PC Peripherals Not sure if its SW or HW problem

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undertaker

Contributor
When ever I open a large no. of windows in Mozilla Firefox esp. on sites like Toms HW,my pc hangs for a second,the display goes blank for a second or two and then every thing is normal.I can't understand what could be causing this?
I have the following hw:
A7N8X-X(nf2-400) ,768MB RAM,AXP 2600+,FX 5700LE
I am using the on-board(nvidia) lan card.Have tried all ram and cpu settings,memtest86+,goldmemory,prime95 etc... but to no avail.Also tried 3dmark'03,HL2 and no errors.
This problem seems to occur only when using the internet.
Any one faced a similar problem and if so what is the solution?I am at my wit's end on this one. :S
 
Even if it were at 100% surely there is no reason for the screen to go blank for a second or two and if it were a problem with memory or with the video card doom3 and hl2(not to mention goldmem or prime 95!!!) would show it outright.
And btw my isp uses the 24online cyberoam client.Could it be to blame?OS is win-XP SP2.
 
Just now the same thing happened and the bloody thing rebooted after the monitor staying off(stand by ) for 5 seconds.In the eventlog there was that crap about computer rebooting from a bug check which doesnt give away anything useful.
 
well if u can make A pic of ur Task manager - so that one can make out what all appz are running. I would Suggest to check it on an Alterante install of XP. thats the best thing to have - as abackup remedy + its excellect to check Software bugs
 
No particular events in event viewer.Regarding PSU:I am using a COLORSIT 300 FNE PSU (labelled "400W"LOL) but it don't think it is the culprit.I just got it (as an earlier "finex 350w" one was rebooting in 3d mark).If PSU is the culprit:HL2 and doom3 must crash so should 3dmark,right?Coz mozilla ,no matter how many windows are open, is no where close to as system intensive as these apps.And Gold memory also showed no errors.I tried everything at stock settings but problem didn't go away.My point:if some system critical component like vid card/ram/cpu/psu was at fault atleast one of these apps like doom3,hl2,3dmark should give error?Mozilla is hardly a benchmark or system stress test!
Problem always seems to occur when a lot of windows are open in Mozilla.
I even did a fresh windows install sometime back(have this problem for around a month now) but to no avail.
 
Does this problem occur only when ur using mozilla and have a large number of pages open ??

if so have you tried using alternate browser like i.e.6.

i am suggesting to "try" i.e. 6, and not to use it permanently, to rule out any issues with your current browser.

post back ur observation after you completely uninstall ur current browser.
 
Also try disabling JAVA and check used to get a similar prob but apparently AMD tech support had said Java and the Cool n Quiet technology had saome issue.

@deejay, rt now I have disabled Cool n Quiet Technology. My vendor informed me that Cool N Quiet screws up the PSU as the Multiplier keeps changing on the Fly. Is it possible ? I have replaced 2 PSU's in 5 mths though...
 
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Disabled Java in firefox.Lets see.
I remember reading somewhere that mozilla 1.02 had issues with java to be fixed in version 1.03(I think DJ posted something about it).
The CoolnQuiet thing doesnt apply as I am on a K7 not a K8.
PS:
What convinces me most that this not a hw issue is the fact that during one run of prime 95 I firedup Mozilla,and the problem occured- I thought pc would reboot now but it did not.The screen was blank for a full 2 secs and then everything was normal-Prime 95 was running okay w/o error.If it were a critical ram/cpu error prime 95 would have terminated immediately.
 
@ Undertaker, Thats why i had asked you to uninstall mozilla and try. if the problem is solved then most probably the problem is mozilla related including java related issues if any. Since i do not have any expirience with mozilla or firefox etc i would advice you to first try uninstalling mozilla and if the problem is solved then try visiting and seeking help in one of the vast number of mozilla support groups for the cause of this behaviour.
@ Aces170, i do not have any expirience with the MSI CoolnQuiet technology. Which psu do you have currently and what were the psu's which conked out??
it must be quite low on supplying +12V power.
frequent changing / on the fly change of the multiplier will increase or decrease the speed of the cpu. accordingly the power consumption (12V) will vary.

But what you have to remember is this. most of the times the voltage sensing circuit monitors either the 3.3V or the 5V lines.

12V is generally not monitered (only on newer , expensive models are they monitered). so any dip or rise in load on the 12V line would not be "adjusted" by the microcontroller on the psu.
now when the cpu speed increases suddenly , it starts consuming 12V heavily (The load). normally an increase in load tends to reduce the actual voltage (like for e.g. you may have noticed this on a amd xp cpu's, the +5v lines go down below 4.8V on heavy load) but the microcontroller on board the psu quickly senses this reduced voltage (+5 or +3.3) and adjusts the switching frequency so that the the voltage levels are balanced with the load.

But since the 12V are not monitered at all there is no mechanism to adjust the voltage on heavy load.generally the output capacitors on the 12V line should even out the load by momentarily supplying the sudden demand in load with its stored current. but the generic or low quality psu's have low quality caps which loose their efficiency pretty soon.
Hence the moral of the story is this. get a psu with atleast 17 to 20 "true" amps on the 12V capability. notice the emphasis on the "true". (not related to Antec psu's) This will easily take care of any sudden variation in load on the 12V line.
 
Both were VIP 350 watts SMPS, now with Cool n Quiet disabled the SMPS is working without issues. But my Idle temps are now at 50"c loads at 55"c, I have a pathetic Case btW
 
Which is ur current psu ???
and i would not worry much about those idle temps. improving the air flow inside the case will help.
summer has set in.(i do not know whether this matters much to you since obviously ur office must be air conditioned;) ). the ambient temps have increased considerably.previously my idle temps used to hover around 38C at idle , presently it is around 43C. (non a/c. some maintenence & cleaning up required i guess) hence there is bound to be an increase in the temps of nearly all systems which are not operating under a/c environment.

infact this is the time to really test out the ingenuiety and o/c abilities of the die-hard fans.
 
Current is VIP too, Yep I game with the side panels off...
Sorry for thread jacking BTW :0
Outta Topic but Deejay incase you have someone coming from States get the OCZ value VX ram cheap and just too good.
 
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