Crashes with my new computer - Page 2

**Bamboo** · 07-28-2008, 02:47 PM

I think you need to just start from the beginning. Unplug everything on the board that isn't 100% necessary, like all DVD drives, only the primary HD (if you have more than 1), and only 1 stick of memory running. Also, do you have or know a buddy who has another gfx. card you could put in and try?

Anyway, give the barebones set up a try, and if it doesn't work, take out the memory stick and another 1 a try. Also, you didn't say wether you did a BIOS update to the newest one. I don't remember you even posting what motherboard you have running.

And cutting back on the voltage of the CPU is not the best way to underclock your CPU. Cut back on your FSB (front side bus) or lower your CPU multiplier a couple numbers would be better. And are you overclocking it already?

P8riot · 07-28-2008, 02:56 PM

What Bamboo said.

You mentioned you just built this right? Did you take precautions to ground out any static electricity built up on you.

**Mixa** · 07-28-2008, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bamboo

I think you need to just start from the beginning. Unplug everything on the board that isn't 100% necessary, like all DVD drives, only the primary HD (if you have more than 1), and only 1 stick of memory running. Also, do you have or know a buddy who has another gfx. card you could put in and try?

Anyway, give the barebones set up a try, and if it doesn't work, take out the memory stick and another 1 a try. Also, you didn't say wether you did a BIOS update to the newest one. I don't remember you even posting what motherboard you have running.

And cutting back on the voltage of the CPU is not the best way to underclock your CPU. Cut back on your FSB (front side bus) or lower your CPU multiplier a couple numbers would be better. And are you overclocking it already?

Placed that on quote so I remember to answer anything.

Allright I'm going to unplug everything (with broken dvd drive only ram is needed to). Can't get another gfx. I didn't update my BIOS, nor my chipset, whick is Intel P35/CH9 chipset. I wasn't looking for new chipset drivers because after getting that DVD driver and rechecking my driver install DVD, it should include auto update (if I remember right). I have no1 where and how to update my BIOS, but I think it is pretty new (can't check it now), all I know is that it is Abit soft menu techonology, if that helps.

And about that overclocking: I bought 4 core prosessor because it had good overclocking possibilities and it is good for new games. After installing all drivers and couple games, testing them. I added 0,3GHZ to my prosessors (2,7GHz it is), tested more and searched for how much I need to do for 3.2GHz. So I did it and everything worked fine.
Then this happened so I wanted to low my clock speed bit, but I think I did mix voltages somehow and instead of lowering, it did rise. (- button makes it higher it seems). Turned on computer and was bit shocked it bein all ready 3.6GHz. Fast restart and here I am. I tried to lower it but vista/dxdiag gives diffrent prosessor speed than BIOS...

I will tomorrow try what Bamboo suggested, luckily it will be only couple of days for my DVD drive...

Should I reset my CMOS? My motherboard has CMOS clearing switch for that... Might help getting CPU back to normal (non clocked)

Acreo Aeneas · 07-28-2008, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver_Pipe

Placed that on quote so I remember to answer anything.

Allright I'm going to unplug everything (with broken dvd drive only ram is needed to). Can't get another gfx. I didn't update my BIOS, nor my chipset, whick is Intel P35/CH9 chipset. I wasn't looking for new chipset drivers because after getting that DVD driver and rechecking my driver install DVD, it should include auto update (if I remember right). I have no1 where and how to update my BIOS, but I think it is pretty new (can't check it now), all I know is that it is Abit soft menu techonology, if that helps.

And about that overclocking: I bought 4 core prosessor because it had good overclocking possibilities and it is good for new games. After installing all drivers and couple games, testing them. I added 0,3GHZ to my prosessors (2,7GHz it is), tested more and searched for how much I need to do for 3.2GHz. So I did it and everything worked fine.
Then this happened so I wanted to low my clock speed bit, but I think I did mix voltages somehow and instead of lowering, it did rise. (- button makes it higher it seems). Turned on computer and was bit shocked it bein all ready 3.6GHz. Fast restart and here I am. I tried to lower it but vista/dxdiag gives diffrent prosessor speed than BIOS...

I will tomorrow try what Bamboo suggested, luckily it will be only couple of days for my DVD drive...

Should I reset my CMOS? My motherboard has CMOS clearing switch for that... Might help getting CPU back to normal (non clocked)

Clearing your CMOS will restore all BIOS settings to default. And yes, it should restore your CPU overclocking settings back to default.

