I purchased the following in June
NFORCE2 A7N8X DELUXE ASUS Retail
CPU AMD|2500/333 ATHLON XP BARTON Retail
corsair DDRAM 512MB64MX64PC-3200LLPT Retail (x2 = 1024MB)
PNY GeForce 4 Ti4200 64MB Retail

fan keeps cpu from <30C at boot to <45C when gaming

all has worked fine at optimal setting and temperature is very low
all has been working fine since june, but now the system freezes at random
if i keep it at 100Mhz fsb there is no problem be it at 10x or 12.5x multiple but anything above 100MHz causes failures
all ram settings and bios settings are correct
is there a way i can test the processor?
will test the memory sticks individually this weekend to verify it is not the ram
memtest86 freezes on test 5 everytime if not set at 100 MHz if that helps anyone

QUOTE (khazedd @ Feb 5 2004, 08:37 PM) memtest86 freezes on test 5 everytime if not set at 100 MHz if that helps anyone
looks like you've answered your own question. looks like possible ram failure to me. try 1 stick at a time as you mentioned

to give your cpu a good workout use the stress test built into prime95

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm' ">http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm

not really worth doing until you can get memtest running ok though. it's just nice to be able to run prime95 for at least 12 hours. you know then your system is able to take anything you can throw at it - so to speak

both Modules of ram failed on test 5 when tested individually at 166MHz
how can i determine if the cpu is still fully functional. what can i test it with?

? can i be certain it's the cpu?

QUOTE (khazedd @ Feb 7 2004, 01:05 PM) both Modules of ram failed on test 5 when tested individually at 166MHz
how can i determine if the cpu is still fully functional. what can i test it with?
You can test it with another mainboard to see if it will function properly.

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"Rules do not bend for you. You bend for the rules."

QUOTE (khazedd @ Feb 10 2004, 03:20 AM) ? can i be certain it's the cpu?
No.


I'd say it probably isn't the CPU.

Because Memtest would normally crash, or maybe not even load, if the CPU was faulty.


When MemTest86 finds errors the problem:
1. Is concerned with acessing RAM.
2. I alsmost always the RAM itself.

But in your case I agree, RAM seems unlikely. There is no reason why both RAM sticks shpould suddenly fail with the same error - test 5 is Block Moves.

Also your RAM is running well under spec.

So my first suspect is the Mobo...


The problem is that Block Moves involve CPU, Mobo and RAM. It's hard to imagine any test which would pin down exactly where the error is occurring.

This is what I would do:

1. Set the memory timimgs in the bios as loose as they will go, and re-run MemTest.
2. Test the RAM in another Mobo - all you need is mobo, CPU, floppy and 1 RAM stick.

If that proves the RAM is OK, I'd move the CPU from your system into the test rig, and rerun MemTest again. If that's OK, it has to be a mobo fault; if not it's the CPU.


Peter