NSR: Any computer tech heads here?

[Dark Savante]

If yes say 'I' or something :D I'm in much need of help with a PC that is in favour of euthinasia :(

[StrikerCW]

Uh.. how 'head' does this person need to be? Like bachelor degree computer engineer? Or fiddle with them on occasion?

[Dark Savante]

Uh.. how 'head' does this person need to be? Like bachelor degree computer engineer? Or fiddle with them on occasion?
Ern at the level where 'said person' :D can give me a diagnostic and help across our lil old board :D

And knowing a thing or two about memtest 86+ and machine check exceptions and the like :D

[Stud83]

Why don't you define your problem first? I've got a bachelor's in Comp Science, so I might be able to help

[Dark Savante]

JUST this minute i typed out a lengthy reply and then my comp crashed with a blue screen machine check inspection error :rolleyes:

This is the problem! :mad:

[Dark Savante]

I have an asus A8N-SLI DELUXE and CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ my machine fails memtests test 5. But this problem was happening before I put in new ram, but nowhere near as frequently.

the ram is two 512's of crucial ballistix running in dual mode. I heard asus mobos are notorious for blue screen errors?

[MtP07]

JUST this minute i typed out a lengthy reply and then my comp crashed with a blue screen machine check inspection error :rolleyes:

This is the problem! :mad:

Your gf probably downloaded a program that restricts your BigSoccer usage... ;) :p

[Dark Savante]

Your gf probably downloaded a program that restricts your BigSoccer usage... ;) :p
LOL, a timed script..that's probably it! :D

[Achtung]

I have an asus A8N-SLI DELUXE and CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ my machine fails memtests test 5. But this problem was happening before I put in new ram, but nowhere near as frequently.

the ram is two 512's of crucial ballistix running in dual mode. I heard asus mobos are notorious for blue screen errors?

Hmm, if Memtest is failing (and did even before new RAM) it sounds like you've got a problem with your mainboard.

I had a similar problem, lots of blue screens even if I reformatted my drive and removed all "unnecessary" components (sound card, network adapter, etc). I'm about 95% sure my problem was on the mainboard, almost certainly memory-related. Unfortunately that sort of thing can be tough to diagnose exactly.

You're not overclocking, are you? And even if not, I guess you could try turning down the system clock in the BIOS. Shot in the dark, but you never know.

[Dark Savante]

Hmm, if Memtest is failing (and did even before new RAM) it sounds like you've got a problem with your mainboard.

I had a similar problem, lots of blue screens even if I reformatted my drive and removed all "unnecessary" components (sound card, network adapter, etc). I'm about 95% sure my problem was on the mainboard, almost certainly memory-related. Unfortunately that sort of thing can be tough to diagnose exactly.

You're not overclocking, are you? And even if not, I guess you could try turning down the system clock in the BIOS. Shot in the dark, but you never know.
No overclocking - system has always been unstable since the build a year ago. I was so busy with work and life that i didn;t have time for an extended error checking session and left it to a few blue screens a months, but lately it has just been too much, plus I have a bit of spare time and the blue screens are REALLY starting to piss me off :mad:

I'm going to cry (they need a crying smiley here dammit) It cost a fair penny to build this damn machine and now it's gonna cost me more to get a new mobo - I too think it's the mobo after rebuilding it a few times and testing it at component level, but don't wanna admit that to myself (it being the mobo, lol) may I ask how many HDD's you are running and are they all the same brand and a similar age?

I have been told that Asus mobo's do not like older tech' and one of my hdd's is from my old PC and is at least 4yrs old now... can there be a coflict between SATA devices and old tech; ? I tried the machine with the old hdd disconnected...but it still crashed (convincing me it's the mobo...) :( the machine also crashes with certain games but not others...like I can run HL2 at max spec with no problems but then with WE8 it crashes errounously... I thought it could be the graphics card but i've tested it to death with 3d stress tests and it passes them all :(

Helpppp.... :D

[Stud83]

What are your system settings? What's the FSB? What is the ram timing you are on? You may have to play around with the BIOS settings.

