Hello
For the past eight months or so my custom computer has been freezing under large CPU loads in the OS and while starting up and I have no idea why. I have posted many times on this forum and I am pleased with the results that I have received but none of the responses have seemed to solve the issue so I decided to post everything I knew, so I apologize for the length but I feel it is necessary to solve issue.
What I have tried-
I have run this many times the memtest52 (switched my RAM sticks around, switched slots), I ran scan disk to see if that was the issue. Updated my drives and windows to everywhere they should be. Update BIOS. I do not believe that any of my compoments are incompatible with my system due to the amount of tests I have run. All ended with no success. Reinstalled windows about 2 months ago- I cleaned my HDD, complete reinstall. My computers CPU temperature never exceeds 115F with my fan revolutions running roughly at 2100.
My first PSU in my machine was a stock 350W which made lots of noise, and I didn’t think it had enough power to run my system. I run 2 80mm case fans and a small LCD screen. All other complements are listed below. So I decided to buy a new one a 450W one. This one worked fairly well and ran quieter. Though my system still froze and did an occosional blue screen. So I posted what was happing briefly on this forum and suggested that my 450W was defective. So I brought a new one (I know what you are thinking what a waste of money- I sold my 350W and my 420W was a good deal so don’t worry.) Anyways I brought a 420W Thermaltake and it provided similar results to my 450W so it wasn’t the PSU, unless 2 defective PSU’s which I doubt.
About 4 months into building my machine- my first one I should also add- I was able to play games for 2 hours at a time before my system froze. Now I am lucky if the thing starts up in Windows much less run a game.
This is probably very relevant but may not be but I am going to say it anyways. So when I first put my processor (AMD 3400) in I forget the thermal paste (idiot I know) so I ran my machine for a while and was wondering why it kept freezing. Realizing what I did I added thermal paste- silicon paste (brought it at radio shack- $2 or something) I can look for the exact name if you think this is the issue but I currently do not have it with me. Anyways I read in the directions from, the processor gives off this other substance- I think I could be wrong I don’t know much about this. But the thermal paste and this substance given off by processor are supposed to bond. Now this is the third time I have reseated my chip- when of the times the pins were bent- so I used a pin to fix them- this may also be an issue- after using the pin the pins fit in real nice into the socket- so I don’t think this is an issue but I really don’t know. This issue here would explain why system is slowing degrading. The substance bonds with thermal grease and transfers heat to heatsink I understand that. So perhaps the substance that is supposed to bond with thermal grease has been completely removed after 3rd time applying new and fresh thermal grease. Though I noticed no temperature spikes I have an ASUS that came with my mobo and it records everything. So this may or may not be issue.
I have researched this event but nothing seems to match up to my idiotic doings. If you have any questions please ask them- this issue is getting to me. Thanks for any help. I appreciate all you have done for me in the past and I hope this can be our last correspondence. Thanks once again for any help.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

Never heard of any "substance given off by processor are supposed to bond" But then again I've never owned an AMD processor. I suspect one of two things hardware related. Firstly since you ran this processor for some time without any thermal compound it may have been damaged. The fact your temperatures are now ok means nothing if the damage was already done. CPUs do not heal once damaged. The other possibility is an overheating graphics card.

I presume you meant Memtest86. (Also never heard of memtest52)

Have you run any of the system stresstest/benchmarking progs? What was the outcome?

Other possibilities spring to mind such as ensuring your bios settings for FSB and multiplier match the CPU and you have ram that also matches up with fsb setting and the correct CAS latency to meet motherboard requirements. Presume you did that research before building the system.

I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

I think it's possessed. Call for an exorcism ASAP. It sounds like you have done everything reasonable.

