Possible Memory Problem

[xKratosx]

Sorry to create another thread so soon, but my girlfriends computer also has a problem:

The PC is crashing at random intervals, but most noteably when running a program such as AVG to scan the hard drive. It literally freezes up, the mouse won't move, the computer doesn't respond to keyboard presses and well... yeah, it totally freezes up :)

Upon rebooting the PC it comes up with an "Invalid Boot Disk" error, which involves having to reboot it yet again, this time it works and boots up into Windows, and then after a while it crashes. Repeat process.

Computer Specs:

  Quote

1 x  Hightech ATI Radeon 9200SE 128MB TV-Out DVI Retail Box

1 x  PcChips M848ALU SKT A SIS 748 400 DDR AGPx8 ATA133 6CH Sound/lAN/USB 2.0 will Take Upto a 3.2+ AMD Athlon XP And Sempron CPU's

1 x  Seagate Barracuda 80Gb 7200rpm UDMA100 Hard Drive - OEM

1 x  AMD Sempron 2200+ (SDA2200DUT3D) Processor Skt A 256cache 333fsb - OEM CPU

1 x  Coolermaster CP5-6J31C Socket A Upto XP3000 and Sempron 3100+ AMD Approved Cooler

2 x  Crucial 256MB DDR PC2700 333MHz 184pin CL 2.5 Memory Module

1 x  Lg 16x52 IDE DVD-rom Drive

1 x  LG 52x32x52x CD-RW Drive

1 x  JNC 4JA H7650 Blue Type 5 ATX Midi Tower Case 300w PSU Front USB Firewire & Audio

I assume it could be a memory problem, the computer has the two sticks and I'm not 100% sure I configured them to work correctly alongside each other in the BIOS (In all honest I'm not even sure I had to configure) so I may try rummaging around in the BIOS or even removing one of the sticks, I'm not sure this would help.

Could the CPU be incompatible with the Motherboard? It says it's compatible so I can't see why it would be a problem. Possibly a dodgey motherboard, or hard drive?

I have done a clean format of the computer and the problems persist - I assume that it's nothing wrong with what's actually on the hard drive, unless it's a virus that's managed to install itself on there twice without me noticing or AVG picking it up.

[paulladle]

I've got the exact same MOBO, processor and memory set-up on one of my kids machines and apart from the odd CD problem it seems to work OK. Have you updated the BIOS as the original didn't support Semprons?

[xKratosx]

Hmm strange, I did look into updating the BIOS but:

1) I (stupidly) assumed it was already updated.

2) I looked on the website with the firmware updates and was totally overwhelmed, there were a few ways of doing it but none seemed viable, I think infact they even requried a Windows 98 machine? :s

[xKratosx]

Just out of interest paulladle - how did you go about updating the firmware?

[Autoexec]

I would direct some serious attention to the systems Hard Drive.

Any sort of disk errors on boot point directly at the system drive.

I would strongly recommend installing a new hard drive and re-installing then see if the problem persists. An 80Gb IDE is only about ?33 these days.

Let me know how it goes.

[xKratosx]

Yeah, I was thinking of that but I only really wanted to start purchasing new hardware as a last resort, the system's only a few months old anyway so if the hard drive is at fault hopefully I'll get lucky and ebuyer will accept it back, even with their extremely shoddy customer service :/

Is there anything else I could try just incase? I'm quite keen on trying to update the motherboard firmware since that could be where the problem lies, either with the way I've configured the memory of the processer too.

If updating the firmware doesn't work, my next plan will be to remove one of the memory sticks, if that doesn't work then it's a new hard drive job :p

Cheers.

[Autoexec]

Ebuyers RMA service isnt to bad. Ive just in the last few days recieved credit on a SATA drive which had the connector snapped off. I make about 4 orders a week off them for items that my trade-only supplier fails to stock.

I'd recommend sending it back but stating it fails after 2hrs of extensive use, not that it "just doesnt work"

Can you not get your hands on a HDD for a day, just to test out if it is that? I dont like to commit to a solution to soon but im pretty sure that will be your problem.

Any who good luck ;)

[xKratosx]

Hmm, I suppose I could always whack an old hard drive in there for a day and see how it goes. If it works without problems I'll be sending it back and hoping ebuyer don't screw me over for the delivery costs (there and back) and having to buy another hard drive!

[xKratosx]

One thing I have to ask just quickly, is there anyway of installing these firmware upgrades with Windows XP?