PC crashing with high system usage

[mikemclean11]

I need assistance in diagnosing the source of a problem.

I am finding that my PC crashes when the CPU usage is sustained at a high level for a long period of time. I am running a AMD Athlon XP 2400+ The system requirements of the video editing software is a Pentium III 800 or higher.

There is no particular pattern that I can identify other than this high usage factor.

At the time this happens I am usually trying to render video files, which requires the high level of CPU usage. For "normal" use, video editing and general day to day activities, I very rarely have a problem - it appears to be directly related to the video rendering.

One final anomaly... I find I can render videos most successfully first thing in the morning when the PC has just booted up. This leads me to think that I may be experiencing a heat sink related problem, and the high CPU usage and poor heat sink performance may be leading to the CPU overheating and my PC crashing.

Before trying to rectify this with a new heat sink, I need some assistance in ensuring this is in fact the problem.

Thanks

 

[AckNack]

Heat was my first guess as I was reading your post. What is it doing when it crashes? Just locking up or shutting off?

AckNack

http://www.computer-help-guide.com

 

[mikemclean11]

No it just locks up.

On some ocassions it will give an error message - the one that offers the "report this error" dialogue, whereas on others it will just freeze up completely and there is no response from keyboard or mouse.

Where can I find the error logs - I might be able to post a portion of a log file if it would help.

 

[G0AOZ]

Your BIOS may offer "Hardware Monitor" within one of the menus. This will report amongst other things the CPU temperature. This should tell you if it's a heat problem with the CPU as you suspect.

Check that all cooling fans including the CPU fan and the PSU fan are revolving properly. Make sure no airways are blocked with dust or dirt - this is something that can easily happen over time.

You could try taking off the heatsink, carefully cleaning the mating surafces of heatsink and CPU, and then apply a fresh thin coating of new heatsink compound, and see if that helps.

Is the computer in a room suffering higher than normal ambient temperatures?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[njwcad]

I could well be that the power supply in on the way out. PS problems are often a little erratic with odd, unexplained failures usually at peek load.

Pete.

 

[micker377]

What OS? This is a "common" problem with Win 98 (resources).

 

[comboy]

I had the same problem with a laptop and it turned out that the cpu heatsink was loose but looked fine at first glance.

Hope this helps,

Graham.

 

[BadBigBen]

This could well be what has been mentioned already:

1.) Heatsink not functioning like it should, ergo heat related problem...

2.) a PSU not up to the JOB, anymore or from the beginning... what Wattage is the PSU?

or it may be one of the following...

1.) Restricted airflow in the case, or no airflow from the front to the back taking withit the heated air... just the PSU Cooling Fan is not enough...

2.) Bad RAM sticks, that lock up when they overheat...



Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...

 

[mikemclean]

Thanks everone for your comments and suggestions.

The problem does appear very heat related, as blasting a room fan at the exposed (uncovered) computer appears to allow it to perform high performance tasks without locking up.

I shall start slowly and first clean out the inside of the PC before I get more drastic and beginning tinkering with the components and replacing bits and pieces.

Thanks all for your help - I do appreciate your input.

 

[BadBigBen]

As you have mentioned it functions when the case side is off, and blowing a fan on it....

I would suggest, as you already mentioned, a cleaning of the CPU HS, GFX Card HS... then I would add one or two Fans, blowing out, on the back of the case...

good luck..


Ben

If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer...