Unusual freezing problem - driving me mental!

J-blk

Hey All,

After months of frustration, I have to admit defeat and ask for help, since this has me completely beaten (and I consider myself to know a good deal about hardware at least).

I have the following rig set up as a PVR:

P4 3.2Ghz HT 800 FSB, "Northwood"
512MB "generic" PC3200
DFI LanParty 875B Canterwood mobo
Antec Sonata case with 380W "Truepower" PSU
SB Live 5.1
Nvidia GeForce 4 Ti 4200 128MB
Compro Videomate II+ Gold PVR card
Maxtor DiamondMax 9 120GB SATA HD
Samsung Spinpoint P160 160GB PATA HD
Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 200GB PATA HD
Plextor 16X DVD-ROM

The system is currently running Win XP Pro SP2, but I've tested 2K SP4 as well, to no avail.

Thing is, it randomly freezes, for about 5 seconds max and then keeps going just fine. The weird is when this happens when I'm watching TV, I can still hear the sound playing normally, which would mean the PC is not totally locked. However, if let's say I'm playing back music, then the sound "freezes" as well for some seconds. It also locks when I'm just web browsing, using Word, etc - I can't move the mouse at all or do anything when this happens.

What I've tried so far:

- Different CPU.
- Different RAM.
- Different graphics card.
- Removed the sound card.
- Disconnected additional HDs/DVD-ROM.

Still happens... This is totally intermittent. Sometimes it will happen 10 minutes after I turn on the PC, sometimes hours later. Sometimes freezes a lot, sometimes not, but always does....

It's not overheating - temp is at 45-47 degrees max on the CPU.

Any ideas? I'm at the end of my rope here and as the system is used for recording TV, this is VERY annoying...

Pacifico

J-blk wrote:

Hey All,



What I've tried so far:

- Different CPU.
- Different RAM.
- Different graphics card.
- Removed the sound card.
- Disconnected additional HDs/DVD-ROM.

Have you tried the usual Virus/Spyware scans?

J-blk

I've re-installed multiple times, after a full format, even on different HDs - I'd say that rules the spyware/virus crap out - and it happens on a completely "clean" system with nothing but OS/mobo chipset drivers/GFX and TV card drivers installed - all in that order.

Wandering Dazed

Are all the drivers totally 100% definitely up to date? Have you run any perfmon tests to see if anything is maxing out? Does taskman show anything, i.e. memory/cpu hogging?

Sgtshaft

Its maybe a compatibility problem with your TV card and mainboard.
Have you tried your rig without it installed? Does it still happen with a barebones setup? D/load Prime95 and run it with a barebones setup, its the best stress test to find any flaky components.

airetam_storm

A physical error on the HD?

A bad windows install/scratches on disc?\not vlikely\

A failing psu?\not likely either\

Ohh could be a program frezing it up. Try installing the bare essential programs and see if it still happens.

Or finally could be a plugin in WMP or tvtuning software causing?

J-blk

Thanks for the replies guys.

In regards to some of the points raised:

- Can't be the HD - I've tried leaving different ones connected as the main system drive. No change.
- Can't be the PSU. Removed everything but one HD/TV card and GFX.
- Can't be a bad Windows CD - used different media for 2K and XP installations.
- Drivers bang up to date for mobo/GFX/sound and TV card - even betas tested - no change.
- Bare essentials also installed - still freezes.
- Task Manager never goes over about 15% CPU use when just watching TV/listening to music/browsing, etc. 30-40% if recording.

The only constants in the system are the TV card and the mobo - I'm starting to lean towards the TV card. Problem is, the freeze sometimes takes hours to manifest itself, so you would only notice if the system was on for ages... Other times, 10 minutes is all it takes.

I'm going to try to get another TV card from someone at work and replace my Compro for a few days - removing its' software as well. If it still freezes, I can only assume it's the mobo (other ideas welcome!) and if so, it means I need an RMA with Overclockers.co.uk, a possibillity I'm dreading...

Zapho

Check out usb devices. If there's a short anywhere (even in the port itself)
or if the device is damaged, it will cause your pc to freeze like that (rather
than switch off) and it will remain like that until the short is fixed (or the
devices is disconnected). So there could be a loose wire somewhere inside or something?

It can be difficult to tell if your machine is overheating. I found my machine
to over heat when the temperature was 52 C, simply becuase I didn't have
the heatsink on right. One way to check that is to open the case, get
yourself a normal room fan and leave it next to the open case. If it doesn't
freeze it means something is overheating, either your gpu or cpu. I hope
all this helps!

Sgtshaft

I think your right about the TV card, why not try it another PC?

J-blk

Well... it's not the TV card either - Aaaarrrrrgghhh! I swapped it with a Hauppauge PVR 250 and it STILL froze! I hate this, it's driving me up the wall.

@ Zapho - I don't have a room fan anywhere, so I can't try that - still, it's a bit too erratic to be heat - it can happen at startup almost and then hours later...

The USB thing sounds very odd to me but at this stage, might as well try everything - all devices disconnected. If it's down to the USB controllers anyway, then that's still the mobo so...