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computer issues: part infinity

unofan

unofan

Well-known member
So my desktop (which I'm using right now) is starting to randomly freeze.

Sometimes it works for hours playing games without freezing at all
sometimes it freezes after a few minutes
sometimes it freezes when logging into windows
sometimes it freezes after post while as windows is loading
sometimes it hangs during post.
Occasionally it self re-starts during post after hanging up at various points.
Sometimes the problem is a complete freeze as the keyboard lights don't respond when pressing numlock or caps lock, other times it looks like the keyboard / mouse still respond and it's just a video card thing.

Sometimes the motherboard gives 3-4 long beeps at post code 25 (which the manual says is "Shadow System - Video BIOS") but continues to post and gives the all clear afterwards. It also hangs on other codes occasionally.

The only seemingly common element is that after the first freeze, i must do a hard shutdown (power off, power cable unplugged) to have any chance of getting back into windows for a useable amount of time. If I just hit reset, it normally hangs either during post or as windows is loading.

Don't think it's memory related, as I've removed the sticks and used them one at a time without any noticeable change.

My guess is it's either the video card or the motherboard itself. Short of buying a new video card and trying it out (only to find out the problems persist, probably indicating it was really the motherboard), anyone know a good way to diagnose which is the problem?
 
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Re: computer issues: part infinity

So after doing some further diagnosis, I am fairly confident it's either the video card or motherboard. Basically the beeping pattern it sometimes does during POST indicates a video failure of some sort, and was the same error i got when trying to boot it up without any video card in the board.

That said, I can't tell yet if it means the videocard's shorting out or if it's the motherboard merely failing to read the video card among other things...

So that brings me back to the original question:
1) Anyway to determine which is the problem short of buying a new video card and seeing if that fixes it?
2) Before I get to that point, can anyone confirm a video card failure could cause the computer to totally freeze up in the manner in which I described? In other words, is it possible for a computer to run fine for anywhere from 5 seconds to 5 hours before the video card freezes everything (i.e. not just the video?). Can a video card problem cause a computer to hang up even while simply trying to look at the BIOS settings?
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

Does your computer have integrated graphics? I always buy Dells with the integrated graphics and then buy my own video (and sound) card(s) at much lower prices. Then I can install them and disable the onboard stuff. I ask, because you could remove your video card and try the onboard graphics to see if the card is the problem. I would think a video card problem would stop the computer during POST as you describe rather than hours later, but perhaps it overheating?
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

icebadger said:
Does your computer have integrated graphics? I always buy Dells with the integrated graphics and then buy my own video (and sound) card(s) at much lower prices. Then I can install them and disable the onboard stuff. I ask, because you could remove your video card and try the onboard graphics to see if the card is the problem. I would think a video card problem would stop the computer during POST as you describe rather than hours later, but perhaps it overheating?
Click to expand...

No integrated graphics - it's a combo of a cheap Newegg prebuilt and do-it-yourself upgrades. Kept the motherboard/CPU/disk drives from the prebuilt, but put in my own video card and RAM. Also had to switch out the power supply about 6 months ago when the original one (a no name brand) went on the fritz.

Sadly, I'm finding out it'd be a cheaper fix (though a much bigger pain in the ***) if it's the motherboard. I can get a new one of those for about $60 since I only need one that fits a duo core processor and not an i7. Replacing the video card with a comparable is probably gonna be $100-$125.

Bah.
 
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Re: computer issues: part infinity

zombie thread revival :)

So I'm kicking myself now. I'd bought a new video card 6 months ago and got the same errors, so I knew that wasn't the issue (and was able to return the card for a full refund less shipping). Stopped working on it at that point cause I assumed it was the motherboard.

Fast forward 8 months and it turns out the problem was really the power supply; I must have just gotten a lemon when I replaced it the first time around and the 12v rail for the video card must've stopped working. I finally got around to trying to fix it again last night and bought a power supply kind of on a whim, since the alternative was going to be buying a new motherboard/cpu/memory (since I'd upgrade from a core 2 to an i5 at the same time) and I was hoping for a cheaper fix. Lo and behold it seems to have worked.

It crashed once while I was in the middle of downloading and installing the 60+ windows updates waiting for me, but otherwise at least it's booting up correctly. I can play the Mass Effect games again. Woohoo!
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

Hey all,

I recently had a malware infect my computer (it was the kind that tried to get you to "buy" their anti-virus software and would tell you that you were infected. I used a program called Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, which removed the malware. Unfortunately it also removed all my .exe programs. So now when I try to open up any program, my computer prompts me to ask what program should it open it with. Very annoying. Any idea how to to fix it? I googled the problem and followed the common solution I saw. This involved downloading a REG file and a ZIP file. It did not work... Any ideas folks?
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

My computer quit working a couple months ago. So I threw it in the closet. Haven't missed it yet.
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

bigblue_dl said:
My computer quit working a couple months ago. So I threw it in the closet. Haven't missed it yet.
Click to expand...

You didn't really go to Tech, did you? You just went to a mechanics trade school in Houton and somehow got a degree from Tech.
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

Biddco said:
Hey all,

I recently had a malware infect my computer (it was the kind that tried to get you to "buy" their anti-virus software and would tell you that you were infected. I used a program called Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, which removed the malware. Unfortunately it also removed all my .exe programs. So now when I try to open up any program, my computer prompts me to ask what program should it open it with. Very annoying. Any idea how to to fix it? I googled the problem and followed the common solution I saw. This involved downloading a REG file and a ZIP file. It did not work... Any ideas folks?
Click to expand...
We had that happen on our laptop last year when my wife clicked on a window that popped up, asking her to scan the hard drive for viruses, which is what caused the infection. My sister knows computers and pointed us to Malwarebytes anti-malware program. I downloaded it on another computer onto a thumbdrive, installed it, and it got rid of the thing totally. I don't recall for sure if we could run it off our thumb drive or if it was installed on the infected computer's hard drive. But it was the same kind of thing where they say you have to buy their software or else your computer is almost impossible to use. Hope that helps.
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

I suddenly cannot get my DVD/CD drive to open. I was dl'ing cds via iTunes and selected, "Sound Enhancer" and "Sound Check" in preferences. Then the program started analyzing every song and iTunes stopped recognizing the CD in the drive. After two reboots, the drive still doesn't even show up as a device in Computer. Thoughts?
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

Slap Shot said:
I suddenly cannot get my DVD/CD drive to open. I was dl'ing cds via iTunes and selected, "Sound Enhancer" and "Sound Check" in preferences. Then the program started analyzing every song and iTunes stopped recognizing the CD in the drive. After two reboots, the drive still doesn't even show up as a device in Computer. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

If you're running windows, you should go back to a restore point, depending upon what you've added since that time. If that doesn't work, then you should try getting the drivers needed for that device. If you know the manufacturer, go to its site. If you don't there are sites that tell you the components used in building your computer model.

Before any of that, though, you should make a backup of all your picture, video, music and other data files. If necessary, get yourself an external hard drive to use as a backup, if for nothing other than peace of mind. Sizable external hard drives are pretty cheap right now.
 
Re: computer issues: part infinity

Did you get the CD/DVD out? If you go to My Computer -> DVD Drive and right click you can eject the CD/DVD.
 
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Re: computer issues: part infinity

Greyeagle said:
Did you get the CD/DVD out? If you go to My Computer -> DVD Drive and right click you can eject the CD/DVD.
Click to expand...

The Drive wasn't showing - as if the computer didn't recognize it existed. I did a system restore from the previous morning, shut the computer off and went to lunch with the family. When I booted up just now it's there and working.
 
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