Not sure whether this is a CPU or motherboard problem but here it is: Recently I have started too see performance in my AMD Athlon XP 1600+ processor dwindle. Over the past two weeks it has started crashing and freezing regularly. I went into the Bios on my SiS 730s motherboard and changed the CPU speed from 133Mhz to 100Mhz. As soon as this happened the computer stopped crashing and freezing and although I have obviously had lower processor speed the system has been stable. Am I going to need to get a new processor or is this a bigger problem? Chris

What are your idle and full loads temperatures when running at 133MHz FSB? It could be that your heatsink isn't working properly or it's got clogged up. James

cpus are virtually never at fault unless you have a bad cooler or poorly installed cooler or live in New Delhi with no air conditioning. Since you're running sdram I assume you have an older mobo and power supply. 133mhz for such a system is on the edge which is why 100mhz is okay. Try blowing a house fan into the case while its open and running and see if 133mhz becomes okay. If so, you are due for a de-dusting. If not, try switching memory sticks or just one at a time, to see if its the memory. If you can run the memory at 100mhz and the mobo at 133mhz, then the memory at 133mhz and the mobo at 100mhz, try both, as a way of isolating who is at fault. If your mobo has a kt133 chipset the odds are 99% that the chipset is the problem and you may be stuck at 100mhz as the solution.

Thanks very much for your assistance James and Johnoh. I got some compressed air from the store and armed with a vacuum cleaner cleaned the whole thing out. It took my 10 minutes and their was dust everywhere, but a huge load of dust came straight out of the heatsink - so thats what must have been causing the problem. Thanks again! Chris

Carefull dudey, that stuffs poisoness!!!