Programs Crashing and Random Restarts

uGuru is a tool for overclocking. Since you use such a tool, as far as I'm concerned, you are an overclocker and as such will have to suffer the crashes until you sort all that out.

There's nothing wrong with trying such things, but to expect it to work is another matter entirely.

You've supplied me with a hijackthislog that was not the condition of the machine prior to the crash, and don't seem to be concerned about it.

I can only wish you the best of luck finding it or learning that stability usually happens with dull, not much running machines in stock configurations.

Bob

Im not using uGuru for overclocking, Im using it because it had the auto-BIOS-updater installed with it (which ended up not working at all :\).
If you would suggest.
Also, Im not sure what you mean by "You've supplied me with a hijackthislog that was not the condition of the machine prior to the crash, and don't seem to be concerned about it.".
Ive only told you the none-safe things it found, I didn't actually supply a log, but that's just a technicality I guess.
If you want a Hijackthis log before the actual crash, I can scan it now and give it to you, but I don't know for a fact it will crash (though it will).
Im scanning if that does any good...

You have "extra" things running and haven't learned to slim down to only what you need.

Until then, my bet is your troubles will just continue until you learn.

Bob

I tried your idea of skimming down all the useless programs, didnt help.
However, I did find one common "factor" in all of the automated crash logs my games have been creating (which I forgot about before now), they all indicate an access violation at the adress 0xC0000005 (more precisely, one game points to this adress while the other points to C0000005).
Do you know what this means?
To my dad, which knows a bit about hardware and software (but isnt updated on the whole matter) this seems like either a specific RAM problem at this adress or a some problem with the OS assigning wrong values or some such things.
If it has any added value, one of the game refers to this as a "stack dump".
Any new clues or help?

With AMD 64bit 3000+ CPU and XP SP2, you may have found a game program bug.

More about DEP at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875352

The C0000005 is (in my opinion and experience) about PERMISSIONS. Microsoft is not great about revealing "what happened" and neither are most commercial applications.

Bob

I tried turning off DEP through the control panel>system>advanced>performance(settings)>Data Execution Prevention.
I didn't have an option to turn DEP off.
According to the link you gave me, detailing what DEP does, it can be disabled by editing a boot.ini file.
However, I cannot locate that file and therefore cannot edit it to turn of DEP.
Is there some program bit or any advice you can give me that can help?
(I searched my entire c:\ partition, the one I put only windows on)

Well, I wrote this message about 4 times and I lost it due to crashes etc. so I'll just write a short version of it:
1) Im stupid for not thinking of google.
2) It doesn't help.

I even made sure that the information in the boot.ini file wasnt somehow returned to its earlier state.

Any further advice?

Instead of waiting until the end of a long thread.
1. Dr. Watson is a Microsoft utility (since Win95) that
decodes and reports errors. I quit having freezes on my 98se when I deactivated it. Google for info and make your own decision.
2.BIOS.-find out what what version you have(in various places on your computer. Find out what the latest version available from the Motherboard manufacturer is. Read notes on each version update before downloading, some updates are not suitable for all instances. Download-"Save to Disk(in your "My Documents"file, or where ever you store your downloads). Put in the Motherboard Drivers disk and use the appropriate update
program(the info is on the disk) to update BIOS if newer. I would recommend against using a third-party
program without knowing exactly what it is and does.
Reading your MOBO manual and browsing the MOBO disk will give you more info than you seem to have. chuck

No reluctance on my behalf, I might be a bit slow and nervous, but I was following everything you said and tried contributing myself, atleast from my point of view.

I was wondering what kind of hardware could cause something like that and if there is anyway to check which is it?
I know for a fact it isnt my HD or Graphic Card becuse I tried replacing both.
My RAM went through one and a half hours of repeated memtest86ing and passed flawlessly, so I dont think it is what is causing the problem.
About the rest of my devices - I can't really tell.
Maybe there's some sort of way of finding out which piece of hardware is using this specific adress?

Im still trying out stuff, but Im quite busy at this time so its not getting along quite quickly.

This drives the technicians insane as they always assume it's "one bad part".

1. MEMTEST86 is good, but is not the final test. There is no test made that will forever remove doubt that memory errors are not at the bottom of this. I wish this was not true but after 20 years of dealing with microprocessors and systems I have come to this conclusion.

To get around this I use (in the PC world) just one stick of RAM while I sniff out the issue.

2. Just because you replaced a part doesn't mean the replacement is good.

Another tripping block for technicians.

3. Warranty.

You have it. It's new stuff and you get to call the suppliers to ask what they want back. Listen carefully for inadvertant sentances like "We get a lot of those back" and more.

4. Look at all you've been through. Is there any doubt it's a software issue?

Point -> Is it only "one game"? If so, remove the game and does it work fine?

5. Power supplies.

It's a terrible issue for people to accept that 420 Watts (pick any number really) may not mean anything as to whether the power supply is good or bad. It's also why I run into a balky machine I unpack the 550 to 680 Watt monster supply and fit it for testing. You'll be not surprised how this helps. I also cheat and put the system on an Uninterruptable Power Supply. I don't need to chase AC power issues.

I will not discuss power supplies further. Read how 9 out of 21 supplies FAILED to meet their rated specifications at http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20021021/ That's a terrible failure rate.

6. You built it, so you get to fix it.

Not entirely true. The suppliers are on the hook here too.

I have yet to read much that you have been getting them to exchange the CPU, motherboard, power supply and what else.

7. DOWNSIDE it severely.

Remove the AUDIO CARD. It's often another item that causes such headaches. Some won't do this and change everything else. Don't change it, remove it.

8. The cooling.

You keep thinking that cooling is not the issue. You could be right, but when a machine is misbehaving, the assumption that it's only 1/2 way to some temperature is from my observation, wishful thinking. I've encountered parts and boards that need only to be warmed slightly or fail at a specific temperature and not others. Truly a technicians dream.

Bob