Why won't my new Athlon work????

[eliot]

I just got a new Athlon 1.1ghz w/266FSB CPU and a K7VZA ver.3 motherboard. For details on the motherboard check out:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/1stclasstech/ecsvzav326mo.html

I'm running this setup with 256MB pc133 SDRAM, ATI All-In-Wonder 128 video card, a modem and LAN card.
I formatted my hard drive to start a clean install of Windows98. While installing, on several occasions, the system would lock up and I had to cold reboot. When it would detect my plug-and-play monitor and ask if I wanted to search for a driver (as usual) it would lock up unless I clicked on "OK" the instant the screen popped up.
While installing all my drivers, I would restart Windows as requested, but the system would lock up almost every time on load-up and I would have to cold reboot.
I finally got everything to work. I even got my DSL up and surfed the net. About 30min later, my system froze up. Now, no matter how many times I reboot, Windows comes up, loads my drivers and all memory resident software, and then freezes.
In Safe Mode, everything works fine. I disabled every device, but still locks up.
I checked all jumpers, changed almost every setting in BIOS, but nothing works.
The motherboard came with a utility to monitor the CPU. When I checked it during the 30 minutes when everything worked (for the most part), the CPU temp was fine.
Now when I check it, the temp is above the indicated overheat temp! The CPU fan is working. I shut off the computer and let it cool. When I restarted in Safe Mode, the temp starts to climb again, but no matter how hot it gets everything works fine in Safe Mode.

Sorry this is so long, can anyone help me?
Thanks in advance,

Eliot

 

[butchrecon]

Could be a bad main board or Processor. Do you access to either to test? Could also be RAM problems (BAD). I would try replacing if possible. If not Take out ALL peripherals and restart. Does it still lock up? If it does then its one of the 3 I listed. If it does not it could be one of your peripherals. James Collins
Systems Support Engineer
A+, MCP

email: butchrecon@skyenet.net

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[eliot]

Thanks for the reply, James.
I isolated down to a USB issue. When I start my computer w/any USB peripherals (even just a USB hub!) my system immediately locks up. When I plug anything in, I can hear my transformer fan speed up and then my CPU temp starts to soar! A couple moments later and everything locks up.
I tried changing every USB-related jumper and BIOS setting, but nothing seems to work. I'll have to email the motherboards' help desk Monday morning.
Thanks again!