[Dark Savante]

I don't actually know, I never tampered with the bios and haven't checked it. I am running Prime95 right now so I'll tell you on my next crash...when I'll go into the bios and check that stuff out. The ram is pc3200 as 2-2-2-6 but I have no idea what settings my default bios is.. That's very silly of me I know..

[Achtung]

Wow, DS, your issue sounds very, very similar to the problems my computer was having. Although I was running just one HD, a newer Western Digital (pre-SATA days though when I built it in 2002).

I also initially suspected the video card because my screen would go all "funky-colored" when I was playing NHL 2002. I tinkered with my BIOS settings as well like Stud83 suggests, slowing everything down but it didn't alleviate the problem. Bought new RAM from Crucial, still got Memtest errors. :mad:

Looks like you'll have to bite the bullet and get a new motherboard, and might as well get a new CPU as well. Make sure to backup everything you need, as you generally want to reformat and start fresh when you have a new mobo, just to avoid potential issues.

My experience was actually long enough and lengthy enough that it put me off building my own machines for a while. Dunno, maybe I'll give it a shot again in the future, but sometimes it just doesn't seem worth the headaches, and I've had good experiences with buying from Dell and Apple, personally.

[DutchFootballRulez]

DS: Have you checked for a BIOS update from ASUS, and possibly any firmware upgrades for the mobo components?

[Dark Savante]

Wow, DS, your issue sounds very, very similar to the problems my computer was having. Although I was running just one HD, a newer Western Digital (pre-SATA days though when I built it in 2002).

I also initially suspected the video card because my screen would go all "funky-colored" when I was playing NHL 2002. I tinkered with my BIOS settings as well like Stud83 suggests, slowing everything down but it didn't alleviate the problem. Bought new RAM from Crucial, still got Memtest errors. :mad:

Looks like you'll have to bite the bullet and get a new motherboard, and might as well get a new CPU as well. Make sure to backup everything you need, as you generally want to reformat and start fresh when you have a new mobo, just to avoid potential issues.

My experience was actually long enough and lengthy enough that it put me off building my own machines for a while. Dunno, maybe I'll give it a shot again in the future, but sometimes it just doesn't seem worth the headaches, and I've had good experiences with buying from Dell and Apple, personally.


I've done a few builds but yeah I know what you mean, when one goes wrong and it costs you to fix it does make you think twice about doing it again. I've been told on numerous occassion to never be an early adaptor to new mobo technology because aftr about 6months of that mobo being out all the fixes will be available as updates on their site. I'm very wary at the moment and am not sure where I'll go from here if indeed my machine is £$£%$ :(

This is the wrong time of year to be forking out on things like that, dammit. The bios check will be my last hope it seems. Surprisingly my machine hasn't crashed for over an hour! :rolleyes:Bios check still pending :D

[Dark Savante]

DS: Have you checked for a BIOS update from ASUS, and possibly any firmware upgrades for the mobo components?
Will be doing that tonight, thanks for the heads up much appreciated. ;)

[Stud83]

DS, also if you a have a chance, try testing it with different ram sticks, one at a time. Achtung is right - not all errors caught by memtests are caused by bad memory.

[Dark Savante]

Will do.

Cheers.

Will let you all know how I got on. Ah, BS United board.. a regular little community :)

[DutchFootballRulez]

Will do.

Cheers.

Will let you all know how I got on. Ah, BS United board.. a regular little community :)

Jizzie Crizze, stop getting so emotional!

Just as bad as jono with his Five for Fighting...

[sidpaul]

one more thing u need to check DS is the RAM timings. check the ram specs and then check the ram timings cas-ras-tras. if they r running faster than usual that might be the case. lower ur cas timings or else u can also try setting the CPC to 2T instead of 1T.
lemme know if that helps...i'm into overclocking pc's, gaming ..the works