Random Lockup Blues

[omendata]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

You first need to isolate hardware or software as another user said - Install an Ubuntu live cd and see how stable it is.

If its hardware:-
Have you checked your cpu temps and hdu smart?
I use Acronis drive monitor and Speefan as they are free and being Scottish I am a bit of a tight arse.

Burn a memtest cd - sounds like either faulty psu or more likely memory.
Swap in the memory modules one at a time.
Motherboard bad caps are less likely these days.

[stj]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

I thought Unicomp is now the official IBM Model M patentkeeper and official source for new keyboards and spare parts?

I recently got an true blue 1986 Model M but it's missing a keycap. I might have to go buy one from Unicomp but not sure how I can tell them I want the "original" key (the printscreen key, which should have sysrq printed on the skirt and not the cap?)

the mechanism changed over the years, you should look on ebay for some robbing bastard selling individual keycaps like they do for laptops.

Unicorp is the owner, but i dont think the current model is backward compatable.

[stj]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

make sure the harddrive is fully unplugged, infact if you have an ata dvd drive or can boot from a usb stick then that's preferable.

sata can hang the system if you have a faulty drive or cable.
i dont understand how - i'v seen it happen though.

[mockingbird]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

Gigabyte 970A-UD3

The 870A-UD3 had a design flaw that would cause the board to exhibit very random untraceable memory errors that ultimately led to BSODs if the RAM were run at more than 1066Mhz. Took me months to figure it out. I needed the board specifically because it had a floppy port.

Try lowering the RAM speed and see if that fixes your problem.

[Hondaman]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

Thank you for your help, I may have fixed it. My CPU fan was twitching. That's right. Twitching every couple of seconds. It spun freely with fingers, so it wasn't seized. But apparently 12 volts was not enough to run it anymore. Electronics on board the fan probably malfunctioned. The CPU temp was 95 C at one point when I was in BIOS setup after a sudden shutdown. I took the cover off and put my hand between the CPU fan and the back of the case, and it was pretty darn warm. I think I forgot to hook up a speaker when I built the system, so BIOS overheat warnings did not sound. I'll put in a speaker this weekend.

I'm using the original BARAM heatsink (from S. Korea, it comes fanless). When I built it, I put a 4-pin 12 cm Scythe fan on it because of good reviews. Just now, when I plugged a 3-pin Corsair 12cm fan into two different fan ports on the motherboard and hit the power switch, each time the Corsair came alive immediately. The Scythe only twitched on both fan ports.

Let me tell you something: This is the first (AND LAST) Scythe product I will EVER buy. I saw the fan twitching some time ago, but I did not think anything of it. Did I damage the CPU or something in the VRM area? I hope not.

As for a spare identical board and CPU (to keep my Windows 7 license), I may still get them (forget about that giant passive video card, I don't think you can get another one).

I'll monitor temps from inside Win 7 and post again if there are troubles.

EDIT: Thanks again for all of your help !

[goontron]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

^i've overclocked a lot of thing in my short lifetime. one was a 600mhz ARM CPU to 1.2ghz. It was on a phone. A huawei ascend ii to be exact. You are probably fine.

[stj]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

i blame the motherboard maker.
for years they have not bothered to fit the small buzzer on the board even though the space is always there for one.

i always fit them.

[TechGeek]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

^^^I had a computer repair company literally STEAL the buzzer I paid for. I was pretty &%#!*&$ %%^##*. Note to self: Remove buzzer before professional maintenance.

[rhomanski]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

I let a shop work on my car once and when I got it back no change in the holder. Guess they wanted a couple dozen soda's from the machine.

[stj]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

you should strip a car out before leaving it with a garage.
i know a few people who have lost cd's

on the bright side, one of them found a factory-service/alignment cd in the player when he got it back!!

[diif]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

^^^I had a computer repair company literally STEAL the buzzer I paid for. I was pretty &%#!*&$ %%^##*. Note to self: Remove buzzer before professional maintenance.

Might not have been put back in. Doubtful a professional person/company would steal a buzzer but they might use their own for diagnostics.

[stj]

Re: Random Lockup Blues

more likely they replaced the board and the new one didnt have it.