thread so I may risk repeating what somebody said
previously. I would suspect memory. When you disable HT the memory becomes
linear. If you have a critical data in a certain physical location under HT
that is flakey then that critical location would move to a different piece
of physical memory when you disable HT. Do a thorough memory test using
something like memtest86+ (free).
Billh

 

[greatwhitebuffalo]

I don't have the whole thread so I may risk repeating what somebody said

previously. I would suspect memory. When you disable HT the memory becomes
linear. If you have a critical data in a certain physical location under HT
that is flakey then that critical location would move to a different piece
of physical memory when you disable HT. Do a thorough memory test using
something like memtest86+ (free).
Billh

Thanks for your input, I have tested for 12 hours plus with memtest86
without any errors, so I doubt it's memory but I still can't discount
that.

I found a thread in a web forum where the user had the same problems,
I e-mailed him and found out that it was a defective 3.0 P4 chip, as a
new chip fixed the problem. I've ordered a new P4 chip (since Intel
won't cross ship parts) and if that's the problem I'll be RMA'ing the
bad chip and either selling the replacement on eBay or building
another machine for the wife!

I guess this may discount the notion that a CPU is either working or
broke, which is what I've always thought! I will keep everyone up to
date with this as if there are people with the same issue it's
probably driving them as crazy as it did me!

-Darren

 

[Ron Shaw]

lost most control of my fingers so pleaqe bear with me, it hurts like hell 2
type.

I HAD THE SAME PR9OBLEM, REPLACED 2 CPU's EvEN BUILT ANOTHER MACHINE -
first one had a p4c800 deluxe mobo 2nd was a p4c800-e dlx mobo. i could neer
get any 3.0 p4 cpu to work in the p4c800dlx correctly without haing that
problem, and it took 3 cpus (newegg replaced) before the p4c800-e mobo ran
it corretctly neer did find the origional problem or solution i really dont
think the cpu was bad but hey who knows


--

Ron Shaw - Help me please

My Skin is to tight, my fingers are pushing from the inside
and it hurts like hell.

I am deemed a Criminal by my own government
A Marijuana User in never ending pain, I had polio now MS.
As an Engineer I designed your cars, computers & software.
Why lockup the ill? http://home.comcast.net/~rtshaw
Support Medical Marijuana visit http://www.mpp.org/MI