Can't work out what's broken

[CrashGate3]

..but something definitely is.

Right.. my old system, of 2 years, looked like this:

ASUS P4C800 mobo

3GHz P4 800MHz FSB

1GB Corsair TwinX RAM

ASUS 256MB Radeon 9800XT

80GB IDE HD (primary)

120GB SATA HD

160GB SATA HD

DVD drive

CD-RW drive

Antec 480W PSU

running XP Home.

This ran with no problems.

About 3 weeks ago, I replaced the CPU, mobo and graphics card with:

ABit KN8 Ultra mobo

AMD 64 X2 4400+

PowerColor 512MB Radeon X1900XT

Zalman CNPS9500 CPU fan

Antec NeoHE 500W PSU

keeping all the rest.

Thats when things went awry...

At first, everything was fine, except when I tried to run a very graphically intensive game, like HL2:Lost Coast it would freeze completely after a few seconds and I'd have to reboot. It would also sometimes when I booted it, make healthy POST beeps, but no picture would appear on the screen (I have a CRT using a DVI-VGA converter). Other times it would get to the Windows loading splash screen, but no further.

I had a UV striplight in the case which was only lit halfway along, so I though that my PSU wasn't powerful enough. After a bit of research I found that the NeoHEs were a bit of a blot on Antec's otherwise spotless record, so I got an Enermax Liberty 500W instead.

No difference.

After this I discovered that it was actually one of my drives that was causing one of the booting problems. If I have my 120GB SATA's data cable plugged in then the PC boots fine, goes through the POST and gets as far as the 'Windows XP Loading' screen but no further. The green bar contiunues to move, but nothing loads. No drives are whirring during this time. I've left it for half an hour before, but nothing.

This drive hasn't got any system or OS files on it, its just data. And its only this drive, none of the others do it, even when I switch around the SATA channels they are plugged into. If I plug it in once Windows has loaded, it is recognised and I can use it as normal.

Recently, (ie, it didn't do this at first) if I boot the PC with something plugged into the USB ports on the front of the case, then none of my USB devices work. No mouse, no modem, no printer. If I wait till Windows has loaded, I can plug things in there and use it as normal.

The 3D problem still occurs if I try to run very graphically intensive games. There are no artefacts or anything, it just freezes after a few seconds.

Its not a cooling problem. I have 4 intake fans - two 80mm fans in the front at the bottom, and two 40mm fans in a 5.25" bay - and 4 exhaust fans - one in the top, one in the back, the PSU fan and the OTES on my graphics card. None of the air coming out of these feels particularly warm (except the OTES). All my cables inside are round (no flat IDE cables) and tucked away. The airflow inside is free to move around and over everything.

Its not the PSU, as I changed it, seeing no difference.

I don't think its the CPU. I've had it up to 100% many times with no problems. I run folding@home which regularly keeps if occupied for hours, showing no signs of trouble. I've also run that SuperPI thing with no trouble.

I made sure to regularly earth myself on the metal bath taps while I was putting it all together.

I have reinstalled all my graphics drivers and have DirectX up to date, and I installed all the drivers for my motherboard.

This leaves the mobo broken, or the card. Which do you think it is? Or have I missed something?

Please help, this stuff was *really* expensive..

[puntoMX]

Okay, sound like:

- Your RAM or video card isn’t 100%. Those beeps properly indicate bad RAM (or video RAM). Test your RAM with MEMtest (free for download on the net), the PCI-E VGA card you have to test in an other system (best with a nVidia nForce4 chipset)

-Your frond USB connector isn’t working well b/c of bad connectors or connections inside, check the wirering please.

- Are you using Maxtor drives? Then there you have your problem, the Maxtor SATA interface isn’t compatible with the nForce 4 chipset.

I hope you have some help with this

[CrashGate3]

Thanks for the reply, but..

- Your RAM or video card isn’t 100%. Those beeps properly indicate bad RAM (or video RAM)

Its a single beep indicating all is well according to the manual. Plus the RAM was working completely fine in my last system.

the PCI-E VGA card you have to test in an other system (best with a nVidia nForce4 chipset)

All very well, but I'd need 2 computers for that. If I already had one that worked I wouldn't need the other.

-Your frond USB connector isn’t working well b/c of bad connectors or connections inside, check the wirering please.

Yes it is. And it was working fine for the first 2 weeks.

