Computer locking up

metamorphpwner · 12 Dec 2008 at 23:19

Hi,
I'm having a strange problem with my computer just freezing, the picture on screen is still right but everything is frozen.
the mouse won't move, caps/num lock won't go on/off on the keyboard, the times frozen at the time of the problem.
the only think that has changed is the case and the processor cooler, but since putting in all into this case this morning i can hear the hard drive and never could before.

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 00:52

Need to eliminate bit by bit, as a stab in the dark i'd test the ram first.

Memtest86 on a bootable cd, leave it for several hours (6+ passes) to see if it picks up any errors then work on from there.

Bit extreme but might be worth building the pc back up outside the case, could be shorting somewhere although i'd expect it to reboot if it did that

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 11:01

thanks, been running memtest for about an hour on it now and it's only done one pass. no errors in it so far, how long will 6 passes take on 2gb memory?

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 14:41

It can take a wee while

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 15:22

Ran it for 8 passes and no problems with it at all, best guess now would be my motherboard since it's the only the only thing i haven't upgraded yet.

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 15:45

Perhaps, might be worth ruling out any possible os/software problem first before diving into a new motherboard and being hit with the same issue.

Although you said you can notice the hard drive now but not before... What exactly do you hear from it?

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:03

Sweeney said:
Perhaps, might be worth ruling out any possible os/software problem first before diving into a new motherboard and being hit with the same issue.

Although you said you can notice the hard drive now but not before... What exactly do you hear from it?

it's just the disk reading data, never used to hear it in my old case but can in this.
i think it's either faulty graphics card or the graphics card isn't compatible with motherboard that i have because i get an NV_4 disp driver error sometimes.

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:23

Would need to rule everything out one by one then to be sure, whats the full spec of your machine?

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:29

specs.
CPU: amd athlon 6400+BE 3.2ghz
RAM: 2gb corsair XMS2
MB: asrock alive sata2glan
PSU: Corsair TX 650w
250gb samsung hard drive and a dvd drive all in a well cooled antec 300

i'm just trying to find where a strange screechy sound is coming from, but i don't think if it's my hard drive that it could cause the display driver to stop. unless the hard drive is stopping

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:32

Might be worth running some hard drive diagnostics, not sure if its SMART capable but that should also tell you if theres anything obvious wrong with it

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:36

it makes the most noise when it's running something or when AVG is scanning. whenever the HDD case light flashes them ost that's when the most noise is. i'll have a look for some diagnostic software for it

Sweeney · 13 Dec 2008 at 16:48

If the drive is making a high pitched noise it could well be that which is the cause, however i'd have a listen to the PSU as well... could just be a fan

metamorphpwner · 13 Dec 2008 at 18:37

it's definatly the hdd making the noise, but i've ran samsung hdd diagnostics and it's all ok it says, memtest found no problems with the memory

Mattus · 14 Dec 2008 at 03:15

CPU temps all OK?

metamorphpwner · 14 Dec 2008 at 11:57

Mattus said:
CPU temps all OK?

the CPU idles at around 29 degrees, when running orphos yesterday it got upto 53 but that's with all the fans turned to their lowest speeds.
Edit: used to run upto about 85 degrees, but i've changed the case and cpu cooler and it's dropped the temps a lot.