Help Wanted: BSODs and CPU Overheating
syberspunk:
I wasn't sure if I should post this in the Oops section or RL :P But, I figured the Podium might get more exposure and I may get more advice this way, despite me being all Retardo about PC hardware. :D
So, I am thinking of possibly reformatting/rebuilding my computer this weekend.
Ever since I put it together, it had been stable for some time, but then... and I'm not sure exactly when, I started to get random BSODs. I suspected that it may have been video card related... but I have never been able to exactly pinpoint the cause. I used to get that dreaded IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL driver error. But, I am pretty sure I hadn't installed any new hardware. The only actual hardware connected was the graphics card and the DVD-ROM. Hardly anything new or remarkably funky. *shrugs* I have plugged in various USB type external drives and my iPod... but that's about it.
I would also get reboots whenever I was using roxio software to convert TiVO files to iPod format. I would also get BSODs while playing The Sims 2... but only sometimes, and it was never really consistent. The game is supposedly CPU intensive rather than graphic card intensive anyways. Still, this coupled with the roxio issue also seemed to indicate that it might be video card related... but still, haven't figured out a way to truly test for that.
I did run a ram test. I let it go overnight, and I'm pretty sure it went through like 17 cycles or so, with no errors/complaints.
For the past few months, it kinda behaved ok... but I would still get the odd BSOD or two (I stopped using roxio on that machine though And I stopped playing the Sims 2 just because it annoyed me that I would have to save so often, for fear that I would lose a lot of playtime if it BSODed in the middle of a play session :rolleyes:).
Anyhew... the past couple of days, I have also been getting CPU temp overheat issues. So... here comes my request for advice to any PC experts out there:
Would it be worth it to get:
1) a separate cooling fan? One that attaches internally and I can just point it to the CPU/RAM or whatever else might be potentially overheating.
2) a totally new/bigger/stronger/better CPU fan, and just chuck the "old" one that came with my processor?
3) a better case that is like cooling specific or whatever.
Or a combo? Or... is overheating not even really an issue at all. Is there any way to test if it is a bad mobo or processor? Short of buying a completely new one and comparing? :P
I am also wondering if it might possibly be related to the fact that I use Avast. I find that sometimes, my PC freezes or BSODs, and when I reboot, I get a msg saying that Avast's virus database has been updated. Mind you, again, this doesn't always consistently occur when Avast updates. I have had plenty occasions where it updated fine. And it is probably crazy for me to attribute BSODs to an anti virus program, but teh hubby also built his PC with essentially the same parts. He also had a few BSODs, but had since reformatted and no longer uses Avast. I know this is spurious evidence at best... but I'm wondering if it might be possible...
If that is the case, can anyone recommend an alternative, but free antivirus program?
Finally, one sort of problem is... my PC is kind of close to the radiator in my room. Due to the layout of my room, I'm unfortunately kinda stuck with where it is atm. But... the odd thing is, I've had moments in my room where it is has been crazy hot, and I was using my PC extensively, and it didn't reboot... so I really don't think the CPU has been overheating because of that. Plus... I recently turned the valve off anyways, so my radiator hasn't actually been on at all this week. So really, I don't know why the CPU has been overheating. This has been happening while I had left the PC idle overnight, the past two times it froze/BSODed.
FYI - I pretty much stuck to the specs/parts I posted in this thread, in case you were wondering.
As always, I'd appreciate some expert advice. Thanks. :)
Ste
witch:
I was getting random BSoD. I reinstalled my video drivers and cleaned my CPU fan - which was disgustingly dusty. This seems to have worked for me.
Have you tried a reformat, in case the Roxio bizzo has corrupted files?
Upgraded your video drivers?
Swopped power boxes with your hubby?
Did you get a RAID array? I find they're a bit touchy. My whole PC went spacko a couple of days ago after I installed some HP printer drivers, it refused to boot into Windoze.
Hopefully someone with some more technical nous will be along shortly. :-\
KellyQ:
Well I don't have any expert advice because I'm far from it :D but I use AVG for free anti-virus software and it has caught things that Norton didn't even pick up on, so I'm pretty well sold on it. I also turn it off when I'm playing TS2 so I don't know if it updating while you're playing would cause a problem. I know it would for mine because my computer just wouldn't be able to handle that much going on at once if I left it on, which is why I don't.
On my old computer when I was getting continual BSODs and the horrible, dreadful IRQL NOT LESS OR EQUAL error, it turned out that my computer was overheating due to a not very large amount of cat hair and dust in between the card and the fan. Once it was removed, the BSODs stopped.
And that's really all I know. ;D
ZiggyDoodle:
SpeedFan has gotten some good reviews for CPU temp monitoring.
Shivani:
I recently killed a CPU, inadvertently. And I probably could have saved the sucker if I'd done one simple thing. Reapply the heat sink compound.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page