Computer Not So Stable

[Markoman01027]

Hey everybody,
Running Windows 98SE, Athlon XP 1800+, 350 Watt Power Supply(not sure of the company, but it is not a DEER), 256MB of DDR RAM PC2100 CRUCIAL, Geforce 4 MX440, Sound Blaster Live, IBM 80GB 7200RPM hard drive. And also VIA KT333 chipset on a MSI motherboard(the model that supports AMD Athlon XP 1800+ without the RAID add on).

I noticed my system has been locking up lately...I scanned for viruses, trojans, found none, do regclean regularly, no spyware, etc.

I have been getting beeps with my PC speaker during windows, so I replaced the RAM and that went away.

When I play UT2003, I do not get any locks up or anything like that, but it is sometimes when I am in windows operation.

I am wondering what could be happening here? Could it be a sign that my hard drive is dying off? My CPU and System Temps are fine, and The PSU should be fine since it has not been giving me any problems.

Would it be a good idea just to do a fresh install of windows 2000 for the stability?

Could my chipset be causing this?

I have the latest drivers for everything.

Let me know what you guys think!

[Markoman01027]

I suspect the hard drive to be going down south. Even though IBM tests show that it passes, could it be locking up to a sign that the hard drive is gonna die?

[reboot]

In 90% of cases I would say that it's heat related. You say your temps are all fine...what do you consider "fine"?
Have you done a scandisk/chkdsk /f lately? How about a defrag?

[Markoman01027]

I have done scandisk and defrag lately.

95*F CPU Temp idle and about 100*F when gaming
86*F System Temp

Could it be Windows 98SE? Maybe it's time to upgrade :P

[Cricket]

Hi Markoman01027,

Try cleaning out the Temp folders (c:\Windows\Temp and c:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files). Empty the Recycle Bin.

Try running the system with the case sides off just to eliminate the possibility that heat is the problem.

Do you have a lot of background programs running?

The IBM may be the cause, but if it is passing the drive tests that would mean it's not developing bad sectors yet. If it's not making that knocking/tapping noise at start up, it may not be going bad yet.

Cricket

[Markoman01027]

I have like 5 background programs running..That is like WINAMP, AIM, ICQ, POP UP STOPPER.

I do not yet suspect the clicking. Temp files have been cleared, so have recyle bin, no successs.

I will try the case off later on. Thanks for the reply.

Everything SAFE to delete in C:\windows\TEMP I see like FORMAT, COMMAND in there. Although COMMAND also resides in C:\, all though all of the DOS commands reside in C:\Windows\Command, so I guess I am OK right?

Never really deleted stuff in TEMP heheh

I don't know how they got in there..I guess since I used them recently to copy them onto a floopy disk or whatever.

[reboot]

Dump everything in temp.
Clean out IE's temp folders too.
100f doesn't sound too bad, if the sensor is reading it accurately...
Now, just an opinion, but AIM, and ICQ? I'd dump both and get Trillian.
What's running in the background (msconfig/startup)?
How many services...nm, was thinking XP...
How about a reinstall over top of 98?
Try a scanreg /fix and scanreg /opt from a DOS boot...see if that helps.

[Markoman01027]

I talked to HAL about it thru ICQ, and he suggested to go thru program by program in MSCONFIG. I disabled some programs, got about 3-4 running in the background. Somehow it fixed the issue once I stopped using POP UP STOPPER.

Sometimes my hard drive clicks ..So that is a sign that it is going to die soon

Time to order that WD soon

I don't use ICQ and AIM at the same time. If I want to go on ICQ, I will terminate AIM. Vice Versa. I don't like Trillian, when I ran it recently, took too much space on the screen and didn't connect so well like ICQ and AIM do.

It is a software problem. So I am going to get the latest updates for the programs that I use(WINAMP, AIM, and ICQ) I don't use anything else really. Oh yeah, IE :P

[reboot]

OK, if popupstopper was the culprit, then uninstall it, and reinstall it. A setting or something may have got changed, creating the problem.
What version of IE, and have you done the updates?
A clicking HD could also be a sign of a weak power supply, not enough juice to keep the drive spinning properly under a load.

