Problems with P4 3.0 w/HT on ASRock p4vt8+ overheating/crashing

[tchiseen]

I've been experiencing issues I belive are caused by my processor. I have a P4 3.0 ghz w/HT and an ASRock p4vt8+ mobo. Running at 200mhz fsb the system gets BSODs very frequently and produces many errors in memtest test #7. I partially solved this problem by underclocking the fsb to 188-190mhz. This produces almost no bsods and almost no errors in memtest test 7. (this trend of improvement continues for slower clock speeds). however, my system still crashes! I think it may be a heating issue but I'm not sure for the following reasons: different sensor tests produce different information. SpeedFan says im up around 70 C (computer at idle) - ( temp 2 winbondw83697hf at $290 71 C ). So does Sandra.
In bios though it says my cpu is around 40 C.
But EVEREST says im a lot cooler than 70.
all progs say my _system_ is a chilly ~30. i've got a brand new case with a 80mil intake and 120mil exhaust right at the back near the cpu. stock heatsink. so im thinkin' it should be all good.

what really boggles me is this: as soon as i run everest(the sensor button esp.), all my other progs drop their readings for my CPU. (34-38 C). In speedfan temp 1 stays the same. (like somehow everest made the sensors smarten up?) having said all that, the system still crashes with everest saying my shizzle's all gravy. no bsods either, justs hangs, or the screen goes black like it's rebooted but hasnt.
i just dont get it. plx help me. i've got the voltages at like 1.5-3.31-4.97-11.13-4.82 ( donno if that's the right order)
its also weird cause the ati overdrive says my GPU is at like 69 C but everst says its 50C. *shrug*

what is going on!!!!! - im almost certain there isn't a problem with the sink not contacting the cpu, as i had it professionally installed (and just to check i popped it out myself and it looked gravy) i know i should slap some artic silver on it but i've read around and people with the same problem say the silver isnt what fixes it. help!

cheers

 

[zephead]

in your bios disable cpc override, if given the option. next relax your memory timings. if that stuff doesn't get it, update the bios or try different ram. these kind of things usually happen to marginal board companies such as asrock, which is known for 'penny pinching'
example: an amptron that i just worked on wouldn't allow for more than 1 stick of ram installed and the onboard ide controller to work at the same time. no matter what was done it still wouldn't work, i decided not to call amptron as it would waste time and said system was needed. i could go on for days about these things...

 

[tchiseen]

i did upgrade the bios, and I have tried all the memory timings/speeds and im still getting the same stuff. i suppose ill try different ram, but im more concerned about the heat readings. i did fix a problem with BSODs by underclocking. thanks for the advice!

 

[zephead]

are you satisfied with underclocking and leaving it at that? i wouldn't stand for a such a product.

 

[tchiseen]

oh hell no im just waiting til i can prove which part is causing me problems cause once i figure out that ***** is getting RMA'd. hehe. but the system is still crashing and im not sure if its a heat thing. i know asrock has this u-cop bull**** but i dont know how hot it lets it get before it shuts off. it could be that or it could be something else. lord only knows. im gonna slap some arctic silver 5 on it and see if that helps.

 

[zephead]

i wouldn't replace it with another asrock product, it's bound to be equally bad.

 

[tbrunt3]

One asrock not know for a OC BOARD I dont recommend it ! Get a real Asus great board for OC also always use the paste between your cpu and heatsink jsut a little bit will do you the problem is when you get way to much...

 

[tchiseen]

ya screw asrock and screw the shop i bought it from. *hax0rz them* hehe. its a shame though cause if my asrock board worked it'd be everything i need... 8 usb, 8x agp, room for 3 gig ram at pc3200, via chipset etc. *shrug* i want one of the fatty platinum boards. and a lit keyboard. hehe. but seriously, i need some help here, so if anyone can figue out what my problem is lemme know. im prolly going to get a thermaltake p4 spark 7+. i donno.

 

[fishhookz]

I had the same board with P4 2.0gig and it worked perfect for months. I sold it for an upgrade.

BSODs, from my exp., are usually the result of bad drivers, bad RAM, and unstable overclocking. I didn't and wouldn't o/c Asrock. BTW, ANY app can freeze a PC. I'd run either mbm5 or speedfan for temps.

Your case sounds good to me. Prescott is ALWAYS hot by design. My friend has the same CPU and his temp is around 40 under load both in BIOS and fan speed controler. But his Tornado is LOUD. And his TT tower 120 is HUGE. All copper. UFO side fan. He'll upgrade his intakes fans for even lower temps. His board is ASUS P4P800-e-DLX.

