Graphics / Start up problem

[chrisbram]

I hope someone can please help me. I have just completed my first computer build and Im having a serious prob which i think must be my graphics card but am not sure. The problem is it keeps crashing my computer / I loose graphics at top left hand corner of screen in the exact same spot and computer freezes forcing me to hit the restart switch. I can email picture of the screen where the graphics looses picture to anyone who can help.
These are the specs im running.

Intel Q9550 Qaud core 2.83ghz
Asus striker II extreme Motherboard
4gig Corsair DDR3 1333hz ram
Gigabyte GTX280 graphics card
Antec Truepower Quattro 1000w Power supply

This problem has happened while playing games and also just while browsing the web.
It is my thinking that the fact i am loosing graphics in the exact same spot that my graphics card must be faulty but im unsure. The problem occurs infrequently , sometimes every 10 - 30 mins sometimes not all night.

[chuck4456]

I'm guessing that this is your memory:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145198

Have you set your modules to their correct timings and voltage?

[shadowpr]

Do you have the most up to date video card drivers? Have you tried beta drivers?

[chrisbram]

Originally Posted by chuck4456 I'm guessing that this is your memory: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145198 Have you set your modules to their correct timings and voltage?

No I built this computer on the basis that I saw 10 year old kids building pc's on utube and thought it was gonna be a whole lot easier than it is. I really just guessed my way thru doing it. Wanst till now i realise there is ALOT more to building a pc than screwing all the parts in.
As far as setting modules to correct timings and voltage I have not done this as didnt know i had to and have know idea how. About to google it now and give it a go.

[chrisbram]

Originally Posted by shadowpr Do you have the most up to date video card drivers? Have you tried beta drivers?

I have the latest video drivers but not beta ones.

[chrisbram]

I recently built a pc for the first time and was having probs with it crashing / freezing on me. The computer screen would freeze up and it would lose graphics in the top left hand corner of the screen. Thanks to these forums i was told it could be my memory and to check my timing and voltage settings. I did this and it appeared to fix the problem for a while but recently the computer has been freezing up again during gameplay but without loss of graphics in the top left corner. Due to the crashing i have been forced to reboot computer numerous times using the reset switch. Then i came across a problem where it would say failed to load OS. After eventually loading in safe mode i uses windows repair which said there was no problems. All of a sudden the computer loads OS by itself just fine but when it loads at low resolution and begins to install drivers for my graphics card which was already done. So i go thru the process even installing the latest drivers again and everything seems fine. But when i reset the computer the graphics have been reset again and does the same thing.
Also sometimes on startup I get an error called pwsave which says the object invoked has disconnected from its clients. The specs of my computer are as follows
Q9550 Qaud core
Asus striker II extreme MOB
Antec truepower Quattro 1000w PSU
Corsair DDR3 1333mhz ram 4GB
Gigabyte GTX280 Graphics
Vista Ultimate 32 bit.

I know this all sounds a bit confusing but if you can understand what i have tried to say any help would be appreciated.

[minsonngo]

Do you have the newest drivers for the video card installed? How about the newest Windows updates? If not, give that a try.

[chrisbram]

I recently bought a Zalman MFC2 Fan and temp controller. I was wondering where i actually put the sensors for the temp controller. It is just a flat piece of wire which i asume that you just stick on the areas you want to record temp as it comes with stickers to do so. But where do i stick the sensor to record my cpu temp? should i have placed it directly on the cpu before i put the heatsink on?

[wjh31]

NO

that would almost certainly interfere with the heat transfer, and most processors have internal heat sensors which can be read from the bios or with a program like speedfan or the cpuid HW monitor, you could try sticking it on the heatsink of your bridge, on your hard drive, on your case somewhere etc, what was it you were hoping to measure exactly?

[chrisbram]

Thanks for the reply. All really wanted was to try and check the temp of my graphics card as im having probs with the computer freezing on me all the time but there is four temp recorders so thought i may aswell hook them all up.

