Hi there, I recently purchased the following components to build a big mean desktop PC for myself: Zalman GS1000 Gaming Case Intel Quad Core QX96560 processor Geil 'Black Dragon' PC2-8500 4GB RAM LanParty DFI X48 T2R S775 Mobo Sapphire ATI RADEON HD4870 512MB (X2) Zalman SNPS9700-NT CPU Cooler Zalman ZM850-HP High-Efficiency PSU LG 20" Widescreen LCD (X2) I also used: Samsung 160GB ATA 7300RPM HDD Dhilips Dvd8421 DVD-R/RW IDE-DVD ROM 16x I assembled all my components carefully and tried to install Windows Vista Ultimate. The Installer kept freezing at the opening page, having just loaded the background, so I took out any hardware I could spare, namely the case's USBs & other extended in/outputs, the second graphics card and the Bernstein Audio Module that comes with the motherboard. It then installed without a hitch! So I started installing drivers and updating it but found it kept freezing, even when I hadn't run anything intensive. One time it even managed to freeze at the Logon screen. I've been trying to update it but it always manages to freeze before it can download and install any updates. I switched the graphics card for the other one, just in case it was that but it still kept freezing. I removed one of the 2GB RAM sticks, then used the PC with only one stick and tried both individually, but it still keeps freezing. The freezing occurs increasingly quickly when I put the 2nd RAM stick back in, and even more quickly with the 2nd graphics card in too, always doing so within 1 or 2 mins of login. Does anyone have any idea on what to doooo???
keep the 2nd stick out! Its not going to hurt it. Sounds like you might be running into the 4 gig barrier in place on vista, all you need to do to fix this is download an update from Microsoft. However if you have the service pack 1 edition, keep the 2 gig chip out, do a Google search for the patch, and just see if its listed in your updates portion. If it isn't apart of the service pack, then that's news to me! Don't worry about the sli video cards, shouldn't be causing the lock up, at least it never did with my 2 evga 880 gt super clock. Also, if you haven't yet, see if there's bios update for that mobo for the quad processor, could be a timing issue being detected and as a result lock up city. Kind of weird you had to take out the sound module to get it to install... try that again with the ram as a double check. I doubt you will need to ever unplug those usb ports that's usually never the case unless its a really junky board! If that gets it working, I'd say the sound module is the root of your problems, which means driver update. If none, forget using that module and go get yourself another sound card altogether, it ain't worth being triple h'ed (headaches, hassles, and hangovers.)
First, try running the system fully built, but without the audio module, and with onboard sound turned off in bios. If the errors continue, try running the system with as few parts as you can to get to the M$ update site with (HDD, Mainboard, Ram, CPU, 1 video, DVD drive). Do all updates, then download the latest drivers for everything (especialy chipset), and also see if you can find new bios for your video, mainboard, drives, and anything else in the system. Also a few notes: 1.) With 4GB of ram and 2GB of VRAM, you should be running XP x64, Server 2003 x64, Server 2008 x64 or Vista x64. The vista patch noted in the last post might allow vista32 to install, but you will still only be able to use 2GB of your system memory. 2.) Get a SATA hard disk. The performance difference between a master/slave ata setup and a sata drive is very noticable, especialy with so much processor, memory, and video. Also, the patch in the above post is only usefull to those running 32-bit DMA controllers...so if it works, you know that your ATA port is only 32-bit. (I think your ATA & two of your SATA ports come from the JMicron JMB363 chip, I know it runs in 32-bit mode, but I do not know if it only runs in 32-bit mode)
asigh, nvidia drivers they were the bain of me, and on vista 64bit bsoded atleast 4 times a day, till i moved to ATI but maybe thats just me. Id RMA the RAM (both of them) and wait for that.
lmao...how noobish is this gunna sound... er...found the problem... The northbridge heatsink wasn't clipped into the mobo properly so it was just overheating...yeah... added some more heat grease, pressed it down into place properly and it's been fine since! but thanks for all the suggestions )