You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

When I took the processor out it looked as if no damage had occurred to the chip. I could read the title- of the processor I don’t know much about the physical chip though. It looked the same as when I first put it inside the socket besides the substance covering the (top) processors title. The substance was similar to thermal paste- gray colored and hard to work with if that helps.
My graphics card has a fan on it a cheap $20 that I think (don’t know any temperature specs) cools well enough doesn’t fell hot to the touch- seems fine. If you think this is more of an issue I will place a temperature sensor by the card and relay the info to you.
Yes I meant memtest52 sorry.
Yes I tried Hot CPU Tester or something close to that title. It ran amazingly quick I believe it ran around 7700- tested it before it started to freeze often. It ran almost as fast my friends 3.8 GHz machine with a 512mb of RAM in it if that helps.
“Other possibilities spring to mind such as ensuring your bios settings for FSB and multiplier match the CPU and you have ram that also matches up with fsb setting and the correct CAS latency to meet motherboard requirements. Presume you did that research before building the system.” This adds to my idiotic doing but I have little idea of what you said means. No I did not research this before putting it together; I ran everything at its default settings in BIOS. I will have to look at my manual for where these settings are located in BIOS but what should the settings be at for fsb, latency? Sorry for being unknowledgeable I guess this is why I am here. Thanks for all your help once again.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

Heatsinks sometimes come with a thermal pad. If this is the case you should not use thermal paste. If you prefer to use a paste, very carefully remove the pad.

The CPU and heatsink should be thoroughly cleaned with denatured alcohol. Do not touch the surface of the CPU or heatsink with your fingers. That will leave oil on the surface. Thermal paste should be installed VERY sparingly. Too much is as bad as none.

Haha- I wish there was such a place GXI Man.
Thank you for your quick responses. My heatsink did not come with a thermal pad. I never applied the heatsink with my finger-I used a stick though I never used denatured alcohol to clean my chip after reseating it- just wiped off all the 'extra' stuff with paper toweling.
Do you suggest I reseat my chip again cleaning it with the alcohol stuff? Do you think this is causing system freezes? Thanks for all your help.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

Do as ham30 suggests and carefully clean off the old thermal compound from CPU/HEatsink and re-do this with a thin even layer of fresh compound. If this doesn't resolve the issue then I still lean towards a heat damaged CPU from initially running it without any thermal pad or compound. Unfortunately there will be no visible damage. The part of the CPU that is visible externally is almost wholly a heat transferring container for the actual processing chip which is embedded within.
Do read up in your motherboard manual about such things as BIOS settings. The default settings should be ok but satisfy yourself that those settings match the cpu you have.

I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

Okay will do so the reseat on the chip. But where do you buy denatured alcohol? Will post results once I can get to my machine- Sunday. Thanks for all your help.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

isopropyl alcohol. Head cleaning fluid. CD Cleaning fluid.

I used to have a signature but it disappeared and I just couldn't be bothered writing another so please feel free to ingore this.

Any pharmacy will have it. Could you have damaged pins on CPU? Broken one off?

You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

Okay thanks- I was waiting for a location. I doubt- no pins were broken and all pins felt secure.
Thanks.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

Hello.
So I cleaned the chip with the isopropyl alcohol and that made a difference a postive difference but it still freezes and runs hotter. 118F- just idling. I cheeked some settings on my chip it runs at 2400mhz- if that helps. Any other advice? Do you think I need to buy a new chip?
Thanks once again for all your help. This seems to be the issue and I could not have gotten here without you guys. Thanks once again.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

2400 Mhz sounds about right fir that chip. And did you apply thermal paste this time? I wouldn't fork out any $$$ for a new chip yet. If we can get it cooled down before it burns up you may not need to,

You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

Thanks.
Yes I applied the thermal paste this time. I restarted it a few times and the temperature dropped. Hopefully I wont have to buy a new chip but I was eying up the 3700 and it looks really nice even compared to the 3400.
Thanks for all your help.

ASUS K8V-X
1 gig RAM,
Redaon 9250
AMD 64 3400 Athlon
Thermaltak SVKing Case
Zalman CNP Heatsink

Too many $$$$ for a few Mhz.

You can avoid many of these Windows problems with Linux. Linspire eases the transition for new users

get TIM-clean for akasa its real good stuff

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_small.htm

for aplying the paste and i sujest you use the silver compound

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