Program crash from too much input

[masonbarge]

My computer has frozen up three times during periods of enormous input from my DSL.

I do securities trading and run 4 monitors off 2 (cheap) PCI video cards. The machine is an Athlon XP 2700+ (Socket A) with about 1.3 gigs of DDR RAM (Kingston, 1x256 and 2x512 PC3200). Power supply is 350 watts.

My problem is that my Level II program (CyberTrader) has crashed three times during extraordinarily heavy input. (A Level II program is a real-time scrolling report of bids, asks, and trades, which are generated by an internet network. It's very close to a 2D online game, but with low video requirements)

First the program gets balky -- instead of scrolling upgrades I get sudden jumps. Then it stops. Then the program completely freezes, usually at the worst possible moment. The computer is so slow it appears to be frozen. Once I closed it using Win Task Manager after several minutes; the other times I had to basically unplug the computer, as even the Start button wouldn't work.

I multitask about 4 other programs on it using Win XP Home (the last time I won't pay for XP Pro, but that's another story). Virus program, firewall, real-time charting (heavy usage), a clock. The two heavy-usage programs each has about 8-9 real-time windows open.

I have an Athlon +3200 sitting on my desk I'm going to install today, but my problem is that I won't know if it works until it's too late, as I can't simulate the problem.

Input is 3.0mbs DSL from Earthlink. I am also running a second computer off the DSL, but it has a light load. When I've checked, the download speed has always been 3.0 mbs or better

In general, the system works without a hitch.

Any idea which component(s) I need to upgrade to stop this? Both times it happened cost me over $1000, so I'm fairly eager not to have it happen again!

My guesses are CPU and RAM, in that order.

(By the way, my level of competency is intermediate. I built the computer from a barebones system -- my first one -- but I had a hard time doing it. I wouldn't have done it except that I wanted to use all super-quiet components. I replaced all the coolers/fans. My point being, I've never installed a motherboard.)

[ktkendall]

Actually I would lean towards vid cards need upgraded to keep up with the flow. Cpu and RAM have buffers and windows has swapfile for when there isn't enough RAM, but as you even said you are using cheap PCI vid cards.. Thats plenty of RAM and a pretty decently fast processor you have there.. What make and model motherboard because many of those barebones systems come with rather cheap motherboards, thats why they can sell them so cheap, and that would be my other guess as to what could be the problem. Especially the chipset on the motherboard is really the heart of the PC. You can put the fastest processor known to man and a ton of RAM but on a cheap motherboard with an inferior chipset, it's like putting solid rubber tires on a Mercedes Benz, It's going to ride like crap because of one inferior component, namely the tires, which is where the rubber meets the road.. Anyways post back with the make and model of your motherboard if you can. I wulold install the 3200 proc since you already have it, but what many don't understand is that processor speed is not the main factor to consider especially in a problem like your having.

[masonbarge]

Motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-7N400LI

http://www.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard...A-7N400-L1.htm

[ktkendall]

1 more question, Are you using a router, or is it just 1 PC connected directly to the DSL modem??
Your Motherboard and chipset are decent and you really look to have plenty of RAM. You may want to think about setting up your ram differently though to utilize the dual channel capabilities of the board you have. See your motherboard manual for exacts on that.
Here is something that may really do the trick though:
Go Here:
www.dslreports.com
then click tests+tools on the left side
then go down a bit to the tweak test and run it, get the results by putting in your correct connection type and OS and see if there are any recomendations. Chances are that if you have not ever done this, it will do wonders for your exact problem, since you said the app is not graphic intensive, and you have good components the problem is likely your RWIN setting in windows registry. I was not even getting my rated download speed from my dsl provider untill I went there and changed my RWIN setting. This test at dslreports will test that and give the the recommended setting and tell U how to set it..

[masonbarge]

It looks like the video cards. I did a test on PC Mechanic and it said my video was inadequate.

To answer your questions, I have two boxes on a Linksys router. The RAM is set up so that the two 512 chips work in DDR mode.

I'd appreciate any input as to good, price effective 2D video card(s). I'm thinking about a pair of used Matrox G200 MMS PCI cards, since I have three analog and one digital monitors.

Thanks for your time, btw.

[ktkendall]

I was thinking that the other 256 ram stick would render dual channel inoperative, but I havn't used DC yet so I apologize if I am incorrect there, anyways it still may be a boost for U to try the test at dslreport site. I know it did wonders for my internet connection..

[masonbarge]

I don't know for sure, but I started getting a "dual channel enabled" message after I added the RAM.

I tried the dslreports site, but I got some sort of message that my IP could not be pinged.

Well, off I go to EBay to look for a Matrox card or two.

[ktkendall]

The ping thing is OK, thats cause you have a router with the hardware firewall enabled, and thats a good thing. If a hacker can ping you, thats his first clue to try and hack in, but if they can not even ping then it way harder for them. Anyways the tweak test still is a good thing cause it checks a registry setting in windows called RWIN and if that is too low, which it by default ususally is, cause windows settings are not optimized for broadband, then it will help you set it so that you get optimal download speeds.

[masonbarge]

Well, I just bought a Matrox G450 MMS quad PCI card from some guy in England for about $220, "like new". If it works it's the buy of the century. I grabbed the "buy now" about five minutes after it hit EBay.

If that doesn't solve my video problem, I don't know what will.

I installed my new processor and it gave me a nice speed boost. As usual, I skinned a knuckle trying to get the fan off (a nice quiet Vantec Nexus).

[masonbarge]

Just to report back, the new processor really helped - my software traced an enormous volume surge on a stock (EBAY) without a hitch.

I'll see what happens if and when the Matrox card arrives from Merry Olde England.