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General discussion

Why is my pc so unstable?

Feb 25, 2004 5:54AM PST

I just built my first pentium based machine and I am having a really bad time of it. Every time I try to install an OS I get error messeges or the blue screen of death! I finally got win98 installed but the system is so unstable I can hardly do a thing without it locking up or giving me the blue screen. I can't even upgrade to XP! What the heck!!?? Is there some sort of trick to building a pentium system? I never had this much trouble with Athlon machines!! Please HELP!!!

Machspeed pt800bp Motherboard
P4 2.4ghz 800mhz FSB HT
512mb DDR 3200
gforcefx 5600

Discussion is locked

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Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 25, 2004 6:44AM PST

I'm sure the moderators will post some ideas, but the obvious questions exist?

Is the bios current?
Have you installed all the current drivers for win98 (se?)?
Have you installed all service packs and updates to the O/S?
Have you double checked (researched) to see the compatibility between mobo, cpu, memory and video?

Are you underpowered?

Have you jumpered the board switches properly? Have you read the manual twice?

Step back start slow and do each step one at a time until the problem(s) start, so you can eliminate things.

Are the Blue Screens of Death telling you/us something?

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Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 25, 2004 9:13AM PST

I've checked all of the above. I started from scratch and everything seems to do ok until I try to install an OS, then I get all the errors and blue screens and stuff. I'm at a loss.

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Try 450 Watts.
Feb 25, 2004 9:15AM PST

Many try such with small power supplies and end up with posts like yours. Tell more and why not call the supplier?

Bob

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Re:Try 450 Watts.
Feb 25, 2004 9:20AM PST

I've got a 400 watt ps. I tried stripping the pc down to bare component but, no luck.

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Then what's to say you have good parts?
Feb 25, 2004 10:12AM PST

Call the supplier, explain the situation and see what they want to exchange.

XP does "glide" onto a good hardware.

Last hurrah?

- Latest BIOS.
- Safest BIOS defaults.
- AGP at 1X.
- Just 1 CDROM, 1 Hard disk, 1 Stick of RAM, video card and nothing you can't do without.

Bob

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Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 25, 2004 11:36PM PST

This is why I only build AMD machines. They don't cost you an arm and a leg and provide just as much performance!! If AMD ever ran their processors at the speed of the current P4s, they would put Intel out of business. AMD made their processor a workhorse, while Intel relies mostly on "bells and whistles" to power their processors. You have good hardware, but your system seems faulty. Do you have the memory installed correctly?

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Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 25, 2004 11:58PM PST

Amen to that! I should have got the AMD. Could my problem be a crappy motherboard? I've already double checked the memory.

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Did you call the supplier?
Feb 26, 2004 12:05AM PST

If you suspect the motherboard, remember that most ship with out-of-date BIOS and some builders (mostly new to the game) resiste updating such.

If you didn't call the supplier, then you've left out one of your best resources. Why do that?

Bob

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Re:Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 26, 2004 11:56PM PST

Could you post what kind of motherboard and stuff you have please? Hopefully, it's not an HP, Compaq, or Dell system...

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Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 26, 2004 9:41PM PST

We hear about more problems with AMD based systems than Intel, because of the fragility of the processor. It is so easy to burn up an AMD processor it is pretty almost a surprise that they can remain in business. So many people have lost their processor by having the fan fall off or running it for only a second or 2 without one. With an Intel processor this almost never causes a problem.

I have friends that have built systems for themselves since the 80's and they won't touch AMD any longer due to the processors heating problems and the instability issues they have run into over and over with AMD, that they have not encountered with Intel processors.

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Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 29, 2004 2:46PM PST

I beg to differ on AMD's problems, at least in the last few years. I've repaired quite a number of computers in the past few years and I've found there to be an even split. Most of the AMD problems I've traced to the CPU came from the user trying to tweak his/her AMD without taking the time to do the tweak properly.

As for burning out after a few seconds without a heatsink, the current generation of AMD & Intel chips will both cook themselves if the HS falls off. Thankfully Mobo makers are starting to include features to power down if the temp sensor on the chip says it's starting to cook itself. My Asus board for my XP2500+ has that feature, which I've never come close to using courtesy of a nice cooling setup.

As for pre-Athlon AMDs, I won't touch them either. There is something weird with those old chips.

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Re:Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Feb 29, 2004 10:40PM PST

I agree about the fragility of AMD systems. I use them myself because of the price performance tradeoff. But I remember a couple of incidents when a fan stopped running and for a few seconds and the processor was fried.

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Re:Re:Re:Re:Why is my pc so unstable?
Mar 2, 2004 5:40AM PST

That happens to Intel systems as well. The only thing that saves them is the integrated heat spreader on the Pentium 4s. Since AMD has moved to the integrated heat spreader in their Athlon 64s and Opterons, there's less of this. But with ANY processor, it can happen, especially when it's been made in the last 3-4 years (speaking of AMD and Intel, of course).