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New build freezing at start-up: possible PSU or RAM issue?

13

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  • GunJack
    GunJack Posts: 11,730 Forumite
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    Can you not remove the graphics card for now and try it on the mobo graphics ?? You may need to install XP first, then install the card and it's drivers...
    ......Gettin' There, Wherever There is......

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  • cactusdust
    cactusdust Posts: 427 Forumite
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    The mobo doesn't have onboard graphics.


    Update: Stuck a P4 in, and it works a treat. Power issue?
  • cactusdust
    cactusdust Posts: 427 Forumite
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    Also just done Memtest. Its crashed/hung half way through scanning.
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
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    edited 15 June 2010 at 9:13PM
    cactusdust wrote: »
    The mobo doesn't have onboard graphics.


    Update: Stuck a P4 in, and it works a treat. Power issue?

    - so you greased & put in a~n~other P4 instead of your original CPU and with no other changes to the system it now works a treat, as in .. .. .. will install and run the WinXP O/S without crashing ?
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • weegie.geek
    weegie.geek Posts: 3,432 Forumite
    Could be power, but the P4 could run at a different FSB, and depending on your settings that might run the ram at a different speed. Perhaps the ram is unstable at the speed your board is attempting to make it use when the C2D is in?

    And you say memtest crashes, is that with the P4 or the C2D, or both?
    They say it's genetic, they say he can't help it, they say you can catch it - but sometimes you're born with it
  • ddoris
    ddoris Posts: 392 Forumite
    I don't think power issue - can you update the bios as e8400 is much diff. to p4 and will require a newer bios. Also set bios to failsafe or optimised defaults.
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    ddoris wrote: »
    I don't think power issue - can you update the bios as e8400 is much diff. to p4 and will require a newer bios. Also set bios to failsafe or optimised defaults.

    set bios to failsafe or optimised defaults #17

    - we won't know till we know which replacement CPU, and if it runs an O/S without being ' flakey '
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • cactusdust
    cactusdust Posts: 427 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 16 June 2010 at 4:47PM
    Okay, another update.

    I bought a new 500W OCZ PSU today.. this didn't rectify the situation. Updated the BIOS via QFlash.. it now runs the most up-to-date bios from Gigabyte.

    Put the Pentium 4 in the computer in place of the E8400 again.. and it works completely fine- so I installed Windows. Everything ran to working order.

    I then put the E8400 back in, and its crashed again. It also crashed in the exact same spot as before in XP install. Note, the E8400 always crashes in the exact same point every time in XP Install.


    So, pin pointed to either flakey motherboard or processor. Could it also be a power issue, between the ram and E8400?

    - so you greased & put in a~n~other P4 instead of your original CPU and with no other changes to the system it now works a treat, as in .. .. .. will install and run the WinXP O/S without crashing ?
    Yes!
  • spakkker
    spakkker Posts: 1,322 Forumite
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    What ram have you tried and what speed is it running at with the e8400 installed -see in bios.
  • cactusdust
    cactusdust Posts: 427 Forumite
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    edited 16 June 2010 at 7:54PM
    Memory freq: 553 Mhz, if that helps. (this was shown in the BIOS)


    Also, noticed this warning in the BIOS, if relevant:

    "VGA graphics card is not guaranteed to operate normally"
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