I think my MoBO is going

[jesse525]

I have a friend with a 2 year old gaming PC that tend to freeze at randomly, it could happen at boot up, when they're searching the web or playing a game. You name it the computer freezes. It doesn't allow any movement of the mouse or use of the keyboard. The computer will randomly unfreeze it self or sometime they will just restart the said PC and the problem is fixed for a bit.

I think the computer is overheating or the motherboard need to be replaced...if anyone has some thoughts this freezing issue I'll be willing to listen.

Thanks.

 

[Josh Weston]

A few things that can be tried.

1) Check the motherboard manufacturer's website for the latest BIOS. Flash the old BIOS with the new one.
2) Download HWMonitor and look at the temperature readouts. Could be that the case needs a session with the compressed can of air, or that it needs more fans, or that the CPU heatsink needs a fresh application of thermal paste.
3) If the temps seem fine, stress the system. Use Intel Burn Test or Prime95. For Prime 95 - Small FFTs for CPU, Large FFTs for RAM, Blend shall do a little of both. Run for as long as you seem necessary, but i'd say half an hour/an hour should be the minimum. Be sure to have HWMonitor running as you do it and be sure to keep a close eye on the temps.
4) Burn the .iso of Memtest86+ to a CD and let it test your RAM.

You say it happens at bootup, is it before or during the Windows splash screen? If it never happens before the splash screen, it could very well be the OS. A clean reinstall would be required.

 

[CPMFW]

which board, ram, cpu does he use?

 

[jesse525]

honestly i don't know any of the spec and i don't think he does ether since it was given to him as a graduation gift. All i was given was it freeze randomly after the boot in to the OS. Like they will open Firefox and it could freeze or they could be playing a game and it could freeze, hence why i think it's over heating

If it helps the OS is windows XP, which could be the problem.

 

[grassman]

Sounds more like a HDD probelm to me, When was the last time they fragmented? Could also mean it's going bye bye

 

[jesse525]

haven't been defraged, but they are pretty new as well, its 2 WD greens in a raid 1. thought maybe that's the problem them being green drives

 

[Whaler_99]

Sounds like RAM issue or a PSU issue. Start with checking the temps. If they look ok, run Prime95 to stress CPU and RAM - run a LONG time. I have found memory errors only after running 10-12+ hrs. Still ok? Look at the PSU. Those would be most likely suspects I think before mobo going bad...

 

[jesse525]

in case anyone is still reading this i was finally about to look at my buddy computer and it is completely random for freezing. i stressed the heck out of it for 2 stress hours.

i had everything you guys mentions going and got nothing. I couldn't get a freeze to happen. so yep i'm stumped

but for the spec is an old core 2 duo e something or other, 2 GB ddr2 corsair ram and an 8800gt. sorry the specs are from memory