Computer randomly freezes.....cant figure it out

[Absolut Talent]

ok, here are the specs

xp1800
MSI k7t266pro
384 pc2100
PNY GeForce2 mx200 (running 23.11)
SoundBlaster PCI512
NetGear fx311 NIC (think it was fx, but definatly 311 model)
TDK Velocd (24/10/40/40)
Maxtor 40gig 7200
==========================================

ok, now I reformat my computer and load on just the basic drivers that are needed. My system seems to be fine. But as soon as I load on Diablo 2, tribes2 or CounterStrike, my system just seems to completly freeze at random times. I cant even 3 finger it and have to manually press the restart button.
The programs dont have to be running either. I could be in Scan Disk or defrag or just looking through folders and it will just freeze.

I have tried the latest version of 4 in 1s, I have updated my mobo bios. I orgionally thought it was my NIC that was causeing it (then being a LinkSys basic 10/100) so I bought all new NICs. I have updated my NIC drivers, Vid card drivers, soundcard drivers, but it seems as if nothing is working.

I completly cleaned my system, thinking it was heatrelated. But it wasnt that.

So now I am completely out of ideas. Anyone have any clues as too what I can do to get it to stop freezing?

~Jim

[PreDatoR]

Its AOL!!! lol what OS that might help if we knew that?

[Absolut Talent]

oh yeah
<smacks himself in the forehead>

It is running winME

and actually.......there is absolutly NO AOL on that system. Hell.....it dosent even have a connection to internet.

[PreDatoR]

To me it sounds like there is a IRq conflict... And WinME isn't the worlds greatest OS either. I'd pull the cards out put them back in one by one and wait and see if you have any problems. It could a card going back ro a IRQ conflict. I've only used ME once for abvout 2 days and i formated and put win98se back on so i'm not real sure how it handles IRQ's.

[Absolut Talent]

so if I pull all the cards out and put them back in one by one, should I put them in another PCI slot?
right now the way I had them set up was (if looked at from top to bottom)

AGP=Vid Card
PCI-PCI fancooler (sucks air out)
PCI-open
PCI-NIC
PCI-open
PCI-SoundCard

[DocSilly]

Just pull out either the NIC or the Soundcard, by any chance, is it a SB!Live ? Cause SB!Live cards hate to share interupts, especially with NICs.
Put the pulled card into a different PCI slot when the system runs stable after pulling it.

Pulling NIC and Soundcard together will make sure it's a problem with shared interupts. Put one card into a different PCI slot because it is likely that the NIC and the soundcard share an interupt.

[FlyingPenguin]

Best thing to do (takes some time) is to pull ALL the PCI cards (but make a note of what slot they're in).

Then install them one at a time (in it's original slot), starting with the sound card. If at any time you have lockup problems (and it helps if the lockup promblem is easily reproducable) then move the card to another slot.

[VooDoo]

DUDE I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM


but locks up more in games MW4 and MC2 and T2 (are the only ones on my system, reinstalled then last night at 3:00 am )then windows


after messing with the bios settings so far no lock ups
iv play MW4 (800X600 res) for 3 hours with no lockups

me

[VooDoo]

it just locked up

me

[wvjohn]

what everyone else said, and you might want to throw motherboard monitor or similar on there and keep track of your voltage and your temp and see if there is anything odd there

[VooDoo]

can you got a good (and free) one in mind

me

[Executioner]

Ramdom lockups can also occur with a bad stick of ram. If you have more than one, it's pretty easy to rule our the ram by pulling out one stick and test.

[VooDoo]

right now i have a gig of memory ( 4 slots, 4 sticks 256megs each)

but iv run this box with one stick of 64 and it still locks up

me