Bad Mobo?

[thenarcissist73]

Ok, well first off i'll give you the specs of the machine im working with.

ABit KV8 Pro Mobo
GeForce 6800GT
1GB Corsair PC3200 (2x512)
Samsung 160GB SATA 7200RPM
AMD 64 3000+
Thermaltake Silver XASER III LanFire ATX
Thermaltake Silent PurePower, 420W ATX power supply
Zalman CNPS7000A Copper Heatsink

Alright well, my problem is actually a bunch of things that kinda seem to all relate to the mobo

1. My CPU temperature has always been strange in the BIOS or in MBM / uGuru... etc..., The case has a temp sensor so I know how hot my CPU is actually running, idle around 30, load around 38. Now what is strange is that sometimes the BIOS sensor will say this, but other times it will say that im idleing around like 65 and load around 75, which i most definitly am not, so its correct about half the time and wrong the other half.

2. I cant OC at all, i set my FSB up 1 or 2 higher than normal and i get freezes or BSOD's a FSB of 136 will give me a BSOD, now granted this could also be due to my ram. (BSOD comes up, and then reboots before i can read it, have never been able to read what it says)

3. I get BSOD's when running certain software. BlackIce Firewall = BSOD, Microsoft Virtual PC running Gentoo = BSOD, Softice Debugger = BSOD. Also with these BSOD's they come up so fast and then it reboots before i can read them except when running softice. The error msg i saw with softice was PAGE_FAULT_IN_NON_PAGED_AREA. I have also gotten a BSOD and when windows rebooted it told me norton device driver caused it. I know pagefault is a ram error but i have run memtest86 for about 2 hours before with no problems

I'd like to know your oppinions on whether or not this is the mobo causing it or something else.

 

[mechBgon]

Welcome to the Forums What precise variant of Corsair PC3200 is that, the C2, the XL, the ValueSelect, or what? Also, please tell me your case's temperature sensor is not sandwiched between the CPU and the heatsink Does the Zalman seem to be getting firm clamping pressure against the CPU?

 

[thenarcissist73]

Well first off, not really new to the forums, just had to create a new name because my password is on my computer @ college while im home for the break, never bothered to change it from the default one they send you, go me.

2nd: NO NO NO! i did NOT sandwich my sensor between the CPU and heatsink, if so ha i think i would know my problem . I affixed it to the underside of the heatsink right next to the processor so it touches both and gets the best possible reading without causing a problem.

3rd: The ram is this

http://www.newegg.com/app/View...=20-145-026&depa=1

4th: Yea the zalman is bolted down, good contact, is NOT moving.

 

[mechBgon]

Ok, my three guesses are

1) maybe the RAM wants some more voltage. Try 2.7 volts.

2) maybe the PSU can't quite feed everything, what with that 6800GT in there. Send the 6800GT to me, I've got a perfectly good Voodoo3 2000 for you to use instead. WAY less power drain (haha, ok, but as much as I hate to say it, maybe you need a 460W Enermax in there)

3) possibly a chipset IRQ clash going on... got any extra PCI cards in there? Audio card or anything? Which PCI slot are the cards in, if any?

 

[thenarcissist73]

1) Ok ill try to boost the Ram Voltage when i get back, (sunday night...)

2) How would i test to see if i dont have enough power?

3) I have no PCI cards... although im considering getting a TV Tuner

 

[thenarcissist73]

About not having enough power, well vcards use much more power when under load, and if it really was an issue of power and i was right on the edge of not having enough, then wouldnt i get these BSOD's when running heavy gaming progs like Doom3 and HL2? Instead of programs like blackice firewall, when my VCard isnt even being used?

(I appologize for a double post but this comp im using is really messed up, quick reply is the ONLY way i can post a response, Reply, Edit, new topic, etc dont work, it took me about a day to figure out how to create this topic in the first place... oh how i cant wait to get back to school and be on my computer again )

 

[thenarcissist73]

typo in first post... "a FSB of 136 will give me a BSOD" should be "a FSB of 203 will give me a BSOD". Hehe im sure you knew what i meant.

 

[mechBgon]

Actually I didn't notice If there were a question of not enough power, then using a mild-mannered GeForce2 or something would help discern that, since it would draw a lot less power. Good luck with your testing, I hope the issue gets nailed down without too much frustration

 

[thenarcissist73]

Ok hehe, i got a Voodoo3 PCI lying around i could try

Thanks, Ill post my results when i get back sunday or maybe monday

 

[TheNarcissist]

ok, none of the above helped, also i just recently realized there is ALOT of static in my front speakers port when using passive speakers, the ones i was using before were powered and i plugged in a pair of headphones and it was awful, moving the mouse causing so much popping etc... Any more suggestions?

 

[mechBgon]

Does that hold true with both the AGP and PCI video cards, the sound crackling?

 

[TheNarcissist]

Dunno, im sure it does but i'm not switching them again, turning on my comp sounds like a damn modem dialing up its so bad, and i found that adjusting my CPU fan speed w/ my controls in front also changes the pitch of the sounds.

Also im using AC'97 Onboard sound if you hadent guessed

 

[mechBgon]

and i found that adjusting my CPU fan speed w/ my controls in front also changes the pitch of the sounds.

Have you ever tried the system without that fan controller in the mix? Yeah I know, not what you wanted to hear...

 

[TheNarcissist]

I really cant see how that would make a difference at all, the fan controller is just a thing that resists the voltage given to the CPU fan in order to slow it down or speed it up, the problem appears to be that any voltage ANYWHERE on the mobo is bleeding into the line out port, running prime95 causes my comp to sound like a damn atari running all those tests, moving the mouse, dragging windows, typing keys, anything that causes voltage on the mobo.

OMG, maximizing and minimizing windows causes the most hilariously bad sound that you should never hear, kinda like a victory sound on an old atari, yea this really isnt normal is it? Only guess would be either a short on the mobo, or it is improperly installed, but i know i did it myself and i cant see where it would be touching anything it shouldnt be...

 

[MIKEAMAY]

SEEMS I HAD A SIMILIAR PROBLEM . FOUND I HAD THE SPEAKERS PLUGGED IN THE WRONG JACK ON THE MOTHERBOARD PINK-MIC GREEN- SPEAKERS BLUE-INPUT

hope it helps
mike

 

[TheNarcissist]

lol, i know which ports are which

 

[TheNarcissist]

Update: Found an option on my mobo to scale my memory back to DDR333 and it stopped all the problems, also i can OC w/ complete stability now! Yay!

Currently @ 2.4Ghz with my AMD64 3000+ and seems completely stable yay!