Random Hard Lock Up

[Apex]

1 x Foxconn SKT939 Nforce4-SLI chipset DDR400 Dual Gigabit LAN SATAII ATX Motherboard
1 x Gecube HD 2600Pro 256MB GDDR2 Gamer Edition 128bit Dual DVI HDTV-Out PCI-E Graphics Card
1 x Extra Value Black/Silver Mid Tower ATX Case - With 400W PSU 20pin

Carryed over from old rig was the 512mb Crucial PC3200 Ram and the 80gig hdd + the 3700 AMD 64 Sandiago Core Chip

Fresh install done on the hdd, drivers from the disk used in both cases, shiping bios used.

Sympton, it just hard locks, the fans still spin but the display goes out, amber light comes on, turn monitor off and back on and it displays "no signal" pointing to the gfx, but could it be something else ?

any ideas before i have to start pulling other rigs to bits for parts to test with ?

[redlight]

It is recommended that a 400w psu or above is used with that card.

http://www.gecube.com/products-detai...4#Requirements

If you are using the cheap psu that comes with that case it is not up to the job.
Replace it with a decent one.
If you are stressing one of those things past its limit it is likely to blow and take a load of other stuff with it.

[Apex]

Very much doubt it's the psu, add to it we don't have a spare psu tha you would class as upto the job to test with, it's the one thing i do't have spare in one sense, supose i cold try my 250watt shuttle psu seen has that use to run that above chip with a x800 xt pe 2 gig of ram, 2 500gb hdds and a dvd writer and never had a blip....

If this goes the way i think it will this little upgrade for sis is going to turn out rather expensive for her

[Lucio]

Unfortunately the GFx card is very power hungry, and whilst that PSU might *say* it's a 400w one, in reality that's likely to be it's peak output rather than it's sustained power output.

Pick up a decent branded PSU (e.g. £30-50 price range) and it should be fine.

[IAmATeaf]

I used to have similar issues with a P4 3.2, 1gb DDR 400 RAM, an Asus P4800-E Dlx, a 6800le and an Enermax 350w PSU, changed the PSU out for an Enermax 430w jobbie and the lockup went. I used to get the exact same thing the monitor would report no signal, the really weird thing is it would just randomly happen even when just sitting at the desktop.

[Jay]

also would say this was a PSU problem

[Apex]

580W HiperPower HPU-4M580 Black SLi Ready 20 + 24Pins P8 Ready ATX2.2/BTX
any good ? not bad price at £45 inc shipping

[mrt9888]

It could be a problem with the ATI driver, there is a similar situation with the iMac that uses the HD 2600 , it is unlikely to be a PSU problem because the 2600's don't use much power only taking power from the PCIE slot.

[Zak33]

first..try ram, in case it's being fussy in that mobo.

Download the latest MemTest and run it off CD or Floppy.....leave it and see if it shows anything.

[IAmATeaf]

580W HiperPower HPU-4M580 Black SLi Ready 20 + 24Pins P8 Ready ATX2.2/BTX
any good ? not bad price at £45 inc shipping

Personally I'd put in an extra 15-20 notes and get the Corsair HX520 or maybe even get 1 of the VX range from Corsair,seen too many horror stories regarding Hiper.

[shaithis]

2 Hipers, 2 deaths, 2 RMA requests with hiper, no responses.

I wouldn't use another Hiper if you paid me!

I would also suspect the PSU.....

[greenalien]

Before rushing out to buy another PSU, ensure your graphics card is properly seated - take it out, check for dirt on the contacts, clean with IPA then reinstall. Even grease from fingers can be enough to cause bad contact. Only takes one poor connection and it will lock the PC as described. Good luck!

[shaithis]

Doubt a bad connection with PCI-E will cause many issues, if any.

You can actually hack chunks off of the connector and the card will just use less PCI-E lanes.

[greenalien]

You can actually hack chunks off of the connector

...why would you want to do that...????

[Apex]

Ok guys that was the area i was heading in, i'll d/l the drivers and take my spare ram stick and try them before going the psu route ( still doubt it's psu releated )

Has for bad contacts, doubt it seen has this was a semi new build.

[shaithis]

...why would you want to do that...????

The spec for PCI-E basically says as much, so people tried it out of curiosity....and it works