New Build Prob

Jim

DFI Lanparty UT Nf4 SLI-D
AMD 3500
Corsair 3200 2x512mb
BFG 7800GT 256mb
Creative X-Fi Xtrememusic

My problem is that my pc crashes. Runs fine for awhile, then starts to freeze, 10 seconds at a time and eventually just crashes. It seems to happen after about 20 minutes of use. It happened just there while I was playing BF2, fps and general performace seems fine, just the stalls and crashes. Also happened while I was installing a game / listening to music / on irc msn and ts.

After the first time I restarted and my sound card was giving me problems, would only play sounds at very high volume levels and was very distorted. I took it out, restarted, put it back in, restarted and Windows reinstalled it, was working fine then. Now after it crashing from BF2 and sound is gone again and Windows is telling me its found a new PCI device but can't install it.

Anyone have any ideas? Any compatability issues with the sound card and the other hardware people know of?

Cheers,
Jim.

Malafus

Sounds like a power/heat issue for the first problem (the freezing/crashing). What brand of PSU have you got, and what is it rated at?

What sort of cooling do you have in the case? - Heat problems generally develop after ~20 minutes of the PC being under load (i.e. playing a game), although it can happen anytime, really.


As for the sound card, I recommend you remove it, uninstall all drivers related to it, and then reinsert it. Hopefully it'll reinstall the drivers after this. Maybe try a different PCI slot?

conzy

Are you currently overclocking??? Check the temps with the harware monitor that came with the mobo and touch the heatsink of the COU near the base it should be cool/warm, if its hot there is something wrong, try remove it replace the thermal compound and re insert it

Jim

Right, tired updating the sound drivers etc... to no avail.

When I turned it back on after the last crash I checked the CPU temp and it was 70 which appears to be the problem. Its currently at 30 in windows which seems to be ok. Unfortunatly I don't have a tube of Thermal Paste, only the small square which came with the heatsink.

Another quick question...I assumed (from diagrames and images I saw) and the heatsink it supposed to clip on on either side of the bracket. Mine just doesn't. It does on the left side, where the leaver is, but wont on the other side. Is this right?

KeRbDoG

Jimeatsmenu wrote:

Another quick question...I assumed (from diagrames and images I saw) and the heatsink it supposed to clip on on either side of the bracket. Mine just doesn't. It does on the left side, where the leaver is, but wont on the other side. Is this right?

Your heatsink should really be clipped to another mounting on your motherboard.
http://www.bleedinedge.com/reviews/mobo/dfi_lanparty_utnf4slid/images/pic13fullboard.gif
see the large yellow thing that surrounds the CPU socket? What heatsink do yea have? Might be the wrong type/size

conzy

Another quick question...I assumed (from diagrames and images I saw) and the heatsink it supposed to clip on on either side of the bracket. Mine just doesn't. It does on the left side, where the leaver is, but wont on the other side. Is this right?

NO!!!!!!!:eek: :eek:

Thats what wrong your HSF is only barely touching the cpu it need to bw clamped down tightly against the IHS, it feels tight but it i supposed to be, I recommend not using the PC until you fix the problem;)

Jim

It was one that came with the processor so I'm assuming it should work.

Just looked at the video guide from the AMD site and its telling me to force the second clip. I was almost 100% definate that one side wouldn't fit over the plastic bracket. I'll give it a go though.

telemachus

I found the stock socket 939's fairly comfortable to put on (an improvement from the foul screwdriver/board stabbing madness of socket a's at least ), if it's the same as mine it fit inside the mounting socket and both clips connected quite easily with a lever which then tighened them fully. I found with a poorly connected heatsink your temps tend to look alright on idle just like yours but it's midgame verything will go beserk.

Ps since it's a dfi make sure all 4 of the power connectors are connected on the board, I know I managed to miss one on an sli-dr board before.

DemonOfTheFall

I agree, it is quite hard to put on and requires a bit of forcing.

1. Hook it on the side with the lever first. Dont turn the lever.
2. Using a flat head screwdriver push the other clip over the plastic hook on the motherboard on the other side of the Heatsink.
3. Do the lever thing.

You've been totally nuking your processor up until now, i'm very surprised you haven't had bigger problems or killed the chip!

ShiverinEskimo

I wouldn't do any of the above without first cleaning the bottom of the Heat Sink and the top of the CPU. The thermal pad on the heatsink is highly likely to have dried up and will not function correctly - you will have to wipe them clean with a soft (but not too fluffy) linen cloth and possibly a small dab of vodka or other colourless alcohol.

Buy some thermal paste and put a pea sixed amount on the CPU and when placing the HS back on rotate it gently left and right to get a good spread before final fixing.

Seriously - do not reuse the thermal pad!!

DemonOfTheFall

Oh yeah, good call shiverineskimo. Totally forgot to mention that.

Jim

Right, went back and eventually managed to get the heatsink locked in (with a bit more force than I'm comfortable with but it went on.

Just played BF2 there for an hour or so and everything seems fine. Temp is just over 40 so I'm happy. I did notice the paste was a bit dry so I'm going to get a tube tomorrow just to be safe.

Cheers for your help guys, a bit of a noobie error but just glad I got it sorted.

youcancallmeal

Yup those stock heatsinks can be tricky alright, glad hear its sorted now