got an issue with my old pc

nakuma

hey guys i need help determining what part of my system is faulty.

i bought a new video card 8x agp sapphire 1650pro series 512mb evr since i put it in i been having a major issue.

here is my current set up.

3200XP 2.2ghz

2GB corsair DDR PC3200

X1650pro 512mb 8x AGP

500 watt PSU.

80GB WD HD

here is the issue, i cant put it up all the way to 2.2ghz i have to underclock it to 1.9ghz (2500XP) speed in order for it to run properly. i cant test my x800XL cause its fried. is there a particular culprit that cuases this? or should i just suffer and when i have enough money buy a new PC. im selling this old PC to my aunt ( finally get her into the 21st century lol ) other than that the system works well. just cant play games at 2.2ghz at all, all it does it restart when i start up any game e.g. wow, call of duty 2, fear, etc. when i underclock it to 1.9ghz it works properly. let me know what it could be. thanx.

Kevyne-Shandris

The videocard maybe taking more power than your PSU can give it (especially if it's one of those 40amp monster AGP cards). If your 12v rail isn't rated for the DEDICATED amps the videocard requires, it won't work -- and if it does, other things will not work [you'll get reboots; and hardware failures even]).

Check the tag on the PSU and make sure the 12v rail is in keeping with the videocard (remember, only a few PSU makers allow multiple 12v rails to use the amps from each [PCP+C and Seasonic are two of the few]). If not, get a new PSU with the rated amps on the rail that you will use the videocard for.

nakuma

i got a 500 watt PSU ANTEC EARTHWATTS Model EA-500

Tyres100

Have you overclocked this system in the past? Older socket A chips would occasionally fail after time due to the memory controller having some faulty algorithms causing many to not default to full clock.  Barton cores, which is what you have, from what I remembered would occasionally fail from 2 main issues, heat and overclocks. The heat was breaking these bad boys. They had some the best overclocking of any chips at the time. Go Barton..........Old School memories, ahhhh.

That CPU will never clock default again if it is damaged. At least you can boot it. It is fun to play with old PC's and to get them up and running. Then go on your newer PC and think how did you ever get anything done with those old PC's.

Kevyne-Shandris

Originally posted by nakuma


i got a 500 watt PSU ANTEC EARTHWATTS Model EA-500

 

What's the rating on the 12v rail(s) (you'll see it on the side of the PSU)? If it's less than what your videocard requires, you'll need a more powerful PSU.

500watt PSUs are underated for more modern videocards.

Loke666

Actually, my guess is that the processor fan and heatsink are full of dust and junk. It is not uncommon at all on older PCs, particulary for old AMDs who usually get's hotter than Intel.

Anyways it seems to be a cooling problem. You can try to see if you can clean it out, otherwise you should get a new and better fan and heatsink, there are many nice ones for a cheap coin (don't get the standard ones however).

Don't forget to put on new cooling paste if you remove the heatsink however otherwise you might toast the processor.

Someone talked about the power supply, and older power supplys can sometimes lose some strenght but this doesn't sound like that at all.

nakuma

not sure if i wrote it correctly but this is what i see.

 

DC OUTPUT:   +12V1 max:17a          +12V2 max:17a

Loke666

Originally posted by UNATCOII

What's the rating on the 12v rail(s) (you'll see it on the side of the PSU)? If it's less than what your videocard requires, you'll need a more powerful PSU.
500watt PSUs are underated for more modern videocards.

 

Yeah, there are so many modern AGP cards.. NOT.

500W is more than enough for that system, he could probably run it on 400W too.

nakuma

Originally posted by Loke666


Actually, my guess is that the processor fan and heatsink are full of dust and junk. It is not uncommon at all on older PCs, particulary for old AMDs who usually get's hotter than Intel.
Anyways it seems to be a cooling problem. You can try to see if you can clean it out, otherwise you should get a new and better fan and heatsink, there are many nice ones for a cheap coin (don't get the standard ones however).
Don't forget to put on new cooling paste if you remove the heatsink however otherwise you might toast the processor.
Someone talked about the power supply, and older power supplys can sometimes lose some strenght but this doesn't sound like that at all.

 

nah this isnt it, its around 50c-55c on full load. it has a zalman copper heatsink. with a 90mm fan on it.

almerel

I was going through the same thing last year and it  was the graphics card. Your power supply should be plenty. When I had the issue I went and got a 650 watt power supply hoping that would change the end result. It didn't, I needed to get a new card, but at least I don't have to worry about getting a new power supply for a while lol.

nakuma

i think its a possiblilty the cpu is giving out. as it wont let me put the FSB past 170mhz which is around 1.9ghz vs 2.2ghz as it should be. however it only happens when i put a game on. anything else it pretty much runs okay at full speed. i also just reformatted, so ill give that a go once i have wow reinstalled.

Loke666

Originally posted by nakuma
nah this isnt it, its around 50c-55c on full load. it has a zalman copper heatsink. with a 90mm fan on it.

Ok, you should still check so it isn't full with dust... What temperature do your processor run at?

What happening when you run it over 1,8? Any sounds?

Loke666

Originally posted by nakuma


i think its a possiblilty the cpu is giving out. as it wont let me put the FSB past 170mhz which is around 1.9ghz vs 2.2ghz as it should be. however it only happens when i put a game on. anything else it pretty much runs okay at full speed. i also just reformatted, so ill give that a go once i have wow reinstalled.

 

I have never ever heard of a CPU getting slower (Well, Holly in Red dwarf get's that problem after a million year or so but not in reality). If they give out they just die.

It can only be 2 things: Heating or electricity, nothing else. And the cooler you get the faster you can run it, even way beyond reccomended specs.

Cleffy

Its either your motherboard or your processor.  I am more leaning to motherboard since the problem started to occur when you put in a new video card.

Kevyne-Shandris

Originally posted by nakuma


not sure if i wrote it correctly but this is what i see.
 
DC OUTPUT:   +12V1 max:17a          +12V2 max:17a

 

Split 12v rail, and if IIRC, Antec doesn't allow sharing of the amps between the rails.

Take the new videocard out, and put the old card in and reboot. If the system remains stable at the OCing you done earlier, the problem is either there's not enough power feeding the videocard; and/or the videocard is toast (it could also be motherboard related: a faulty or blown power regulator; or interference between the rails, which happens from poorly insulated rails, and modular rails that's poorly seated or the wires are damaged -- but when testing, look for horses first, not Zebras).

Also understand that most of the PSUs sold are underrated for power. There's only a few brands that have at rating or better PSUs and beyond cold boots. So normally the actual power is 20+ watts less, and is only rated for cold boot for less than 20 seconds (which means it can't operate at it's advertize power rating, just a short cold boot).  So the usual rating of 500watt PSUs is actually 480watts or less.

When I load a Intel P4 3.2Ghz+GeForce 9700+4 HDs (2 IDEs; 2 Raptors)+7 fans with this Seasonic 600watt, the effect can be seen with the rails being below average (and I don't OC). A 500watt with just the bare essentials but pushing more volts than normal on a PSU with poorer ripple and interference issues can have the same effect., especially with unstable rails (which can and will result in reboots).

Power isn't everything, it's the complete package and how you are running the system (especially fiddling with FSB and voltage ratios, when clean power is even more essential).

nakuma

well im giving the pc to my aunt so i hardly think shes going to be playing wow lol. so shouldnt be a real issue either way you slice it.