Spontaneous Reboots

[Aldraxis]

Just put together a new computer ... and we've overcome plenty enough problems already.

Now that XP is installed and upgraded with SP2 ... MoBo bios has been updated ...

I'm still getting spontaneous reboots at random points.

I have no clue where to begin to solve this problem. Can anyone suggest where I might start?
What can cause this?

AMD 64 3200+ 939 90nm
ASUS A8V Deluxe
1Mb Corsair Value Select

Couple of other problems ... can they be related?
1. On startup, a CPU fan error come up.
2. Second hard drive doesn't show up in Explorer ... although it shows up everywhere else. (It's probably not formatted yet, so I figured that might be the problem)
3. Video Card drivers aren't yet updated (had trouble DL'ing them since it reboots everytime I try)

Thoughts?

 

[vskagentsmith]

If you're getting a CPU fan error I'd definately investigate that first, make sure the fan is connected to the proper power connector for it. There is one specifically for the CPU, but there may be others that are used for other system fans, make sure the CPU fan is connected to it's designated connector.

Also, make sure the fan is running properly, check in Setup (BIOS) to see if the temps aren't too high. I'm not sure what temps the Athlon64 939 pins should be running, but you can google that up if you need to. Either way just check to see if your temps just keep going up and never plataeu, also, if they go too high while in BIOS then you probably have something wrong anyways because it should only get really hot under a full load.

If there is something wrong with the fan, make sure you've installed it correctly, that the compound you used (or that it came with) wasn't accidently mishandled, like if you got something stuck to the heatsynch heat transfer patch on the base. And again, make sure it's running correctly, the RPMs should be up about 6000~7000RPMS, and if you have it set to the CPU fan connector it should tell you that.

If everything checks out, let us know and we can go from there.

 

[Aldraxis]

Ok, some info that might be useful.

Using a Zalman 7000A Al-Cu Heatsink/Fan
Has only one connector ... and I'm 99% confident that it's connected to the proper place on the MoBo.
It also has a FanMate connector that I put on ... don't know if that might be interfering in some way.
Fan is powered and seems to be working well ...
Using ASUS Probe to monitor the temps, It hasn't gone over 43C so far ... and it Idles around 36-38C ...
The Zalman is supposed to rotate slower than usual I think ... according to what their site says. RPM's on the ASUS Probe monitor are about 1400 ... which is within the norm according to the Zalman site. But it might be slower than the MoBo thinks it should be.
Could this be causing the error ... and shutting down the comp if the RPM's go too low?

 

[Blazer]

Probe monitor are about 1400 ... which is within the norm according to the Zalman site. But it might be slower than the MoBo thinks it should be.

most probably your problem,as the zalman correct speed is @ 2600,if it is running slower then there must be something controling the fan speed and allowing it to drop to low,try it with the fan mate removed and see at what RPM the cpu fan runs at.fan mate should not be used with a onboard cpu fan monitor.

 

[Aldraxis]

Ok, disconnected the FanMate and reset the Bios Fan detection ... seems to have gotten rid of the startup CPU Fan error.
System is still rebooting spontaneously.
Usually seems to do it when I try to Download something or install something new.
I tried to install the Audigy Software that came with the Card, but I can't get past the second screen before it reboots everytime.

 

[Aldraxis]

Any ideas what might be causing the reboots?

Temps and Fan speeds seem to be normal now ... but it's still rebooting.
I've narrowed it down some ... When I try to Download, click on new programs, or click links on the Internet it reboots. Not always ... just randomly.

Also ... Is there a utility or something that will remove a partial Installation of WinXP on a second Hard Drive?
Hard Drive has nothing on it, I deleted the files from the partial installation, but it still gives me the option of using either WinXP installation when I start up. I don't need that.

 

[Blazer]

first increase your DDR voltage to 2.70,and up the AGP to 1.6,try that first.

create a SIG, it will be displayed everytime you post so we can see you hardware makes easier ro help

 

[Aldraxis]

Originally posted by: blazer
first increase your DDR voltage to 2.70,and up the AGP to 1.6,try that first.

create a SIG, it will be displayed everytime you post so we can see you hardware makes easier ro help

Ok
You're going to have to explain how to do that.

Not the Sig part ... just all the rest.

 

[Blazer]

the adj will be in your bios,be carefull to not raise anymore than stated.

also set your frequency to auto See your manual !

 

[Aldraxis]

I'm sorry, but I don't see those settings in my BIOS ... maybe I'm just blind today.

The only thing I see that has to do with AGP is for the video card setting ... and that's on 8X ... there is no 1.6 option.

And be Frequency, what do you mean.

I've done very little with Bios Settings in the past ... not familiar with this at all.

 

[Blazer]

See your manual

, you manual has the info you need,if you dont have the manual go to the mobo site and download it

 

[Aldraxis]

Ok, after much searching and reading ... I was able to access those settings from the BIOS.

Set the DDR Voltage to 2.7
Set the AGP to 1.6
Left the CPU FSB Frequency at 200MHz ... where it originally was.
Left everything else the way it was.

It's rebooted a half dozen times in the past hour or so.

Just a side question ... but can bad RAM cause this sort of thing?
Since it seems to happen always when I am opening something ... or trying to DL something (I usually start the download and then by the time I hit 100k or so downloaded, it reboots) ... or clicking a new link, etc.
And if so, is there any way to test memory?

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

You can use memtest86, just had to do this myself as I'm having random shutdowns with HL2.

Memtest86

 

[Aldraxis]

So any suggestions?

I can barely stay logged online for more than a minute or two ...
Can't even get that Memtest dl'ed and running
(Don't know how to do it anyways)

But I'm assuming this must be a RAM problem ...

I can let the computer sit here for hours and nothing happens ... but click the internet and it reboots.

 

[Blazer]

need to find a friend and download memtest 86 and copy to a floppy and test it on their computer,all that is need to run memtest is a floppy drive,insert floppy and reboot the comp and the program will run,to stop the test just press the ESC key and the comp will reboot,and you should remove the floppy during the reboot or it will reload and run again,make note of the ERROWS and adjust the ram settings to obtain 0 errows,if not able to obtain 0 errows the ram is most likely the prob