[BruinBeer]

I have a little problem here with a old computer. It have a Gigabyte 8S661FXMP-RZ mobo(which is socket 478!). Ive always run it with its stock 2ghz celeron cpu, but a few weeks ago Ive put in a 2.60ghz celeron. However, a few days ago I removed the celeron cpu, and insert a 2.66ghz pentium4 cpu. After that, the pc was running normal. So I watched a rental dvd and everything was still going normal
. After that I started up GTA San Andreas. But, then, when I started to play, the computer freezes up and the harddrive keeps 'thinking' nonstop. So I had to press the reset button. But the moment I enter windows it all freeze up again and the harddrive is still 'thinking' nonstop. So I had to press reset again and this time windows didn't freeze but the hdd was still busy. After a few seconds in windows the computer restarted itself and give me the message that it quit out of windows to prevent damage to my computer. So, whats up? Why does this happen? On the product's homepage they say it can take a pentium4 cpu. So, yes, whats going on?

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[jack-o-bytes]

It sounds a bit like an overheating problem. If you have not seated the cpu cooler well enough or haven't put enough thermal paste onto the cpu it will get hot. When a cpu gets hot (not sure about socket 478) it tends to throttle it self to a much slower MHz to stop it overheating. This means that windows will pretty much lock up due to not enough MHz to run it all and then it will restart automatically if the throttling didn't cool it down enough. That is my thoughts any way.

So in brief

1) Check the fan is working
2) Check that the heatsink is seated well on the cpu
3) Check you have enough or not to much thermal paste between cpu and heatsink
4) Once all that is done and you are happy with the final results use a program called Speedfan to check the temperatures of the computer parts.

Speedfan can be downloaded here by clicking on the "speedfan 4.39." link in the download paragraph. http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

[BruinBeer]

Ok, I'll have a look. Its just strange that it was possible to watch a 2hour movie without anything happening. And the temperatures in the bios stay around 35 c
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[win2kpro]

If this is your board;

http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/M...ProductID=1855

On the supported CPU list I see where socket 478 P4 2.6GHz. processors are supported, but I only see where one 2.66GHz. is supported which is a 2.66GHz. with a 533MHz. FSB Northwood core.

All Intel P4 2.6GHz. processors are 0.13 micron 512KB L2 cache Northwood Cores, whereas some of the 2.66GHz. processors are socket 478 with a 512KB L2 cache Northwood Cores, and some are socket 478 90nm architecture with a 1MB L2 cache Prescott core. I would have to guess that you installed a non supported processor.

Although you board is not an Intel board, Intel puts the warning below on all their board specs, and I'm sure the same would apply to any manufacturers board.

"Warning: Processors not specifically listed by type and rated speed may have requirements that are not supported by the desktop board's design. Use of unsupported processors may result in improper operation, damage to the desktop board or processor, or reduced product life."

Pursuant to the warning you may have damaged the processor or board or both. The only way you will know is to install a supported processor in the board, and see if it will run properly.

[jack-o-bytes]

Well that sounds a very fair temperature. Have you defiantly got the core voltage set at the right level. It is supposed to be 1.525 I think looking at online auctions and also a processor website.

[BruinBeer]

Ok, thanks jack-o-bytes and win2kpro. I'll have a look. And if it seems that I busted this pc, I will take it and drop it off a 50 floor building and continue my amd machine's building :-)
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[win2kpro]

Pull the processor and if on the processor heatspreader it indicates a 1MB L2 cache it's simply the wrong processor.

There's also the possibility that since Gigabyte only showed one supported 2.66GHz. Northwood core processor, the processor you installed may be a 2.66GHz. with a Northwood core, but have a later stepping that BIOS can't properly read.

[BruinBeer]

The cpu don't seem to have 1mb L2 cache. I popped back the 2.60GHz celeron cpu and everything is now running normal. So it seems like my luck is out to run the Pentium4 cpu
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[win2kpro]

You might see if there is a BIOS update for your board. If the processor is a 2.66GHz. with a 512KB L2 cache, then it is probably a processor released after Gigabyte listed the supported processors, and just has a different stepping that your BIOS is not reading the later stepping microcode correctly.

Also, it could just be a defective processor.

[Mosquito555]

Resetting the CMOS as an additional troubleshooting step wouldn't hurt I guess...

I came across threads on other forums that were discussing system instability after a CPU upgrade in the past. One of the solutions suggested was to reset the CMOS.

I can't confirm or deny this claim but I think it's worth giving it a try since it's an easy procedure.

[BruinBeer]

Oke, thanks for all the help. If it wasn't for you people and this great forums, then maybe I was now sitting down and google the difference between a keyboard and a screen(hahahahahaha!) Thanks again!
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