Random Computer crashes

[jgcable]

hey John do a search and download "Memtest" and oyu can test your ram with it, i used to get random crash/freeze/error .etc and it turned out to be a bad stick of ram and Memtest pointed me right to it......takes a little time to run the test though.

MOSH ON
DAVE

Thanks Dave.

[jgcable]

So far NOTHING HAS WORKED. I tried everything.
I took the computer completely apart
I updated all the drivers
I tried replacing all the RAM
I tried disconnecting all the stuff I don't need.

I think I might have a clue though. Maybe its my Radeon 9200SE video card.

When I am surfing the net like the JCF or other message boards the computer works great.
If I try to play online scrabble it will usually crash and auto reboot everal times. Sometimes I can play scrabble for 15 minutes with no crashing. Sometimes it crashes within 5 minutes.
If I try to watch an online video the same thing usually happens.
When my kids try to play computer games the computer crashes like crazy.
When I play online chess it usually stays stable.

Could it be the video card? I am getting no errors or anything and I updated the drivers for the card but I can't think of anything else it could be.

[SGplayer]

mo memory sometimes works or antivirus conflicts??????

[OnlineStageGear]

So far NOTHING HAS WORKED. I tried everything.
I took the computer completely apart
I updated all the drivers
I tried replacing all the RAM
I tried disconnecting all the stuff I don't need.

I think I might have a clue though. Maybe its my Radeon 9200SE video card.

When I am surfing the net like the JCF or other message boards the computer works great.
If I try to play online scrabble it will usually crash and auto reboot everal times. Sometimes I can play scrabble for 15 minutes with no crashing. Sometimes it crashes within 5 minutes.
If I try to watch an online video the same thing usually happens.
When my kids try to play computer games the computer crashes like crazy.
When I play online chess it usually stays stable.

Could it be the video card? I am getting no errors or anything and I updated the drivers for the card but I can't think of anything else it could be.

Try the Omega Drivers. They kick ass.

[ApeDosMil]

So far NOTHING HAS WORKED. I tried everything.
I took the computer completely apart
I updated all the drivers
I tried replacing all the RAM
I tried disconnecting all the stuff I don't need.

I think I might have a clue though. Maybe its my Radeon 9200SE video card.

When I am surfing the net like the JCF or other message boards the computer works great.
If I try to play online scrabble it will usually crash and auto reboot everal times. Sometimes I can play scrabble for 15 minutes with no crashing. Sometimes it crashes within 5 minutes.
If I try to watch an online video the same thing usually happens.
When my kids try to play computer games the computer crashes like crazy.
When I play online chess it usually stays stable.

Could it be the video card? I am getting no errors or anything and I updated the drivers for the card but I can't think of anything else it could be.

Even with setting Windows to not Auto Reboot causes it to reboot that I pmed you with? If thats the case then it could be possible.

[GWARGHOUL]

Yeah man, I told ya...check into that video card...

[xenophobe]

Intermittant crashes are the single most diffficult thing to diagnose. I wish you much luck. Unfortunately a repair service or technician may not experience the problems that you're having and might charge you an arm and a leg for nothing.

[Inearthed]

Intermittant crashes are the single most diffficult thing to diagnose. I wish you much luck. Unfortunately a repair service or technician may not experience the problems that you're having and might charge you an arm and a leg for nothing.

Most shops out of major stores will charge you $75 to even take the cover off the machine and then just nickel and dime you for every little thing they do. Then they'll turn around and say "Well _________ is dead" and hand you a bill for $300+

[chrisgUK]

Some of you chaps really seem to know your stuff! Last time i got to PC world for any advice..
Dont suppose anyone fancies sitting an exam for me on Computer Architecture this thursday :d ?

[GWARGHOUL]

Paypal me, and I'll help you on that exam.

[jgcable]

Try the Omega Drivers. They kick ass.

I updated the card using the Omega drivers. Didn't work. I have been on the JCF for over an hour with no crashes at all. If I dare try a video or a game I am sure to see a reboot.
I did set the computer up NOT to auto reboot and it does anyway.

[xenophobe]

It's a hardware problem of some sort... a memory chip or other chip going bad, a hardware conflict, a dying hardware device, some kind of USB incompatability, bad power supply, dying video card, bad connector, dying capacitor, dust shorting out two contacts somewhere, power drop/surge on the main board, etc...

If you have one or more adapter/peripheral cards, try reordering them on the PCI bus... if you're running an AGP or better video card, try finding an older PCI card to see if that will remove the problem.

Generally there is no software application that can properly and accurately diagnose intermittant hardware crashes. This is all trial and error. There is diagnostic hardware that MIGHT help, but it's not cheap and only major vendors would carry anything of the sort, and it's generally only used for testing new configurations before they go to market with a new model... Rarely are they used in RMA support...

Find a place like Fry's Electronics that allows unconditional refunds... start small, work up... buy new memory. Return if it doesn't solve it. Replace PSU, return if it doesn't work. Replace MoBo, return if it doesn't work... Replace Video Card, return if it doesn't work... It's most likely NOT a bad CPU, but until you individually rule one thing out over the other you can't be 100% sure.

Software problems are a PITA to diagnose, the world of hardware configuration used to be, but intermittant crashes is the most difficult of them all.

[Soap]

Its most likely memory or PSU, if its hardware.
A video card if its going bad will most of the time do the black screen thingy at boot up.

Are you getting a BSOD?
If so, what are the two last digits of that long number/code?
The last two digits are very important with troubleshooting the problem.
The problem can be learned by the last two digits.
What are they? I'll look them up and tell you.

[ApeDosMil]

Well I told JGcable to set Windows XP to NOT REBOOT when a Critical error has appeared and instead show a BSOD. IT still reboots so something is mos def. physically broken.

[hippietim]

John, what shows up in the event viewer after you reboot?

To launch the event viewer:

Choose Run from the Start menu then type in: "eventvwr" and click OK

You should see the last failure in the Application or System section.

If you can tell me the fault bucket I may be able to get some more information for you.

Are you asked to report the error to Microsoft after you reboot? If so, do you submit the info?