PC freeze and hangs !!!

I have a PC with these components:
MB ASRock K7S8X
CPU AMD Barton 2800+
Ati all in Wonder 128 pro
HD Maxtor 6Y120L0 120GB
Power supplier 350 Watt ATX
Floppy Sony
256 MB RAM DDR 400
DVD/CD-Writer combo LG 52x24x52x
Modem ERICSSON HM220dp on integrated LAN
Windows XP Home Edition + SP1 + all updates, antivirus Pc-Cillin
2000
Loghitech keyboard, optical Trust mouse (all with wire)
....this pc somentimes freeze and I must reset. All suspend function are
disabled.
I tried to update mainboard bios to 2.40 but the system was so slow and now
use 2.30
Could be 300 Watt are too few for this configuration?
I checked RAM with various utilities but seems to be ok.
Somentimes this PC do not boots: when I power on lights and coolers starts
but the screen in black!
I disabled ultra-DMA function for Combo in order to make it go well.
Please help-me to solve these problems...
Thanks
-------
Zybex

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 18:47:48 GMT As another one bit the dust "Zybex"
wrote :

I have a PC with these components:
MB ASRock K7S8X
CPU AMD Barton 2800+
Ati all in Wonder 128 pro
HD Maxtor 6Y120L0 120GB
Power supplier 350 Watt ATX
Floppy Sony
256 MB RAM DDR 400
DVD/CD-Writer combo LG 52x24x52x
Modem ERICSSON HM220dp on integrated LAN
Windows XP Home Edition + SP1 + all updates, antivirus Pc-Cillin
2000
Loghitech keyboard, optical Trust mouse (all with wire)
...this pc somentimes freeze and I must reset. All suspend function are
disabled.
I tried to update mainboard bios to 2.40 but the system was so slow and now
use 2.30
Could be 300 Watt are too few for this configuration?
I checked RAM with various utilities but seems to be ok.
Somentimes this PC do not boots: when I power on lights and coolers starts
but the screen in black!
I disabled ultra-DMA function for Combo in order to make it go well.
Please help-me to solve these problems...
Thanks
-------
Zybex


If you have two sticks of RAM try each separately in each slot?



--
Free Windows/PC help,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html
email shepATpartyheld.de
Free songs to download and,"BURN" :O)
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/nomessiahsmusic.htm

....
If you have two sticks of RAM try each separately in each slot?
No, I have an unique stick of 256 MB DDR Ram 400 (used @ 333). Do you thing
is the ram stick? I just checked it with MemTest86 and other utilities...

-------
Zybex

On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 19:03:32 GMT As another one bit the dust "Zybex"
wrote :

...
If you have two sticks of RAM try each separately in each slot?
No, I have an unique stick of 256 MB DDR Ram 400 (used @ 333). Do you thing
is the ram stick? I just checked it with MemTest86 and other utilities...

-------
Zybex

Software RAM testers aren't even worth the download,lt alone running
them :/






Work as a PC engineer now.
Pull ALL PCI cards.
Clear their software from the,"Add/Remove" programs list in then
Control Panel.
Re-boot to Safemode and clean the,"Device Manger" as per,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/drivers.html
On a bare system see if the problem still arises then it's not the
added devices and there may be a fundamental Hardware problem.If not
then add back cards etc.When problem arises then you may have tracked
the problem.

If you suspect it's only a,"Software" problem then for Win98 then try
here,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/repair.html
If an,"XP" problem then try this,
http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/repair_xp.htm
Try these 1st



--
Free Windows/PC help,
http://www.geocities.com/sheppola/trouble.html
email shepATpartyheld.de
Free songs to download and,"BURN" :O)
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/8/nomessiahsmusic.htm

Power supplier 350 Watt ATX

Could be 300 Watt are too few for this configuration?

Zybex


You quote system as having 350w then mention 300w.

Either way some of these symptoms seem power related. Some ASRock
motherboards have a cutoff point with quite a low processor
temperature.
It may be that power is being starved from fans/cooling and that is
why you are getting shut down and freeze screen.

If you can easily get hold of a bigger PSU and try that (a friends PC
maybe) that could prove or disprove whether its the PSU before
spending money.

Another choice is to underclock the processor and see if it will be
more stable - this would again suggest you have a temperature problem
if shutdowns don't occur at a lower setting.

KM

....
It may be that power is being starved from fans/cooling and that is
why you are getting shut down and freeze screen.
In computer's case there is another fan cooling but I have inplug it.
....
If you can easily get hold of a bigger PSU and try that (a friends PC
maybe) that could prove or disprove whether its the PSU before
spending money.
Is a good idea but I have no friends with 400 w + PCU
....
Another choice is to underclock the processor and see if it will be
more stable - this would again suggest you have a temperature problem
if shutdowns don't occur at a lower setting.
I dont' think is a temperature problem. System temperatures a HD: 44°,
CPU: 46°, Case: 39°

Thanks for help.

------
Zybex

....
You quote system as having 350w then mention 300w.
Ok, was an error, I have a 350 Watt PSU Codegen Model 350X ATX 2.03 (P4)

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 17:30:16 GMT, "Zybex" wrote:


...
You quote system as having 350w then mention 300w.
Ok, was an error, I have a 350 Watt PSU Codegen Model 350X ATX 2.03 (P4)




Which is lower true capacity than many name-brand 300W PSU.
Check voltages with a multimeter and consider trying different
name-brand PSU.