Strange Problem

[J_Tweedy]

I was using my computer normally today, when around mid-afternoon, i clicked on a 'file' drop down menu, and it displayed very wierd textures before freezing and going into what looked like sleep mode. After restarting (the only thing i could do) and loading windows the entire screen displayed the same wierd textures. I turned the computer off, and after 5-10 minutes tried it again, where it loaded windows, but then froze and went into sleep mode once i opened Opera web browser. I am now running in safe mode and everything seems to be fine, but this is f**ked up.
Im running Windows XP SP2
AMD 64 3200+
2x 512 Kingston ddr400 RAM
WD Caviar 120gb SATA
Leadtek 6800gt (thought it could be display- reinstalled drivers but didn't fix)
Albatron K8Ultra V Pro2

Im thinking it could be a power supply problem, it is a cheap one, but it's 400W and shouldn't be screwing up.
A memory incompatibility would have done this right from the start (?), and ive had this for a few months now without this problem.
All my temps seem fine- 55C idle GPU, 32 CPU, 31 Case

Any ideas anyone?

 

[sinkoman]

55 Idle? WOA BUGGA BOO! I hope that's not CPU temps. Still well out of the meltdown area but still a bit too high for my liking. You sure you didn't get your idle mixed up with your load?

EDIT: Frick, I read it wrong. The way you posted it, looked like the gpu was 32, cpu was 31, and you forgot to post case. Damn I feel stupid :x Carry on.

 

[J_Tweedy]

nah thats my 6800gt temp, well within limits and not a problem. dont worry about that.
Now my computer turns on, and at the first screen, freezes ater saying 'RAM DDR400.'
This has escalated, now i cant even use my computer.

 

[Danimal]

I had a similar problem, it ended up being my hardrive.

 

[duffers20]

Yeh try disconnecting all the optional devices to see if it will boot, then you can narrow down the search for the fautly componant. Also if you have more than 1 stick of ram, try using just 1 stick to see if the ram is faulty.

 

[J_Tweedy]

ok, i disconnected my cd drive, and it worked. no problems, but im thinking this surely couldn't have been a cd drive problem, i mean, the whole screen was bung, and it would just freeze, and i didn't even have a cd drive in there. I haven't tried reconnecting the cd drive yet to narrow it down, im pretty sure it was RAM, and it could have just been the period of sitting that allowed it to recover or something- i dunno. Whatdya reckon?

 

[duffers20]

you should just spend time taking out parts and seeing if it will boot, as that is only way you will know what the faulty part is.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

ok, i disconnected my cd drive, and it worked. no problems, but im thinking this surely couldn't have been a cd drive problem, i mean, the whole screen was bung, and it would just freeze, and i didn't even have a cd drive in there. I haven't tried reconnecting the cd drive yet to narrow it down, im pretty sure it was RAM, and it could have just been the period of sitting that allowed it to recover or something- i dunno. Whatdya reckon?

It will never most likely be the CD-Drive, that device is an input ROM component and will generally screw up the CD's you put in it, rather than crew up your whole computer.

My computer freezes from time to time when playing games, I know that its my graphics card as I have a very unstable Radeon 9800SE :thumbs: . The best way to find out if it is your graphics card is by disconnecting your graphics card from the slot, and connect the monitor to the generic graphics on your motherboard, and see if the same problem occurs. If what you say is true about your graphics temp. it is most likely the case of a problem with that, as it is at boiling point.

 

[J_Tweedy]

Dont worry about the graphics temperature- if you google 6800gt you'll find that mine is a very common temp and well within normal operating temperature. If have seen many others higher- it's just the way the nvidia's are built these days.

Ok, so i plug my cd drive back in, and everything's working normally. Tryed the vid card, doesn't affect it. I haven't seen the problem for a while now, since last night. I guess no one's got any ideas what it could be, all i know is it isn't the cpu, the motherboard's brand new (doesn't rule it out i know), its not the gpu, sound card or network card. Im pretty sure the hard drive doesn't cause a problem like this, and same with the cd/dvd drive. I has to be the RAM, i have had intermitent texture issues in the past, and thought it was my gfx, so i RMA'd the gpu. If there is a fault or incompatibility, why does it appear and disapppear?

 

[J_Tweedy]

bump. The cd drive does not have anything to do with it, because with it plugged in or taken out the problem still happens. Went to boot up today, and got a screen full of artifacts (don't know what else you could call them), but on restart it booted, and im writing this in safe mode. I think ive narrowed it down, is this RAM or power supply?