Freezing mobo

I have just built a system with a Gigabyte GA7VTXE+ motherboard , an XP1800+ Processor, 256 MB Memory and a 133 ATA Hard Drive. The video card is an Innovision GeForce 4. I put a fan on the case to draw air away from the heat sink to outside.
After an hour or two the system locks up and won't respond to any keys except the case reset button. After a couple of minutes it will lock up again and again. It even locks up in safe mode. I bought the AMD chip in a box with heat sink and fan. Are my problems caused by heat? Do I need to put thermal conductor paste between the chip and the heatsink? Are there any motherboard settings which I should employ to slow it down if it runs hot? Any help would be appreciated.

David

 

Check in your bios settings and see what the CPU and System temps are. That's a real nice MB you have there.
Also, on the Via drivers CD you should have something along the lines of a SIV, (System Information Viewer) install this onto your harddrive and create a desktop shortcut to it. This will show you while running Windows what your temps are. Check the Bios temps first though and post back.

Dale

 

Also check your PSU +5V line, use a motherboard monitor or quite often there is a screen in the BIOS Setup that will display it.

A lot of PSUs can drop the +5V line below 4.8V and many motherboards pick up on this and either invoke a thermal cut out or just freeze.

Solution in such cases is to replace your PSU with a better one, or one with an increased wattage that will not waver the +5V line when a load is applied.

 

THanks for these two suggestions.

The mobo runs at either 100MHz or 133 MHz. Of course, the CPU, memory and HDD are designed for a 133MHz bus. If I switch to 133 it almost instantly stops working. At 100Mhz it is as stable as a rock. The CPU temp at 100Mhz is about 6o C at 133 it is 72 C. I am on the verge of giving up and just running it at 100 which is acceptably quick. It is a bit annoying though having paid for the expensive kit to be unable to get the full potential.

The PSU is 300W and appears to be delivering steadily above 4.8V on the 5V line. Would a momentary dip (or waver) trip the system? It is about my last hope.

David

 

Sounds like you are running too hot to me, especially at 133mhz FSB. Did you install a Retail Box processor did you buy an OEM one and then picked up your own heatsink\fan combo?? Check to make sure it is installed and seated correctly.

Dale

 

hot to handle

Stop everything before ya fry this puppy! Get some "ARCTIC SILVER" between the cpu heatsink http://www.arcticsilver.com
Read their PRODUCT INSTRUCTIONS. Get a HSF unit that pumps 34 cfm. http://www.noblepcs.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=216&1=217&2=-1

 

Apparently nobody but Rancher noticed your question about the heat sink compound in your first post.

I hope you haven't done permanent damage to your processor by running it with no compound between it and the heat sink. This is basic stuff and was likely emphasized in the instructions that you didn't read. Sounds like something I would do.

Good luck.

 

It looks like Rancher has determined part of your problem. ALWAYS use thermal paste. I use Arctic Silver too.

The following quote bothers me.
"I put a fan on the case to draw air away from the heat sink to outside. "

Every AMD based computer should have AT LEAST three (I use 4 or 5) fans.
1. Front bottom drawing air INTO the case
2. power supply blowing OUT
3. attached to the heatsink blowing air on it (this is to keep the CPU cool, and is probably the most important fan)
4. another exhaust fan near top of case
5. possibly another intake fan down low, or a video cooler fan (in addition to the one built into the card).

You might be able to get away with 3 fans if you are not overclocking. If you OC then go with at least 4 fans and buy a good heat sink. The stock HS isn't up to the task.

Hex92

 

Of course it's basic to put pad or paste between heat sink and CPU and I certainly did that. I used an AMD boxed set with heat sink, fan and CPU all in the box. The heat sink comes with a pad supplied already so there was thermal conductivity between CPU and heatsink. My question initially was, do I need something better than the AMD pad in there? I have since cleaned it off and put in some thermal paste. The thing runs at about 60 C. Is this too hot? What is a sensible temperature?

Oh yeah and regarding fans.

I have one on the CPU, one in the PSU, one by the CPU drawing the hot air away and of course one on the video card - Total 4.

Overclocking is not being done at present I have it underclocked.

 

Questions

I did answer those Teacher! Do you read these post?
Of course you do! What's Arctic Silver? What's 34cfm?
What's http://www.noblepcs.com/subcatmfgprod.asp?0=216&1=217&2=-1 ? Now I need a nap
BTW 45c= hot 55c=very hot 58c=lockups 65c=burnout cpu

 

Answers

Do you read these post? Yes
What's Arctic Silver? A thermal compound not easily available in the UK as far as I can see but I have found one or two suppliers on the net.