- Are you using Maxtor drives? Then there you have your problem, the Maxtor SATA interface isn’t compatible with the nForce 4 chipset.

Nope, its a Samsung.

Edited March 21, 2006 by CrashGate3

[puntoMX]

Well, then go back with your motherboard, it must be that, and if you bought you VGA card too there let then test it also directly.

When RAM works on your old motherboard, which will not give you any guarantee that it will work on your new one.

Any way, it’s nothing you can fix now, just bring the stuff back.

p.s. Resetting the BIOS, flashing doesn’t help?

[Grunth0s]

Even though you have replaced the PSU, and don't think it is that, there is still a good chance that this is the cause of your problems. The graphics card will be pulling a lot of extra load on the 12v rail during gaming, and given that you have a lot of bits in the system, this could be a problem.

Are your case fans connected to the motherboard, or directly to the PSU? If they are on the board (ie. the 3 pin fan headers) then this could be a problem (other than the CPU fan).

I would suggest you try it with the bare minimum of devices to start with, so perhaps just one hard disk, no case fans (use an external house fan and keep the case open to keep it cool). Just one of your optical drives, and no lights. DON'T TRY TO RUN IT WITHOUT A CPU FAN THOUGH!!

If you can post the spec's from the side of the PSU as well, as it should tell you what amperage you can run to on each of the rails (would suggest with the load you have indicated that 24amps is a minimum on the 12v rail).

Edited March 21, 2006 by Grunth0s

[CrashGate3]

Thanks for the replies - (I didn't mean to sound a bit ungrateful with that big quoted post BTW).

Its a fairly beefy PSU - 500W with two 12V rails at 22A each.

http://www.enermax.com/english/product_Display1.asp?PrID=4

The other one had 3 rails at 17A each.

Only the rear and the top exhaust fans use the PSU power - the rest piggyback 4 pin molexes.

Anyway, the plot thickens.....

I noticed today that the freezing seems more than usual, so I ran 3DMark2006 again, and it froze on the 'Assault on Procyon' test, at the bit where the big metal tank comes off the wall. This is reproducible, and happens at the same point each time I run it.

I did a few more tests, particularly the CPU tests, which it passed flawlessly.

When I first set the system up, it would get through all the 3DMark06 tests without any problems.

Today the room isn't any warmer that it usually is. I haven't added or changed any hardware either.

Edited March 21, 2006 by CrashGate3

[ripken204]

what temps are u getting? even though u have alot of fans.. maybe your video card is overheating.

[puntoMX]

Check your RAM with MEMtest, free for download on the net. I could be not compatible with your new setup or just a defect RAM.

EDIT: But still, I don´t get the USB problem

Edited March 21, 2006 by puntoMX

[ripken204]

just unlpug the front just to see if it works

[CrashGate3]

MemTest has done 200% coverage now - not detected any problems.

I want to do a full reinstall, but theres a few things I want that I can't reinstall, due to losing/breaking CDs etc. Is there any way to just move them and rebuild the registrt for them afterwards?

[puntoMX]

Wait, you are telling us that you didn´t reinstall the system? (And also didn´t buy a new Windows XP ?)

[LLXX]

I want to do a full reinstall, but theres a few things I want that I can't reinstall, due to losing/breaking CDs etc. Is there any way to just move them and rebuild the registrt for them afterwards?

Norton Ghost will help you there. If you reinstall and you still get the same problems, then you can restore your original drive image.

[CrashGate3]

Wait, you are telling us that you didn´t reinstall the system? (And also didn´t buy a new Windows XP ?)

Why would I buy a new copy of XP when I have a perfectly good one already? I can understand reinstalling, but getting a whole new one...?

[puntoMX]

It’s the "Law" of Microsoft . If you buy a new motherboard then you have to buy a new license b/c the other one is for your old motherboard. Or you have to call them for the new activation code and tell them that your other motherboard died.

I know what you think , but that’s how they do it to make money

[CrashGate3]

I had to reactivate it, but you don't need to buy a new copy.

Phoned a number it gave me when I started up, entered the serial number into the automated system, and it read me back an activation code. Simple really.

Anyway, I've formatted my primary HD, and things seem better. It will get through the whole of 3DMark 06 without a crash now - I'm having to reinstall all my Steam games so we'll see what Lost Coast does to it this evening.