PC Problems

[ski_power]

My PC is acting wierd these days.

I've got AMD 2000+, 2x 256MB DDR Hynix, a normal 300 W SMPS, GeForce 4 MX 420(64MB DDR) at 4x, AC'97, Chipset is 7VTXE, Seagate 20GB Drive.

 

Now the problem is, when I set the bus frequency of the RAM or the Processor to 133MHz(either of the two), the PC fails to start. I mean there's no display on the monitor. But when they're @ 100MHz the PC works fine. So, now I'm not able to use either my processor (133Mhz x 12.5 but now running at 100MHz @12.5), or my RAM (133MHz x 2 but running at 100Mhz x 2) to full potential.

 

Is it the motherboard problem, or is it the SMPS problem. I'm suspecting the SMPS, but would like someone to guide me.

[5614]

i cant say for certain, but i think that:

 

this is a compatability problem between the different hardware on your computer... the average 'off the street' user would not notice.

 

an advance user who correctly custom builds a computer will not run into this problem as they would have researched and worked around this problem.

 

however, for whatever reason it has happened to you and you have noticed it.

 

most probably you didnt think of it when you bought/made the computer and have since noticed.

 

normally this occurs when two pieces of hardware are optimised to run at different rates, however you say both your motherboard and RAM are meant to run at 133Mhz, this is strange as if they both are meant to, they both should.

 

whilst im not sure for the exact reasoning, it is most probably a hardware problem of some sort.

[ski_power]

well actually my mobo capacitor had blown off which had to be replaced. before that it was all fine. So can a tiny capacitor cause the problem?

[5614]

well you said it was replaced, so if it was replaced properly and correctly with the correct value it should be fine.

 

note with capacitors, if it is polarised the way round it goes is critical. also the voltage and capicatance (measured in farads (F)) can be cruicial... in an average circuit it doesnt make a massive difference, however in some it can be critical, in a computer mobo where you dont know exactly what its doing its advise getting the exact value replacement - especially as things involving frequencies can be dependant on the capacitance.

[ski_power]

well that's why I allowed the service guys to do it, and didn't do it myself. Oh, and does the fact that the PC randomly restarts when a resource hungry App is on, like games, 3d max help?

[mossoi]

The restart with resource hungry apps sounds like the CPU might be overheating. Does you mobo BIOS have options for auto shutdown on overheat? If you've got a temperature sensor keep an eye on it.

 

The two problems seem to be linked, have you any DIP switches on the motherboard that need to be switched over to set the bus to 133MHz?

 

I had a bugger of a time deciphering the chinese translated instructions for my mobo to get the switches and BIOS speed settings to behave.