Meh new system keeps crashing

seamus

Right, got me a new comp.

Athlon XP 2000+
374MB RAM
ABIT clone mobo
AGP GeForce 4 GFX card

Running Win 98 SE, and the thing keeps crashing on me. It's fine when I'm not using any apps, windows is happy enough, but once I start up an app, there's a pretty good chance it'll lock up. Lock up seems to be random, as sometimes it'll lock up immediately, other times it'll go for hours and never lock up, but most of the time it eventually locks up.

I have Linux running on a separate HDD and it never locks up. In fact it loves the power at its command.

So this has me thinking that it's probably due to all of my hardware being significantly more advanced than the OS that's running it.

Anyone got any ideas?

Blub2k

Check your temperatures all over the pc, quite often unexplained lockups are overheating cpu.

seamus

Yah, the CPU was running at 50C with no load, so I moved it into a cooler room, where it's running at around 35/40 now, but still the same

Gerry

install windows 2000 and all chipset drivers. If you are still having problems, remove all non essential hardware and bootup again.

Samba

windows 98 has a passion for locking up, win2k has my vote.

SouperComputer

also, did you refresh the OS when u started usuing the new hardaware? or what it a clean install?

if you used an old image, refresh (dirty install) your OS and get the proper drivers\updates for your board.

Ideally, use 2k or XP

seamus

Yah, twas a clean install. All of the chipset drivers installed fine. There's also a few things I have disabled cos I don't need them, e.g. the onboard video.

There's also a modem in there which I haven't installed any drivers for yet, cos don't have a phoneline.

I'll try get my hands on a copy of Win2K and see if that solves it.

Cheers

seamus

After thinking about it, it wasn't a completely clean install

There was just Win98 DOS installed when I received it (obviously they were checking that it was working), with some CD-Rom drivers, so I formatted and reinstalled last night, and all seems OK, bu t I'll keep an eye on it.

I might be getting a copy of XP next week anywho.

Thanks guys.

leeroybrown

Theres nothing like a clean install of windows to resolve all the problems caused by Windows' last install

seamus

Right.....bought C & C: Generals yesterday (Animal Game) and got pissed off when it kept locking up.

Removed the side panel, gave it 20 minutes, and hey presto, hours of gaming fun. And that game is intensive on everything.

So it's overheating. More specifically, the GFX card, cos the CPU was never pushing more than 45C under full load, and it can take up to 90C (allegedly).

So the question is......do I just leave the side panel off, or can I keep the same amount of cooling by drilling a grid of large holes in the panel and putting it back on?

(And I'm still gonna upgrade )

Raz

You could try putting some extra fans in the side of the case to improve airflow.

AFAIK you need a hole cutting attachment for a drill and that's about it (provided you've got the drill + drill bits already!)
The guys on the HW Teaking/modding forum should be able to help a bit more than that.

Gerry

Right. You don't need to go cutting holes in the side of your pc, unless theres no alternative. In most pc cases, there is a place at the back, just under the power supply where you can mount an 80mm case fan. This will get the hot air out of your case, and allow you to play games with the case on. You can rip one of these fans out of an old power supply, or buy one for a tenner brand new.

seamus

Cheers Gerry, I'll have a look

SouperComputer

how about putting one of those PCI fans beside your GFX card?

seamus

Originally posted by SouperComputer
how about putting one of those PCI fans beside your GFX card?

YA, I have a bit of a penchant for retrofitting stuff, and my brother has the tools, so I may put it low down, in the side of the case (beside the gfx card)