What's 34cfm? Air flow rates through a fan measured in cubic feet per minute
What's http://www.noblepcs.com/subcatmfgpr...=216&1=217&2=-1 ? An American web site selling stuff in dollars. It'll take a week or two to arrive here
However, seriously thanks The information is helpful and I can get something similar in the UK
Now I need a nap - Sleep well
BTW 45c= hot 55c=very hot 58c=lockups 65c=burnout cpu

Useful stuff - Thanks

 

Teacher, I built a rig last fall with an "out of the box" AMD 1.2 with AMD approved heatsink/fan that came with the cpu and used the thermal tape supplied(like you). My understanding is that Athlon's of my type run hotter than the XP's and my rig ran at about 48* C under full load.
I'm just a learning "newbie" so take this FWIW. Sounds as though there's either a heatsink to cpu contact problem or the fan's not running. My "supplied" heatsink fan had a problem and did not spin which I finally fixed after email exchanges with AMD and it was: If H/S fan is not running, press firmly on the hub of the fan (where the AMD logo sticker is) and it should snap into place (some manufacturing error that left this step out on mine). Fixed me up! I have since upgraded my H/S but the supplied should do much better than you indicate.

 

Hey Teach -
Don't be so quick to diss the fan info. Hex is more than right re: his comments and Rancher made some profound and very accurate comments before his nap. Anything much higher than 45 is reason for adding more airflow and that means fans unless you want to take the sides off your case and run budget cooling technology.

I'm running 5 fans in one box and that doesn't count fans on the CPU HS, video card, chipset or HDD hotswap drive bay. Guess what I just ordered - 6 different fans because I'm now hitting 48 under load and this is by far, my hottest machine. I won't stop until I get it down around 36-38 under load. All a matter of airflow in and out of the box assuming you already have a good CPU HS/cooler.

The alternative is simple - get out your wallet and be prepared to start replacing components as they go.

 

Hot, hotter, Flames

Rockster2U Since you have awoken me.....You have a thing for fans, eh? Kewl! In order to get that box down to 38c: solution is. Run a 4" two foot section of 24ga. galv. stove pipe out the top of your case with a 7k rpm 3-1/2" five blade propeller in the middle

 

Hehehe .......

Guess you can say, thats cool!

Believe it or not, have already tried 4 different HS/fan combinations. CoolerMaster, then Volcano 6 with 5400, Volcano 6+ with 7200 (too **** noisy) and now running Arkua. Also have a variable speed (thermal sensing) TT for one of my intakes but it too is too **** noisy and doesn't give me any improvement. Don't want to cut this case, but am getting close to modifying it with side panel fans. Runs cool as a cucumber with no side panels at all.

Will certainly consider the 24 ga pipe.......Any engineering drawings available?

 

Teacher:

Wow! Some of these guys (or gals) have been rough on you!

Sounds like you've got a fairly good understanding of your situation. A few comments:

The XPs run cooler, but not that much cooler than the earlier AMD Thunderbirds (with the exception of the 1 Ghz and 1.2 Ghz!).

A stock heatsink & fan (HSF) is adequate about 33.3% of the time. If possible, go with a heatsink made of copper or at least with a copper insert, like Taisol. And thermal pads can be as effective as thermal grease. And some Taisols are really nice, as they have a tripple clasp connector so even if one Socket protrusion falls off, the HSF will remain securely in place. (You can find them on this U.S. site - really inexpensive compared to what they used to cost: www.kdcomputers.com and likely in Europe.)

I see your biggest problem as inadequate case ventilation. First, the bigger the box the easier to run a cool system. We all buy these expensive components and put them in a case without really thinking of the case as arguably the most important component, as it protects all those valuable components that go inside of it. I bought a full-size Inwin tower and "aggressively" cooled it. The idea of a fan exhausting hot air away from your graphics or vidcard is questionable. I would think a fan blowing cool air onto your motherboard and cards would be more effective. My fan configuration may sound outlandish, but it's really not and my XP 1900+ on an Iwill XP333-R motherboard with 512MB PC2700 DDR stays way below 40C ... always. And it's quiet. I also run a Maxtor 40GB 7200rpm ATA133 HDD, a Matrox G450 Dualhead graphics card for dual monitors, a Plextor 16/10/40 ATAPI CDRW, a Creative Soundblaster Value card, Linksys Ethernet card, etc.

