Diagnosing a hardware issue

2009-07-25 15:02:08

#1

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

My brothers computer, that we built ourselves, is frankly a pain in the ass. Basically, it seems to corrupt OS installs and suffer from frequent kernel errors. This happens on any install of XP, Vista, and Windows 7. XP has been the best - most infrequent blue screens - however still has the same problems often enough to be impossible to deal with. Since he started having the problems last September or so, he's installed Ubuntu which has had no errors at all, however he has a Windows install going for playing games, and obviously these are continually throwing a fit. This summer we wiped all his HDD's to try to solve it, and have installed at different moments XP 32bit, Vista 64bit and Windows 7 64 bit. Ubuntu is 32bit (a pattern?). The HDD has been replaced since he started having the problems, so it's not that. We've run Memtest countless times, so we know it's not that. So that narrows it down to the CPU and mobo. So which is it? Are there diagnostics tools we can run to determine it? This is pretty much the only time I've run into an issue like it, so I'm having a hard time diagnosing it myself.

Specs:

Intel C2Q Q6600 2.4Ghz
ASUS P5K-E
4Gb (2*2GB) OCZ Reaper PC-6400
ATi Radeon 4780 521Mb
Corsair HX520

Thanks d00ds!

2009-07-25 15:40:32

#2

SonderKommando: Eat, Lift, Grow, Repeat....; +564|6920|The darkside of Denver

ghettoperson wrote:
My brothers computer, that we built ourselves, is frankly a pain in the ass. Basically, it seems to corrupt OS installs and suffer from frequent kernel errors. This happens on any install of XP, Vista, and Windows 7. XP has been the best - most infrequent blue screens - however still has the same problems often enough to be impossible to deal with. Since he started having the problems last September or so, he's installed Ubuntu which has had no errors at all, however he has a Windows install going for playing games, and obviously these are continually throwing a fit. This summer we wiped all his HDD's to try to solve it, and have installed at different moments XP 32bit, Vista 64bit and Windows 7 64 bit. Ubuntu is 32bit (a pattern?). The HDD has been replaced since he started having the problems, so it's not that. We've run Memtest countless times, so we know it's not that. So that narrows it down to the CPU and mobo. So which is it? Are there diagnostics tools we can run to determine it? This is pretty much the only time I've run into an issue like it, so I'm having a hard time diagnosing it myself.

Specs:

Intel C2Q Q6600 2.4Ghz
ASUS P5K-E
4Gb (2*2GB) OCZ Reaper PC-6400
ATi Radeon 4780 521Mb
Corsair HX520

Thanks d00ds!

TBH I would be looking at the board before the CPU.

2009-07-25 17:22:38

#3

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

Are CPU's not that likely to die then? TBH, I'll probably just RMA both, plus they don't stock the Q6600 any more so he might get something new and shiny.

2009-07-25 20:34:17

#4

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6842|SE London

I wouldn't rule out the video card. If you've got another one you can try, give it a go. I've even seen things like this caused by optical drives - so you really want to disconnect everything you can and then gradually keep reconnecting things (or using known good parts if possible) until it goes wrong. As for determining between mobo and CPU, that's often a bitch to get right. Good luck.

2009-07-25 20:37:47

#5

Flaming_Maniac: prince of insufficient light; +2,490|6967|67.222.138.85

I would not rule out the RAM, and I agree with the Berster about the graphics card. If you have compatible memory/video card/motherboard that you could swap, that would be the best thing to do.

2009-07-25 20:46:32

#6

Wallpaper: ☺; +303|6254|The pool

My vote for bad mobo

My flickr

2009-07-26 03:55:27

#7

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

We tested it with a 6600, no luck.

2009-07-26 04:01:08

#8

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6842|SE London

ghettoperson wrote:
We tested it with a 6600, no luck.

Er, CPU or GPU?

2009-07-26 04:01:36

#9

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

Oh right sorry, GPU.

2009-07-26 04:03:17

#10

liquidat0r: wtf.; +2,223|6888|UK

If you're left with the conclusion that it's either the CPU or motherboard then you'll have to swap the CPU out in to a motherboard that you know works.

2009-07-26 04:06:23

#11

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6842|SE London

ghettoperson wrote:
Oh right sorry, GPU.

OK.

It does sound very likely that it's either the CPU or mobo. You're probably right that it'd be easiest to RMA both. Working out which one is faulty without any parts to swap out can be very, very time consuming and is often pretty futile.

Also, it's still worth playing with RAM. Just because memory tests say it is good does not mean that is the case.

2009-07-26 04:07:22

#12

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

I'll give him a few sticks of my RAM then and see how he gets along with it.

2009-07-26 04:17:44

#13

ghettoperson: Member; +1,943|6910

Ok, well he's now got my RAM in his computer and I've got his in mine.

BF2S Forums Diagnosing a hardware issue

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ghettoperson wrote:

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