I would not recommend that TT 7+ HSF. Save that money for a better board.

 

[zephead]

you can't buy a board based on just price and features

 

[tbrunt3]

Place some paste on the procrossor between that and the heatsink... this will more than likely solve the heat issue...

 

[tchiseen]

hmm. to fishy- thank you! the board is alright for now, but i've got a 3.0 on it and i've got it underclocked not o/c. i've just bought more ram, i've tested with multiple sticks, and still got bsods. ive tried mbm5 and it didnt have the asrock p4vt8+ on the list... i use speedfan and its always on 70+.
i dont know what to do about the hsf cause it's gonna cost me 10 bucks to get arctic silver (damn australia sucks) so i might as well consolidate and pay shipping once instead of twice. in any case im looking at a scythe samurai for $35AU. so hey. whatever. maybe the next cpu i buy will be an athlon. *shrug*

 

[tchiseen]

today, i did just that, got some good thermal grease, applied it per manual, and im still having the same issues. the **** says it's at like 70+ C at rest... but bios says its about 5 C cooler. what's going on?

Place some paste on the procrossor between that and the heatsink... this will more than likely solve the heat issue...

 

[tbrunt3]

Open the side of the case blow a small floor fan in there ..See if that helps Do you have anything overclocked at all??? Or do you have a prescott they famous for being hot the old batch..

let us know

 

[tchiseen]

i've got the case open and nothing's overclocked, my cpu is actually underclocked, and its a northwood, 512 l2

 

[zephead]

i'll bet asrock skimped on the sensors as well as other parts.

 

[tbrunt3]

You applied the paste I see.. This is still a heat Issue Probbly more than likely do to this being a basically Generinc Motherboard (Asrock) Sorry but it falls in this classification becuse of the parts they used and basically they might of skimped on parts this is why this board much cheaper than a Brand name one Like Asus MSi and Gigibyte ..

Open the side of case will help but u need the fan blowing in there too.. I suggest investing in fans and putting them on your case Remember Heat is a Killer and this temp is under normal load this is way to hot.Also investing in a good heatsink and fan for your procrossor will help and not use the one that comes with it

 

[tchiseen]

ya i've got 4 fans in the case (a new coolermaster) and a new heatsink and it still runs fairly hot and crashes. i know the temp takes a while to dip but it hasnt dipped at all. i think the sensor may be broken, but i think my crashes are coming from somewhere else.

 

[fishhookz]

It'd help when/if it crashes, you immediately reset and check the cpu temp in bios. Then you'll know if it's still 70ish. Then you'll know the crash comes from somewhere else.

Format hd, do a clean install of xp. Nothing else. let's it run for an hour or so. reboot. Check temps in bios. If it's stable, then the software is the cause.

BTW, have you updated the bios?

 

[tchiseen]

an imediate restart shows temps of about 38 C consistantly.
i have updated the bios. im on the newet version.

what will formatting acheive? i've done this about twice thinking it would solve this problem but it's done nothing.

 

[tbrunt3]

Formatting will do nothing if you have updated your BIOS, Updated your motherboard chipset drivers and nothing has worked at all as well as applying the paste and this is still hot and you have all those fans .. There is a definate problem somewhere I believe it will point to the motherboard itself. The only question I have not asked do you have the older prescott chip???

let me know

 

[tchiseen]

not sure how old it is, system is <1 yr. it's a 3.0 ghz 512l2 cache so its not the 1mb or 2mb. *shrug*

 

[fishhookz]

I thought you upgraded from an older mobo with the same install of XP and old drivers.

What's the room temp?

 

[tchiseen]

just thought id let anyone know that i fixed the problem. i got rid of that peice of ****ing **** motherboard and popped in my mates' ga-8siml 2.0. it's a peice of **** as well, but it runs very stably and its giving me CPU temps of around 42 C which makes me endlessly happy. i am going to go to the highest building in sydney and throw my asrock motherboard out the window. i am then going to the store from which i bought it and where they checked it and said it was in perfect working order (i have this in writing) and urinate on their front door, or at the very least, let them know they are useless and i will never shop there again. the only problem i have now is, well, 2, is that my mobo thinks my CPU is 1.5ghz instead of 3.0. ive got HT on though so turning it off may help. also, i have no sound, as there are no drivers for this mobo. lemme know if you find some. cheers.

 

[tbrunt3]

Glad to see you are kinda ok now .. It was said earlier in the post the old motherboard was not good there not know for great boards this is why they are so cheap.. Now for the problem now that motherboard has to support hyperthreding for it to work . I would take old board back or send it back and get a different one they will do something if you push them...