Small problem on new P5K build

the_lar

the_lar

the_lar

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13 Jun 2007
Posts
19
Hi,

Recently bought this system from OC:

Antec 900
Asus P5K Intel P35 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
2GB Corsair PC2-6400C4 DDR2 Dual Channel Kit
Intel Core 2 Quad LGA775 Q6600
XpertVision 8800 GT 512MB

I haven't overclocked at all as yet but I do intend to. I've got Vista Business on it and for the most part it's an awesome comp. However, I do get the occasional Black screen lock up. I have to completely power down (by holding down the power switch) to reboot, which I really don't like doing. When I boot back up, I get the 'safe mode' option but I boot normally just fine. There's never any indication of what went wrong. It looks like it's to do with the video card because it happens mostly in games or when playing DVD's rather than when using email or surfing but it might not be. I think it's crashing when it goes black rather than just the screen going black. I worked out the key combination to shut down from task manager, but it doesn't work when the black screen occurs which indicates that it's a hardware issue.

I read somewhere that black screen lock ups can be caused by Windows Event logger? I also discovered that I had a background app called Asus ACPI that was started up on every log on, I've disabled that along with some other stuff that Asus had put in my startup items (to do with the probe software I believe - although that still works). My only other thought is that it's a RAM voltage issue?

Any thoughts or suggestions welcome.

Many thanks
Kevin
 
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I built a similar system for a friend.

Asus P5K SE
2GB PC6400 Corsair
600w OCZ Stealthxtreme
XpertVision 8800gt

The problem was different. After trying both vista and xp with about 10 drivers on each OS, i just couldnt install the graphics card. It would work in safemode or when you first install the OS because it then uses windows default graphics drivers.

I told him to send back the XpertVision 8800gt and get an ATI Asus 3870 XT.
That installed perfectly first time.

Long storey short..... I do not trust XpertVision one bit!
 
No I didn't. I can't find my exact RAM on corsairs website and I'm a bit of a newb :) so not that sure about what I'm doing when it comes to messing around in the BIOS. I assume that it's set to the default voltage of 1.8??
 
Keep pressing the del key when it's booting up and that should get you into the blue BIOS screen. Then arrow across to the 'advanced' tab then down to 'jumper free configuration' and press enter.

Now set the Ai overclocking value to 'manual' and you will see a number of other options appear below, one of which will be DRAM voltage. Set this to 2.1v. Also it's worth setting the 'DRAM frequency' to DDR2-800 and, after changing the 'DRAM timing control' to manual set the first four options (starting with CAS latency) to 4,4,4 then 12.

Now press F10 and enter to save settings and exit.

Hopefully this will solve your problem. If not I recommend you google 'memtest', download the program, make the boot disc and follow the instructions to check the stability of your RAM.

I hope this helps.
 
I am not sure if this is related, however I have the same board and processor as you and about 1 in 30 power-ons the computer will go to a black screen and hang as soon as it starts to boot Vista Business.

Again all I can do is power off and the on power on it gives you the boot menu with safe mode etc.
 
Thanks for the help wolvers... I've done as you said but unfortunately it has happened again. I have managed to get to 5.6 (from 5.5) on the vista rating now though, so still worth doing! I will try memtest suggestion.
 
Yeah I do, I got the chipset drivers from Asus and the graphics card ones from XpertVision rather than use the ones on the CD's supplied. Updated to the latest BIOS as well.
 
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