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PC Freezes

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dberg35

IS-IT--Management
May 12, 2006
1,003
US
I have an interesting issue. I am working on a PC and it will boot up fine but after a short time it just freezes and all I can do is reboot. I assumed it was the hard drive and switched it still same results. I have unplugged all components accept the hard drive still same issue. Even if I put in a Windows CD and try to go to recovery console still same issue it freezes. Any insight would be great.
 
1. Open the side cover and boot up. Check if the CPU fan is working. If it's not ---> this is your problem.
2. Remove one memory module at a time and see if it helps.
 
Thanks but got it figured out. I had removed the heat sink but forgot to put on new grease. Also I cleaned the fan so the CPU isn't over heating now.
 
That reminds me of something I have to laugh at myself about. Back when I first started tinkering with computers, or at the time just had a desire to do so, I had a Pentium 1 computer given to me (Pentium 3 or 4 was the top of the line, basically at the time, I think) b/c the couple were going to just throw it away anyway, b/c they thought it was broke.

Well, to get the knowledge and experience, I took the whole thing apart, meaning to put it all right back together... of course, it sat a good while, so I was guessing my way through putting together. I got it all right except for one important piece that I overlooked!

I had misplaced the clamp to hold the heatsink onto the processor, and couldn't get it to stay. So, I got to thinking - HEY, super glue will hold ANYTHING! (well not really, but it was my thought at the moment). So, I super-glued the heatsink to the CPU.

I managed to reinstall the entire system, figured out the issue was with the software all along. Even installed Command and Conquer: Red Alert 1 on the system, and that's when I noticed the issues. The machine began freezing up in the middle of game play on the system.. more and more frequently.

So then I told a relative about it who had way more experience in PCs... about it overheating. His first question with a smirk: You didn't use super glue between the CPU and heatsink did you? I was blown away! Apparently some other guy he knew had done the exact same thing not long before.

So, pretty funny, the whole deal. I killed the CPU, but I learned a VALUABLE lesson!

CPU does NOT equal CPU grease. [wink]

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me
 
I was working tech support one time and had a guy tell me he put the grease on the motherboard and then put the processor in. (socket 7) I said huh? He said I dotted all those little holes and then put the processor on the Motherboard. I said you did what? lol You dotted 371 holes? Yep! lol and he wondered where the little puff of smoke came from lol. I told him to clean it up, call the company he bought it from and say NOTHING of what he just told me lol. Funny story though.

CCNA
Network +
 
[ROFL]

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me
 
The stories we all can tell!!! I have been doing this for 5 years now and I missed the simplest thing.
 
KJV1611 - I still got an old Pentium I, that I glued the heatsink onto, but instead of SuperGlue, I used Silicon Gasket Sealant and it is still working today...

I had figured at that time, that if it can withstand the 180 degrees Celsius of a engine, then it can deal with the heat of a CPU, sure enough did...

oh, for the curious, here is a German Website that deals with customer stupidity their own way...


PS: DAU = Dümmster anzunehmender User = translates to Luser



Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"
 
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