PC is causing me problems again

[-1nf1n1ty-]

Here's what it does....Im playing something or doing nothing, pc blue screens, restarts, boots up and stops at a underscore blinking sign " _ " and does that and never turns on, I turn it off then back on and does the same thing. This has always happened to this computer randomly and I never know what the cause for it was I just need some help.

PC Specs:
q6600
6gb ocz/corsair ram
300gb HDD
500w PSu Antec green
8800GTS 640mb
No overclocks

I have lived with this by not using this computer for a couple of minutes or so and then it would turn on normally again without any problems or by taking the motherboard battery out, turning it on then off, then placing the battery in the motherboard and it works again!...Im tired of doing that

 

[BarbaricSoul]

First thing I would look at is your voltages. Is there something that isn't getting just enough voltage to be totally stable? Is your RAM getting the factory recommended amount of voltage? How much you have going to your CPU? What about your northbridge?

 

[Aceman.au]

Have you replaced the battery? Tried reinstalling the OS?

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

First thing I would look at is your voltages. Is there something that isn't getting just enough voltage to be totally stable? Is your RAM getting the factory recommended amount of voltage? How much you have going to your CPU? What about your northbridge?

Im honestly not sure so Ill check that out, ps how would I know if something isnt getting enough volts or not

Have you replaced the battery? Tried reinstalling the OS?

yeah I have replaced the battery and reinstalled the OS and still nothing as a matter of fact this is a fresh install AND I never use this computer unless I go home to visit family


EDIT my pc booted up fine just now is there anything I should run to check for these things?

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Im honestly not sure so Ill check that out, ps how would I know if something isnt getting enough volts or not

Look in you BIOs. There should be a section called systems voltages or something like that. Post here what the voltages are set at. A q6600 at 3ghz will probably need 1.30 to 1.35 volts. Your RAM should have it's recommended voltage listed on it's manufacturer's product page. Northbridge voltage can vary among different motherboards. I've never had a DFI board, so I don't have any idea what they normally use.

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

Look in you BIOs. There should be a section called systems voltages or something like that. Post here what the voltages are set at. A q6600 at 3ghz will probably need 1.30 to 1.35 volts. Your RAM should have it's recommended voltage listed on it's manufacturer's product page. Northbridge voltage can vary among different motherboards. I've never had a DFI board, so I don't have any idea what they normally use.

well im looking at my CPU core voltage and it says
CPU Core Voltage 1.29v
DRAM Voltage 1.95v
NB Core Voltage 1.24v
CPU VTT Voltage 1.21v
ATX +3.3V Voltage 3.29v
ATX +12v Voltage 12.09v
5v Standby Voltage 5.16v
Battery 3.29v


not sure if this is it, however thats all I could find

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Exactly what RAM do you have in your system that's giving you these problems(link to newegg product page would be great)? Most older RAM needs 2 to 2.2 volts.

 

[francis511]

Most likely a hardware problem so you can stop re-installing windows !

 

[Solaris17]

i had this issue with a PC i built using my old Q6600 ES chip i had 4GB of kingstom value ram on a 680i chipset. it was the ram voltages. they were set to low. IIRC it was at default 1.9v i moved it to 2.1 ran mint after that.

 

[95Viper]

Yep, good advice, check the supply or try a different know good one.


Also, I would run:
1) Western Digital's Lifeguard Diagnostics and check that disk...
2) a check disk on the drive for any errors.
3) an "sfc /scannow" from a administrative command prompt to check for OS files corruption.
4) a memory test (not for you, but the computer)

 

[BarbaricSoul]

i had this issue with a PC i built using my old Q6600 ES chip i had 4GB of kingstom value ram on a 680i chipset. it was the ram voltages. they were set to low. IIRC it was at default 1.9v i moved it to 2.1 ran mint after that.

Something like that is what I'm thinking is happening here. My motherboard is the same way. It tried to default my RAM to 1.85, but my RAM requires 2.0 volts. Did the same with the Ballistix tracer RAM I had also, which required 2.2 volts.

 

[Solaris17]

Something like that is what I'm thinking is happening here. My motherboard is the same way. It tried to default my RAM to 1.85, but my RAM requires 2.0 volts. Did the same with the Ballistix tracer RAM I had also, which required 2.2 volts.

agreed i also wouldnt doubt NB with 6GB of ram. its working hard might try upto 1.35 with that. in .05v incriments AFTER the ram has been bumped.

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

Exactly what RAM do you have in your system that's giving you these problems(link to newegg product page would be great)? Most older RAM needs 2 to 2.2 volts.

CORSAIR XMS2 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2...

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 S...

Yep, good advice, check the supply or try a different know good one.


Also, I would run:
1) Western Digital's Lifeguard Diagnostics and check that disk...
2) a check disk on the drive for any errors.
3) an "sfc /scannow" from a administrative command prompt to check for OS files corruption.
4) a memory test

well my pc just turned itself off and I heard a loud beeping sound, so atm Im assuming this powersupply I bought doesnt have enough volts

 

[Solaris17]

corsair xms2 2gb (2 x 1gb) 240-pin ddr2 sdram ddr2...

ocz sli-ready edition 4gb (2 x 2gb) 240-pin ddr2 s...



well my pc just turned itself off and i heard a loud beeping sound, so atm im assuming this powersupply i bought doesnt have enough volts

2.1v

well im looking at my cpu core voltage and it says
cpu core voltage 1.29v
dram voltage 1.95v
nb core voltage 1.24v
cpu vtt voltage 1.21v
atx +3.3v voltage 3.29v
atx +12v voltage 12.09v
5v standby voltage 5.16v
battery 3.29v

wat

 

[BarbaricSoul]

That OCZ RAM reqiures 2.1 volts. Try setting your DRAM voltage to 2.1 volts and see if that helps.

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

That OCZ RAM reqiures 2.1 volts. Try setting your DRAM voltage to 2.1 volts and see if that helps.

I switched it to 2.0 volts and so far so good nothing is happening, my only concern is if my PSU can handle it or if I should get rid of it cause I heard 500w is all I need for this set up and I wont be adding anything else to it (maybe new videocard but unlikely)

 

[BarbaricSoul]

I think your OK with the PSU. I wouldn't add anything to yuor system with that PSU, but for what you have, I wouldn't worry myself(as long as your not running that system at a full load folding or crunching).