PC Freezes

Lostman · Post by **Lostman** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 1:40 pm

So I'm playing a game. Shootin the bad guys and having an all around good time. and BAM! No, a crazy chef doesn't throw spice on my screen, my system freezes and a high frequency, high pitch squeel comes from my case. Then I have to cold cock (hard reboot) my system to start it.

This happens at spuratic times. Could be 3 hours of playing or 10 min of listening to MP3's. Nothing happens to my screen, Just freezes and the noise.

So I open the case and listen. Can't place where it's coming from. I'm half deaf (4 years on Aircraft Carrier) so I can't narrow it down. My SK6 isn't that hot, all my fans are working, (2 on the side, 1 on the back blowing air out, one ont he bottom blowing air in, hard drive cooler, and the SK6).

Has this happend to anybody else? Any idea's?

DocSilly · Post by **DocSilly** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 2:14 pm

We need more details on your current hardware to get an idea where to start looking

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Thu Jun 27, 2002 3:28 pm

i get lockups when i'm playing games and running a distributed client at the same time - my cpu temps go around 49 C - i think it may be the motherboard chipset overheating - i have a blue orb sitting onthe desk and just haven't gotten around to putting it on -

sounds like a heat issue with the mobo if you get it with games and mp3s - since vid cards don't use mp3s

like doc said, shoot us a few specs - you might also want to install motherboard monitor and keep and eye on the voltage as well as the heat

Lostman · Post by **Lostman** » Fri Jun 28, 2002 8:33 am

Asus A7A266 Mobo
Athlon 1.33 gig w/SK6 and delta fan (real freaking loud)
Geforce 3 Ti500
256 meg PC2100 DDR
SB Audigy Gamer
300 w/ps

I have 2 large fans pushing air in the side onto the cpu
One at the bottom of the case
One on the back
the SK6
one bay fan pushing air onto the video card
Hard drive cooler.

Nothing is o/c'd. I agree that it might be a heat issue as my apartment has been on the hot side the last couple of days. Last night was cooler and it ran fine.

If it is the mobo chipset, how do I cool them? more fans?

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Fri Jun 28, 2002 9:28 am

Well to confirm it's a heat issue, take the cover off the computer and point a desk fan directly at the motherboard. If it runs fine then it's a heat issue.

I'm not familiar with that mobo but I'm sure some of the guys here can provide suggestions for chipset coolers if it is a chipset heat issue.

Did you build this system yourself? Did you use heat sink compound between the cooler and the CPU, or just use tape (tape is bad)? You sure you have a snug fine and the heatsink is flush against the CPU?

Keep the fans and heat sink clean. Buy a can of compressed air at Office Depot and blow out the fans and heatsink fins monthly.

You may just need to improve airflow in the case. You should have unobstructed flow from the front intake vent, over the mobo to the exhaust vent on the power supply. Tie up all the ribbon cables out of the way - you can tuck any excess ribbon length into an empty drive bay, just keep it out of the air flow.

Do you have an intake fan on the front of the case? If not you should consider it.

Hope this helps...