If using the jumper doesn't clear it, you'll have to take the CMOS battery out and put it back in.

Side Note: I'm also having BSODs and believe their also related to my 8800GT/nV drivers. So this discussion is helping me as well.

Although my BSODs appear randomly and don't happen so often.

**Bamboo** · 07-28-2008, 08:09 PM

I say yes, start with a CMOS clearing. You need your system to be a default stock as possible to eliminate that as a possibility. And your board makes clearing very easy.

You didn't list your motherboard model again, but you did say it was an Abit, so if I were you I would go to their site and find out about their BIOS updates and Chipset updates. I would also try and dertirmin what BIOS version you already have running, and look around on the Abit site/forum for info about other people having problems like yours. I know ASUS forums for instance have helped me out many times when I was confused about something. Don't take BIOS flashing lightly, make sure you read everything you can about doing it on an Abit board before you start, so you will minimize the possibility of bricking your board.

**jmaker** · 07-29-2008, 12:25 AM

Bamboo, his motherboard is the Abit IP35P.

Don't you have this option in your bios, to restore optimized defaults? Try that before clearing your CMOS. My board is the Abit IP35-E, so I'm assuming you have that option as well.

And also do what Bamboo suggests. Start from the beginning using a barebones setup. Then incrementally add components so you know which ones work and which ones don't. What was the original problem, that your system kept crashing from within Vista? And you had it overclocked at 3.2? That should be your answer right there. Do you even have an aftermarket cooler for that? Run your system at default speeds first and let us know how that goes.

Acreo Aeneas · 07-29-2008, 12:50 AM

DO NOT flash the BIOS using Windows. That's the mistake a lot of people make is trying to flash BIOS through a Windows utility. Those things have a 50/50 chance of working or corrupting your BIOS completely.

I haven't used a Abit board in ages, so I'm not sure if the CD-ROM or flash drive option is available to you. (I know ASUS boards have a flash drive and CD-ROM BIOS flashing option.)

**Mixa** · 07-29-2008, 04:26 AM

When switching that CMOS switch I was able to get in without windows rebooting/BSODing. I hope my CPU didn't get damaged in any way... BSODing seems to started when I adjusted system preformance and it tested CPU speed. So this was reason for BSODing I think, never googled any of error codes it gave to me, but it atleast seems that was the main reason.
I will now test playing HL2:EP2 that gave me BSOD really quickly. If it still does problem has to be in video driver, if it doesn't it was because of bad overclocking guide (whick was made for my CPU though, might be some1 who doesn't own it). Jmaker got it right I have Abit IP35P motherboard, I think I told it somewhere.

Going to give my computer run!

And to acreo: I hope we bot get the problem solved, I'm "happy" to hear that theres some1 else having same problem (in a want to get it fixed happy way, you know...)

EDIT: HL2:EP2 seems now happen to crash very easily, I tried to save and when my virus security asked me to allow it, well it crashed, without error message this time...
Is there way to check condition of my CPU, BIOS shows "only" heat and cooler things. Searching Abit IP35P update, didn't give any real results, I think I'll just use program that came with drivers, that looks for current updates, that is when those guys will give my DVD drive back...

**Bamboo** · 07-29-2008, 09:14 AM

As said above, DO NOT FLASH BIOS FROM INSIDE WINDOWS!

Even though companies like to advertise that feature, forums are full of people that bricked their motherboard because of it. Including me!!!!!
I used the ASUS update to do it, and didn't get my computer running again for 3 days and tons of trying different things. Still ended up having to RMA the motherboard. Then I found out how easy it is to do with a flash thumb drive.

Why on earth was your Virus Security bothering you about saving a game? This adds a whole new problem to the mix. What anti-virus are you using? And can you turn it off?

Long Bow · 07-29-2008, 11:32 AM

Ok wow, you are making my head spin. You have allot of things your doing and it sounds like your not %100 sure what your doing!

Follow Bamboos advice and run in bare bones mode to start your trouble shooting.

First things first, load into your BIOS and find that "Load Optimised Defaults" and do that. Second do you know how to properly stress test an overclock? Simply starting windows and runnings a few programs isn't it. You need to grab a copy of Core temp to monitor your temperatures, then grab the newest version of Prime95 and run some stress tests for several hours. Be sure that your temperatures stay safe while doing this (65 deg or less). If you don't crash during this and temperatures stay safe, then try an overnight run of 12+ hours to see how things go?

