memtest hangs

[ikonia]

guys,

I've been having a problem with my PC for a short while now, I've tried all the regular stuff, eg: mobo bios, video card bios, drivers etc etc, and I've finally got around to trying memtest.

Memtest gets around %70 through and hangs, I've ran this twice and it just hangs (this is the problem with my PC it just hangs at random points)

does this sound like it is the memory, or could something else be causing the hang.

If it is memory does this give me the right to return to overclockers ?

thanks,

ikonia

[Steve]

have you tried both memtest86 and memtest86+? One might give you a clue as to the problem whereas the other just hangs - just a thought.

[ikonia]

downloading memtest86+ - good call

[Zak33]

sounds like an overheating issue on the CPU or a weak PSU.

If even Memtest hangs it might be that easy.

Take theside of the case off and point a BIG house fan in....open the room windows and get it cold. If it doesnt lock. ....its heat.

[ikonia]

well the PSU is NOT cheap this is the reason I went for a quality OCZ PowerStream 600w ATX2.2 Power supply.

could be heat to be fair, but its normally quite random when it hangs, eg I booted the machine off the memtest CD first time its been powered on for a day, it hung. Other times I use it for days on end no problem, or I can power it on, play black hawk down for 5 minutes and it hangs.

It never hangs when the machine is on the desktop, it only hangs when the monitors power off for power saving mode, or when the machine is in a screen saver

Its never hung while its been on the desktop, which to be honest doesn't point at overheating, and I do have 4 chassis fans (2 at the front 1 at the rear and 1 in the roof of the case, plus 1 CPU fan and 2 PSU fans)

But I take your point.

I've also in the bios enabled CPU temp warnings, and so far I've never got one, so thats whats making me thing the memory.

[Zak33]

desktop is low cpu overhead though.

OK, as the screensaver does it too, might be graphics card driver...but NOT in BIOS or memtest.

DO me a favour...take the side of the case off and just see...

just for me,....please

also open the rooms windows, get it cooler..

just for me......please

[ikonia]

finishing current test at the moment, then will do your suggetion.

so far its done 4 complete memtest cycles without hanging

I've got two big fans in, once the 5th and final memtest sequence hangs I'll take the side pannel off and open the windows, point the fans at it etc etc etc.

I'll test it by playing black hawk down as that normally crashes it within say 10 minutes or so.

stand by for the next update.

Matt

[Zak33]

ready and waiting

[JimmyBoy]

what mobo are you using anyway??

i had a similar problem if you're using an asus a8v deluxe ??

turned out to be a bios setting, agp 3.0 calibration was set to off, enabling it solved everything. (even memtest would lock up aswell)

[ikonia]

now two things of interest here....

1.) Ran Black hawk down (my regular crasher) without the side pannel on - it crashed, although the temperature alarm didn't go off.
2.) Ran Black hawk down with side pannel on and black hawk down ran longer than its ever done with out crashing however the temperature was recorded (before I powered it done as I got board playing) was ever so slightly higher than with the pannel off (as expected)

I'm now reasonably confident that its not a temperature thing, although it could still be.

Now for Jimmy boy, almost exactly what you say. I'm running an AV8 rev2 (which I believe is a delux.) I'm running a BFG Nvidia 6600 GT OC - so should me agp 3.0 calibration be on or off ?

Any more comment ?

[Zak33]

what sound card you got? I have a PC with a cheap ebuyer sound card and it would reboot the entire PC midgame

It only because luke313 from Hexus forums told me what it was that I ever found it.

But once again, its not something that would occur in Memtest

[ikonia]

sound card is supposed to be quite good (well ok) its the onboard from the AV8 rev2

the graphics card is looking more like the culprit to me.


6 cycles of memtest without a hang suggests the ram is "ok" and I'm starting to wonder if it had hung on memtest or if it was just doing a big calculation

The things that seem to have in common is graphical work (eg: the screensaver and DPMS shutting down the monitors or the game thrashing the graphics card)

not sure yet. More tests will be done.

thanks for the input so far guys

[JimmyBoy]

Now for Jimmy boy, almost exactly what you say. I'm running an AV8 rev2 (which I believe is a delux.) I'm running a BFG Nvidia 6600 GT OC - so should me agp 3.0 calibration be on or off ?

Any more comment ?

set it to on and hopefully all ur troubles are now solved

[Kumagoro]

has it always been this way?
i did a bios upgrade on a comp which then started locking up randomly. later on i checked their was another bios upgrade to sort that out.

I suggets pulling out all unnecessary parts

[vincent]

how much space you got left on your HDD ? ( i know it sounds newbie-but we need to check every single aspect of the pc )

what is your HDD and the space?

try this command....
Go to start---> Run and type in without the quotes "%temp%". Then when a explorer window comes up press Ctrl+A to select all,then hit the delete button,dont worry about the ones that cannot delete ;-)

Have u tried a Virus and Spyware scan as well ;-)

Make sure to take away all the possible problems ;-)