Computer freezing problem :o(

Hi there, i'm having real problems with my computer freezing and just locking up. I'm not sure what's causing this, but my guesses are either memory, or motherboard. I thought it was the heat causing the issue, but, now the ambient temperature has fallen and is nearly back to normal here, it can't be that...

[EDIT] Also, since this is happened, i've noticed the screen has become slightly corrupted. Most of the graphics have slight artifacts round them, the same kind you get when you save a jpeg on low compression. I wonder if this is related, or just caused by the constant freezing...

Any ideas?

Very hard to say (although, I'm no IT guy) - freezing can be caused by any number of things.

Maybe the recent heat has knackered your graphics card?

What temps were you running during the recent heatwave? I took my side casing off to be on the safe side.

I was thinking the graphics card too, because of my screen graphics. I've had this card for about 3 years now... maybe it's finally on the way out. Unfortunatly i can't take a screen shot of what my desktop looks like... leads me to believe it's a graphics card problem. Time to upgrade anyway :o)

Current temperature is... hmmm, odd, the CPU is 52 DEG C and the MainBoard is 68 DEG C... Maybe the temp sensors are connected wrong.

That mobo temp don't sound right - I hope so, anyway. :P

I was running a CPU temp of 52 during the really hot days. I'm down to mobo=35 CPU=45 today.

Yours does sound like it's running a bit on the hot side. I wonder what temps you were getting during the very hot days?! :/

Are you running norton anti-virus? Its been known to freeze computers for no reason what so ever, infact I had this problem. Thats why I dont use it anymore .

I'm getting exactly the same problem, Ross, and have been for a couple of months now, so I can't attribute it to being a heat problem.

I thought it was Microsoft keyboard software (as this showed an error in the system logs immediately following a lock-up). I uninstalled that and the problem seemed to have gone away, but in the last couple of weeks its started doing it again.

It could be memory (I have 3x512Mb), or it could be a motherboard problem (XFX KT600ALX I think?). I might whip out two of the RAM sticks and run it for a few weeks, see what happens. If I still get crash problems then I'll probably replace the motherboard... although I dunno if Socket A mobos are still available so it could get quite expensive... :/

Yeah, that's the problem here too. Getting another cheap socket A mobo. Can't admit to seeing any. I'll probably need to get a sempron or summit. It's a pain in the ass tbh. But the corrupt graphics display could be a clue. When i get some money, it's a new mobo cpu and graphics card and memory for me :D

Can't afford a new keyboard though :/

Yeah, that's the problem here too. Getting another cheap socket A mobo. Can't admit to seeing any. I'll probably need to get a sempron or summit. It's a pain in the ass tbh. But the corrupt graphics display could be a clue. When i get some money, it's a new mobo cpu and graphics card and memory for me :D

Can't afford a new keyboard though :/

Weetbix, nah, i don't run norton. It's a complete lock up. Nothing moves, mouse freezes. I'm pretty sure it's hardware.

Big10p, tis pretty high, but it's been like that since i bought it, hehehe

Can't you get socket A mobos anymore, then? :/

I got mine about a year ago: cheapo AsRock - cost about £18. Does the job for me, though. :)

Just a shot in the dark, really - you aren't using a D-Link USB Wireless Adapter (DWL-G122), are you??

I seem to remember you going wireless recently...

I'm using a net gear router, and i'm directly connected to it. The wireless part is for the rest of the house. I'm currently looking at new parts :D

If you've had the GFX card for 3 years, I would seriously clean it for dust or something (unless you've already done that)
Anyhow, the symptoms you describe sound like the GPU is overheating. You get the same result if you overclock it without proper cooling.
And another thing - motherboard temperature sensors should never be trusted, as they're not calibrated. They can show you a range, say it gets 10 degrees celcius hotter from idle to load, but thats about it. Motherboard makers just slap the chips on the board and ship them out without calibrating, and that also means that you can have totally different temperatures than other people, so its no use comparing.

I had the same symptons a whilt ago, it was down to the gfx card overheating. Only the gfx card it seems has the power to TOTALLY hang your PC and also cause strange corrupt gfx at random. My gfx card fan had stopped working and it was overheating.

Give your Gfx card fan a bit of a clean, it may work for you. It did for me (5 month later still going)