Computer keeps freezing or BSODing

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:18 pm

Hello

Just installed and new power-hungry graphics card and my power supply has started to whine. I am also experiencing problems when I play 3d games, I will get crashes and BSOD.

Not really a Pulsar question but its a general system problem...

Music Manic · Post by **Music Manic** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:06 pm

Maybe driver related.Which message do you get?

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 5:25 am

I either get different messages with different applications or no message at all. Sometimes the screen will flash BSOD blue and computer restart, or the whole thing will just pause and have to be reset. Sometimes the screen also goes black for 1/2 a second while doing nothing in particular then comes back to life.

Magnus · Post by **Magnus** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 7:03 am

Please list your system configuration with make and model (motherboard, CPU, memory, HDs, all PCI & AGP cards, OS including any service packs).

Also, run the program "MSInfo32" from Start/Run and copy/paste the info from the IRQ-usage tab into a post here.

That would give some more info and we might be able to help.

/Magnus

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:51 am

Intel Pentium 4A, 2800 MHz (21 x 133)
Asus P4S533-E (6 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DIMM)
Motherboard Chipset SiS 645DX
System Memory 1536 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award Modular (09/18/02)
Hercules 3D Prophet 9700Pro (128 MB)
Creative Audigy 2 Audio Processor
*
Disk Drive WDC WD400BB-00DEA0 (37 GB, IDE)
Disk Drive Maxtor 6Y120L0 (120 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133)
*
Optical Drive PHILIPS DVDR824DP

No overclocking running Win XP SP2 with one 1gb DDR and one 512mb DDR running at 133mhz i think.

IRQ 0 System timer OK
IRQ 1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard OK
IRQ 3 Communications Port (COM2) OK
IRQ 4 Communications Port (COM1) OK
IRQ 6 Standard floppy disk controller OK
IRQ 8 System CMOS/real time clock OK
IRQ 12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse OK
IRQ 13 Numeric data processor OK
IRQ 14 Primary IDE Channel OK
IRQ 15 Secondary IDE Channel OK
IRQ 16 Hercules 3D Prophet 9700/9700Pro Series OK
IRQ 18 Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (WDM) OK
IRQ 19 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller OK
IRQ 19 Creamware Pulsar2 OK
IRQ 20 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System OK
IRQ 20 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 21 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 22 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 23 SiS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller OK

Magnus · Post by **Magnus** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:45 pm

Have you checked your PC for heating problems ? I have an ASUS-board myself and they come with "ASUSProbe" for checking temperatures etc. That would be my first guess.

Also, what kind of power supply do you have (how many watts) ? You don't have that many cards in the DAW so it shouldn't be a problem but you never know...

Other than that, I can't see any direct issues from the list you posted.

Another note, IF you plan on using the FireWire interface for something, you may want to switch the slot the Pulsar sits in, so that it won't share IRQ with a "high traffic" thing like the FW.

/Magnus

j9k · Post by **j9k** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:56 am

try taking the side of your computer case off for a day or two. to make sure it's not heat related.

j9k

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 4:14 am

I don't think it's heat related as it has run a lot hotter in the past without error(just installed new fans). I am beginning to wonder if the PSU is the culprit as it is an old PII era generic one (built new computer in old case. I have ordered a new 400w half-decent PSU and I am planning to install an extractor fan in the top drive bay to vent hot rising air from the CPU.

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 12:27 pm

I have rearranged my IRQ to avoid the problems you suggested. Do you think this is suitable?

IRQ 0 System timer OK
IRQ 1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard OK
IRQ 3 Communications Port (COM2) OK
IRQ 4 Communications Port (COM1) OK
IRQ 6 Standard floppy disk controller OK
IRQ 8 System CMOS/real time clock OK
IRQ 12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse OK
IRQ 13 Numeric data processor OK
IRQ 14 Primary IDE Channel OK
IRQ 15 Secondary IDE Channel OK
IRQ 16 Hercules 3D Prophet 9700/9700Pro Series OK
IRQ 17 Creamware Pulsar2 OK
IRQ 18 Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS (WDM) OK
IRQ 19 OHCI Compliant IEEE 1394 Host Controller OK
IRQ 20 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System OK
IRQ 20 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 21 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 22 SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller OK
IRQ 23 SiS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller OK

Post by **garyb** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 1:02 pm

much better.
the ps should help too....

cleanbluesky · Post by **cleanbluesky** » Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:27 pm

Yeah, the system is SOOO much more stable now. No more, 100% CPU frozen for eternity type crashes.