As for overclocking and voltages, its best to pick the lowest one that gives stability. Also 3.6 is pretty high for the Q6600, some people never get that high. Just because others have doesn't mean you can, each chip is different.

You need to clear up these issues first and then work forward toward the video card.

**Mixa** · 07-29-2008, 04:50 PM

Allright I'm clearing some errors caused by my bad grammar (also my sentensens don't follow logic : P, also my laptop's keyboard is CRAP):

About that virus safety, I installed it AFTER problems / other appeared. It did ask if
HL2:EP2 was safe program because it was trying to get access saving folder. For some reason after I clicked allow, game did just shut down (I'm pretty sure I didn't select close to windows and save). Antivirus didn't cause anything on my other computers (Fsecure), I would like to turn off my windows security, will that shut down something important...?

And yeah I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing, mainly because this kind of problems have never happened to me before (making note that this is my 4th/5th computer, but first that I did build). My laptop has vista that works 90% as it should be (1 BSOD and sleep mode doesn't work). Problem in my current computer happend again and again so it is much more noticable.

Before I forget I note here that I don't have all windows recommended updates installed, some of them failed and didn't give me change to try again. I would say 4-7 of them (I got service pack 1 though).

To make sure about flashing bios inside windows, my chipset includes exes called AbitEQ (that is ment for monitoring system/CPU temperatures and things like that) and FlashMenu. FlashMenu info says thing like "flash bios more easily way". And this is thing that can corrupt data ect. Right?

In idle my system temperature was 50C when clocked to 3.2GHz, I didn't think that was critical level because warning temperatures and others were set to 80-90C and Quad should be easy to clock little (3.2 ain't little but, oh well I wasn't acting very smartly after crashes). I have my computer now at 2.4GHz like it was when I got it, won't overclock it until other problems are fixed. I think optimized defaults were downloaded with resetting CMOS (with switch).

My lack of knowledge is mainly with names (some Finnish translations are crazy), and also with finest system devices / updates. Flash thumb drive, says nothing to me, whats that... TF2 is 83% ready so might be able to test that too... Going to give HL2:EP2 1 more run today. Will write here problems that may appear.

**Bamboo** · 07-29-2008, 05:15 PM

Your english is very good though!

A thumb drive
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCateg...B-Flash-Drives

Let us know how today goes.

**Mixa** · 07-29-2008, 05:58 PM

Zomgies... I played HL2:EP2 for hour today, then I got bored, but no CRASH!
Some slowness issues (FPS dropped with 20-40 for 1 second, really nothing noticeable/bothering).
I used lot saves, and no problems, I think new video card driver (newest by nvidia, posted by Bamboo) really did the trick. When I get my damned DVD drive back I will be able to test something for real.

Only thing that now seems to be left was that after shutting HL2, I was unable to use things in toolbar, right corner (xfire/task manager). CPU use % has been high too, 60-80% in game, and now, when many things open, 30%... I will propably buy new cooler for my CPU when getting my DVD drive. So that I may clock it.

I don't think all the issues are over, and will post here any new ones, but if I don't experience any issues after DVD drive test, I will let you know that1 too.

And ohhh thats thumpdrive, didn't think about name, or connect it with flash drive name.

**Bamboo** · 07-29-2008, 06:26 PM

If your CPU % is that high and nothing is running, something is wrong. You need to hit ALT-CTRL-DEL, open task manager, and find out what is hogging your CPU.

Or just get this awesome Vista Sidebar toy:
http://www.buildagadget.com/Project-SC.php

There is also one that has a clock and 1 that has a google search bar.
I just have it running with an Off, Restart, and Task Manager buttons turned on.

Mine:

**Mixa** · 07-29-2008, 06:50 PM

Works smoothly now. I think my overpriced G15 keyboard shows precents and cores too. (precents for sure but it is hard to say if it counts cores diffrently) but enough of that. TF2 crashed and then after restart worked smoothly, seemed normal vista crash.

About my previous question: "To make sure about flashing bios inside windows, my chipset includes exes called AbitEQ (that is ment for monitoring system/CPU temperatures and things like that) and FlashMenu. FlashMenu info says thing like "flash bios more easily way". And this is thing that can corrupt data ect. Right?"

I would like to know answer to that, and also if I should use AbitEQ, that seems good for monitoring my system. Nothing else in my mind right now... Tomorrow or day after that, I will get my DVD drive, if I can play crysis for 3-4hours (and no crash), well that tells that my computer is working well.