First, my tower sits on casters under my desk. Alarms are set to sound if the CPU hits 60C.

My case has a 80mm Panaflo Whisper fan on the lower front sucking cool air into the box. On the left side of my tower I have a pair of 120mm Panaflo Whisper fans blowing air onto the motherboard, CPU and cards. I have a 80mm on the rear bottom and a 120mm on the top rear exhausting hot air. And one more 120mm fan exhausting air out of the top of the case. My external hard drive that I use for backing up files is louder than my case fans! And the fans run on low speed. If you want the CPU to run reasonably cool, you need cool air in the case in order for the CPU or heat sink fan to blow cool air onto your CPU.

Finally, my case is aluminium, with tight fitting sides. Very cool and very quiet. And it has seen several upgrades and will see several more. A sound investment.

I wish you luck. Please email or post with questions!

Brangwen

 

Brangwen - well said.

 

I love it when you talk dirt.

Just a dummy am I. But I love the humor that helps lighten these memos. I mean Rancher, he rocks.

Fans don't just move air. They move dirt, too. I recently opened the case on my old 486 and discovered that my ****atoo, Alabaster, was possibly nesting in there at one time. [I swear the BBS edited this automatically. I have a white Umbrella parrot with lots of feather-dust.]

Since Teach's sys is new, I wouldn't expect much dirt, which adds mass and insulates like Pink Fiberglas. But I'd like to add a few thoughts, for general interest.

It probably is not a good idea to park a computer in an enclosure that is not itself fan-ventilated; or near the carpeting on a floor; or stacked on other heat-producing units, under a desk, near a sunny window, corner of the room, backed up to a warm wall. (Is there a refrigerator on the other side of it? A heat run?)

It seems ambiant temperature should count, too. In the olden days, computer rooms were best when air-conditioned. I'm thinking mainframe and graphics.

Hey, just thoughts. But frankly, I'm impressed that anyone in Alaska would know about heat.

 

Keeping CPU cool

This site has the cooler for ya'all that live below the 64* parallel.
http://www.bestbyte.net/Product.cfm?ProductID=679&CategoryID=6&Keyword=

Rockster2U with the case sides off hold a real hot cup of coffee next to cpu fan about where the case side would be & if you have one of those 8omm exhaust fans installed on case top/back you will see the steam go directly OUT the back of case. Now imagine what happens when the case side is on! The top/back exhaust fan now fights for air & will STARVE the cpu fan less then inch away. A large slow silent case side fan is prolly your solution w/slot turbine exhaust fan (40cf) at the bottom. This works great with enemax dual fan PSU BTW

 

Rockster2U: "Thanks! Caffiene!"

Pinocchio:

Yeah, I agree about the dust and the ambient temp.

Surprisingly, my computer only sits about 3-4" off the floor with the lower 120mm intake fan's grill within 7" of the carpet ... and a few feet from a heat (forced hot air) duct! Looking from my chair I can make out dust on the black fan grills. When I do "go in" side the case there is a slight film of dust, but nothing worth [IMO] sticking filters on the fan grills over. I procured several filters but when I went to install them I deemed them unnecessary. Maybe not prudent on my part. I have heard others speak about the large amounts of dust and so on getting into their cases, and the amusing stories about various methods people have utilized to "clean out" their cases. From vacuum cleaners to hair blowers!

Regarding ambient temperature, no doubt that impacts the CPU temp as it impacts the air used to cool the CPU. I experience a +/- 3-5C difference in CPU temp. Especially when the heat "kicks on" in the Winter! Fortunately I like my den cool where my computer resides, while my wife is in a room with a wood stove on the other side of the house so the furnace doesn't have to come on often.

I used to be a bit of a fanatic regarding CPU temps, using "Cool It" (I think that was the utility for throttling down VIA chipset boards? Then I went to this Ali chipset, so it no longer worked; to Motherboard Monitor.) I would always keep a readout in C + F in the systray! I would compare how certain functions (gaming vs word processing vs faxing vs burning CDRs etc.) would affect the CPU temp. After I switched from an OC'ed 1.33 GHz @ 1.54 GHz to a non-OC'ed 1.4 GHz TBird, and now with a XP 1900+ (1.6 GHz) I stopped monitoring the temp. I only see it if I happen to go into BIOS which is not that often . . .

Well, this book is long enough! What's this thread about again?!?

Brangwen