PCA Forums

I would like to know if there's a program that can help diagnose intermittant crashing problems. I've now tryed MANY things, MANY ideas from various peoples advice here (in various threads) with my new AMD 64 3500+ system yet the problem(s) still exists.

Short of replacing more parts, trying MORE drivers, trying this, trying that, perhaps there's a program that can help to properly diagnose the cause(s)?

I was at BestBuy yesterday and thought that I heard a guy telling someone else about a program that could do just that but I failed to stop and interrupt.

Google finds a butt-load of programs too but what works, what's best? Anyone here have experience with one that works well?

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=n ... c+software

As for registry errors, I'm using a new SATA HDD with a fresh XP Pro SP2 install SO I'd have to think that my registry's still OK. Run NAV, Spysweeper, and ZA Pro too so I highly doubt I've been hit hit with anything that'd alter any basic windows settings

sp2, have you tryed a sp1 install?

Can one go back, uninstall SP2? How would I know if my probs are related to SP2?

in the windows section of add remove you should be able to find an entry to uninstall.....but problems are usually when you are upgrading and have a bunch of stuff already installed - i still can't get sp2 on my main rig....if not search for a thread i started on sp2 - there's a commnad line command in that thread

I know this is not the answer you're looking for , but do you have a spare hard drive you could do a clean install on and try ?

Yes and I could try that. I'm not presently using my 2 SCSI HDDs SO that's not a bad idea. Couldn't hurt.

I also have another copy of XP Pro with SP1 and I could easily do a fresh OS install using that, then try my luck.

I know now that to switch the HDDs, I need to jump the CMOS and switch as few things back in the bios but that only takes a minute.

I doubt it's an SP2 issue. SP2 only causes problems during upgrades on existing installs, not new ones in my experience.

I agree with the spare drive idea. Set all your BIOS settings for safe (non-high performance) defaults, pull all cards except the video card, pull all ram except one stick and do a clean install on another drive. Then install the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, then your video drivers.

I'll try a bios upgrade first. I found this review:
http://www.dealtime.com/xPR-K8T_NEO_FSR~RD-172065918596

I ran a program called Memtest 86 which tests memory, ran 8 hours last night with no errors.

Yep.....seems FIXED!!!!


I upgraded the bios from v3.0 to v3.3 in Windows and THAT fixed the beast. It plays HL2 and Doom3 for a while now (tryed much longer than it was going before) and had no probs.