[Markoman01027]

I had the hard drive for about 7 months now, and it started clicking for about 2 months now. it doesn't click a lot. But if I were to like come out from being in standby mode, it would then click, and sometimes it wouldn't.
I have 350watts, and it was working fine a few months..could it that the HD is dying?

I hope it is not the PSU. I don't have a job right now, I don't even have warranty on the PSU. I only have warranty on the hard drive, but I really don't want another IBM ever again..Maybe soon I will order a new 80GB Western Digtial and a 350WATT ANTEC powersupply.

Here is what I am going to do. I am going to request an RMA from newegg.com on the IBM hard drive and have it replaced with a brand new IBM HD..and then in about a week or so I can order a new power supply..Problem is..my computer case never came with any manuals, and I lost my motherboard manual..would I get an ATX format power supply? motherboard is atx, and power supply that I have right now comes with a atx connector.

Won't hurt to have a brand new hard drive and a better Power Supply, since the prices are cheap for them now. Will see what I can get after I get my XMAS money..Will post back with what I'm thinking to buy for a power supply..duel fans? what do you guys think?

[Cricket]

Originally posted by Markoman01027 Here is what I am going to do. I am going to request an RMA from newegg.com on the IBM hard drive and have it replaced with a brand new IBM HD.

You have to contact IBM, not Newegg.com. Newegg.com is not responsible for the drive after 30 days from date of purchase.

Originally posted by Markoman01027 Problem is..my computer case never came with any manuals, and I lost my motherboard manual..would I get an ATX format power supply? motherboard is atx, and power supply that I have right now comes with a atx connector.

Yes, order a ATX power supply.

Originally posted by Markoman01027 Will post back with what I'm thinking to buy for a power supply..duel fans? what do you guys think?

Most of the newer Antec and Enermax PSU's are dual fan units. Honestly, I don't think it matters that much...as long as your case already has good cooling, your system should be fine.

Cricket

[Markoman01027]

Cricket,
In the RMA request, I am able to click on the IBM hard drive and do IBM REPAIR. It is only for CPU's that the limit is 30 days.


I am going to run the IBM Hard Drive tester on it. I will post back with the results. I will buy a new PSU after XMAS.

I don't hear the clicks 24/7. It is just sometimes when I am out of standby mode where I would execute a program. Anybody got anymore ideas?

Question- Does the IBM hard drive tester also test the head of the hard drive? Meaning the mechanical features of the hard drive to make sure they are working OK?

[Markoman01027]

Something new here. I am also going to try and turn off " Turn Off Hard Disk after 1 hour", I turned it off and I am going to see if the problem continues.

Please answer my question from above guys..thanks!

[reboot]

As much as software can do anything, it can check hardware reliability, to a point.
I have managed to recover quite a few hard drives using Spinrite (www.grc.com), another of Steve Gibson's excellent tools.
If there's anything really wrong with the drive, it's going to die sooner or later. At least with Spinrite I can get another 6 months out of most.

[Markoman01027]

I used IBM's Drive Fitness Test and did the advanced test, and the tests showed no errors.

I am thinking of clean installing WIN2K and see if that will solve the problem..heheh maybe it's just WIN98SE :P

But I am also going to order a new PSU soon..Let me know what you guys think...

[kittyfire]

Those five little programs you have running in the background are resource intense. Winamp... there's an issue in itself. Between those and you mentioned power management being enabled... well that's bound to cause some skips. Reboot! lol I was thinking the same thing.. if you're wanting to run more than one, may as well get trillian and run them all through one program. If it's not a laptop computer, disable power management in the bios as well as within windows.

[Markoman01027]

I just installed WIN2K, so far it's running nice and smooth..I will let everybody know if anything acts up..