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Unexpected Windows Freezing + continuous beep

2K views 6 replies 2 participants last post by  crjdriver 
#1 ·
Howdy,
Windows XP student edition upgrade ... whatever
I'm running a Celeron 2.7GHz processor
Radeon 9250 excalibur graphics card
DDR 512 ram (x2), so a GIG.
Gigabyte mother board
Cyclone Power supply 400W
Vibra 128 soundcard
(if more info is needed please ask :) )

My computer has recently started freezing unexpectedly and the first occurances were whilst playing the only game i play, Counter Strike: Source. I thought it was just some random problem so i restarted and the computer froze when it got to the little 'windows is loading' stage with the moving bar. I freaked out and turned it off, and came back about 10 minutes later and the computer started up again fine.

I decided to test it a little running simple MSN and windows media player (WMP), and it works fine, no problems. I turned MSN and WMP off and logged into a server on CS: S, and about 4 minutes into the game the computer freezes, the screen blackens (sometimes retains the last image on screen) and the speakers output a continuous beeping sound, which can be ceased by turning speakers off.

Now, it's really scaring me because i'm on holidays and i've still got another week of nothing to do! CS is my last resort for boredem after my work, and it's a cheap way for someone my age to amuse themselves! :)

If you've ever encountered this before, please help me.. :(

Thankyou.

P.S. This problem ALSO occured on my previous machine, i replaced mother board, RAM, Processor with identical specs (possibly different model, purchased within 18 months of eachother) Graphics card, and the only remaining hardware are the 2 40 GIG harddrives, one of which (the one with windows OS) was completely formatted, and the other with my music and games was left, because i didn't expect it to have a problem, and let's face it.. who wants to rip all their CD's back onto their computer. The Power Supply was also not changed, and neither was the Box.
 
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#2 ·
Update: It happened again within 2 minutes of posting that last message. NO CS had been run in that session at all. I refuse to jump to false comclusions, i DO, however, have a suspicion of the power or something. The old mother board had burn marks on the power plugs on the MB.
 
#4 ·
To answer your question yes it could be a power supply. As a test, restart the system in safe mode. Run an app that will stress the system like prime95. If it locks up in safe mode, you have a hardware problem. If it runs fine in safe mode, you have a driver or software type of problem.

Some other possible hardware issues that will cause this problem are overheating, poor quality or mismatched ram, failing mb, video card, or sound card.
 
#5 ·
i'm very worried at the moment. My father has bought this new computer and now i'm running it and everything in is is BRAND new. Bought a new video card and power supply today. I am about to test the power supply now, by playing a game or something. I have a sneaking suspicion it was a power supply over heating issue, but i will want to hang myself if my new hardware has been damaged by having used the old power supply..

All i can do it hope, i guess :(
 
#6 ·
Okay, i ran Counter Strike for a good deal of time.

I will explain the aftermath.

My old powersupply, when opened up, was completely covered in a thick coating of healthy dust, and pretty much every component was covered.

I tried EVERYTHING to fix this, right? I CHANGED the mother board and processor chip ($500AUS), i changed the RAM, another $100 or so dollars, then I changed the graphics card, TWICE. My fathr has spent $400 on grpahics card this month for MY MACHINE.

It all failed again..

This morning, i thought i had it cured by changing a IRQ setting, however to my dismay, it froze again.

My brother had said all along, 'get a new power supply you dumbarse' ... being ignorant and stupid, i didn't.

I spent the $80 and got a new one. Not a hitch.

I do a lot of electrical related study in relation to my engineering studies, and it makes more sense to me that it was a heat related issue involving the power supply.

If you are experiencing these problems, i should say INVEST ON A POWERSUPPLY FIRST - because otherwise you'll throw away a good computer and replace it with copious amount of money worth of gear.

I don't think i've felt such irritation in my entire life.

Thankyou, guys. This forum owns.
 
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