[wjh31]

your gpu may well also already have an internal sensor which CPUid HW monitor may pick up, however unless you're overclocking your gpu im not sure how likely it is that an over heating graphics card is your problem, try running memtest to check your ram, and try checking your HD for errors too

[chrisbram]

I have recently built a computer for the first time and im having freezing problems mostly during gameplay. These the specs

Antec 1200 case
Q9550 2.83GHZ Qaud core CPU
Asus Striker II Extreme MOB
4GB Corsair DDR3 1333MHZ ram
Seagate Baracuda 720GB HD
Antec Truepower Quattro 1000w PSU
Windows Vista Ultimate 32bit

This freezing problem was at worst when i first built pc and i thought it was a GPU problem. Computer was freezing and was getting a rectangle box in top left hand corner of screen losing graphics in the same spot everytime. Was told that it was most likley not my GPU but a ram problem and to check my timing and voltage. It seems my MOB which I did not change any settings on, and left all on auto, detected the wrong voltage and timing for my ram. It auto detects the timing to be 7 - 7 -7 -20 - 1T When it should be 9 - 9 - 9 - 24 - 2T. I changed these values in the bios to the best of my know how and changed the voltage to 1.7 volts as this is what is stated on the stick itself. This made a major differnce and did not freeze up for a few days and when it finally did start freezing again there was no loss of graphics in the top left corner. It now freezes up at least one or two times a night but is completely random....sometimes could be minutes between freezes sometimes could be hrs.
I was told to test it with the voltage at 1.8v which i did but this made freeze all the time.
I have run the latest version of memtest on each stick seperately and both passed with zero errors. Could there be something set wrong in my bios that is causing this ? Being that the bios auto detects the wrong settings for this ram im wondering if the values in advanced memory settings which are all on auto could be wrong. This is what its set on atm.

Memory timing section
P1= Auto
P2= Auto
tCL= 9
tRCD = 9
tRP = 9
tRAS= 24
Command per clock = 2T

Advanced memory settings
tRRD = Auto 4
tRC = Auto 27
tWR = Auto 10
tWTR = Auto 14
tFAW = Auto 17
tRD = Auto 9
tRTP = Auto 4
tRFC = Auto 59
tREF = Auto 7.8

Also i have the latest drivers for my GPU and have the latest windows updates.
Please help me somebody if you have any ideas on what the problem might be

[liambl]

What is your GPU? Check the temps in the BIOS after letting the PC runfor 30 mins.

[chrisbram]

Sorry forgot to put the gpu in there. its a Gigabyte GTX280

[glc]

Chris, we have a small housekeeping problem. You have four threads going, all in different sections, all about the problems you are having. This makes it extremely difficult for people to help you, it totally destroys any continuity. I'm going to merge all 4 threads and put them in BYOPC.

[shadowpr]

Might want to try to run seatools to check to see if the hard drive is good.

Have you tried the beta drivers for your video card?

Do you have both the 8 pin, and 6 pin power connected to the video card?

Is this a fresh instal of windows?

[chrisbram]

I have ran the windows diagnostic to check errors on hard drive or is that not good enuf?
It is a fresh install of windows however i have not tried any of the beta drivers for my card.
both pins are connected to the card.
I will download some beta drivers and see if that helps.

[shadowpr]

Just for the heck of it: http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/sup...oads/seatools/

Try the one for dos.

[chrisbram]

Ok downloaded and ran seatools for dos. I did the quick test which passed. I will run the long test overnight. I tried the acoustic test ....dont really know what that one does but it seems to freeze the program ..however the timer on the top right still clicks over so not a complete freeze i just cant do anything til i hit ctl alt del which takes me to the logout screen in dos.

[shadowpr]

see what the long test says.

[doubledragon5]

You might want to try this PROBLEMS with a NEW BUILD? Try This!! Mother board must be removed from the case..

[chrisbram]

Sorry all my threads got mixed into this one. Thanks for the reply but the startup problems has been fixed. Just seemed to fix it itself. My main prob is the freezing issue.

[chrisbram]

Originally Posted by shadowpr see what the long test says.

Ran the long test and it also passed. I really dont know what is left to try. HD has passed with no errors , I have run memtest on each stick of ram individually and both passed with 0 errors. I have also tried the ram in the opposite slots. I have downloaded CPUID HW monitor and checked after running game for 20min and didnt reach above 58 degrees. Does it cause damage to the components when I have to restart using the reset button? and if so is there a safer way for me to reset the computer when it freezes until i fix this problem .......If i ever get it fixed.