umm few things;
PnP OS=no
3t on the memory timeing if possible
do you have pci graphics? if not ,turn off "Allocate irq to pci graphics"
do you use onboard lan? if not turn it off
if possible lower VCORE to 1.75 or tad less but try 1.75 first.
where did ya get 32degrees cel. thats the motherboard temp your cpu is 55degrees celsious,a tad high but normal for Athlon.

forgot to ask...is this jumperless mainboard and are there any jumpers on the board ad all?Is there one for cpu type and vcore settings?

Shassouneh,
 
About a year ago I had the same problems from cheap-a$$ generic memory. I had to underclock the system bus from 133mhz to 100mhz to get it to work for more than a few minutes. Buying good memory (Mushkin) fixed my problem. Another thing that comes to mind is possible chipset overheating, but I know you've heard plenty of that. I beleive your problem is hardware malfunction, so I will rule out software and settings problems immediately. Based on that, here are my suggestion for troubleshooting this headache:
 
1. Install a floppy drive for christ's sake! You will need it for some testing. You can get one for $15 at a pc chop-shop.
 
2. Establish a baseline.
Set your system bus to the unstable 133mhz, start the computer. Do some big winzip operations or something like that to stress the system. Don't run any type of cd software or games or audio. You want to time this so you know how long it takes for your system to crash.
 
3. Remove ALL expansion cards (not video obviously). Remove ALL drives except the HDD you need to boot with. Remove printer, scanner, etc. Start the computer, let Windows do it's reconfig thing if it has to, then shut down.
 
4. Start the computer, run the stress test again. If you have no errors after a while, one of the components you removed is bad.
You need to add the components one at a time back to the system and repeat this test for each component until you find the one that is bad.
If you still get the error with no components added, it's got to be memory, cpu, vcard, power supply, or mobo.
 
5. Borrow as much as you can from friends. Memory, cpu, video card, power supply, and swap yours out to test it. Memory first (my prime suspect), try each memory slot, one at a time. Then cpu, then vcard, and so on. This is the best method, and will pinpoint the bad component. If you swap all 4 (mem, cpu, vcard, ps) and still have trouble, it must be mobo, or possibly the hard drive. Swap out a spare drive to narrow it down further.
 
If you can't find spare parts, you have to figure this out the hard way, before wasting money buying stuff.
 
6. Uninstall your video card drivers, then install the Standard VGA drivers. Do the stress tests. If this fixed the problem, it is the VCARD. Try different drivers, or a new VCARD.
 
7. Download DocMem and use it to test your memory. If you have bad memory, it will tell you.
 
8. Monitor your ps voltage with some monitoring software. Make sure it's where it should be, and doesn't waver, especially during stress testing.
 
9. You should be able to narrow it down to your cpu/mobo at this point. Unfortunately, you will have to find spare parts for these to test them out. So do your best with obtaining them!
 
10. Destroy everything in sight, then got to bed.

Dear Davros, I will look into your helpful suggestions tommorow. I'm tired and I need to go to bed
 
Ironwalker -> only one jumper on the motherboard (to reset the CMOS/BIOS). No I use an AGP based video card. The BIOS displays a "7" for the parralel port IRQ. beats me! Also, the only thing I can change in terms of CPU and/or its voltage is the memory and CPU frequency, i.e Either 100/100 MHZ or 100/133MHZ or 133/133MHZ. The processor will show up as 1400MHZ (1.4GHZ) ONLY at 133/133MHZ.

Now I believe that you have a cpu intended to run 266 Mhz, its written on the processor. Look here for more details on what those CPU numbers mean.
 
Have you or have you not resetted the CMOS properly ?? See my previous post. What settings does it then come up with as default, 100/100 or 133/133 ? You wrote: "When I reset the bios it said something like "run setup" and it set the default settings at 1050MHZ @ 100MHZ/100MHZ". If this is the case there is no need to even think about installing windows, your CPU should be 1400 @ 133 MHZ. This can only be caused by hardware problems or wrong settings in BIOS. Bios should be at default settings as CMOS is cleared, but if you have a option like "load fail-safe defaults" use it.
 
So, if its not a bios setting its a hardware problem:
 
You may indeed have a heat problem, your CPU temp is not 38C as you've previously reported, but 56C. Recalling that you claim to always run case open, this is really on the high side as an idle temp. For comparison, my overclocked CPU-temp (1400@1600) case closed is 45 C
 
Your voltages are off, in some cases way off. You'll need to test with another PSU to eliminate this suspect. What make and model is your PSU ?
 
BTW, you have a setting "Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk: Enabled", what are your options there ?
 
Ironwalker and Davros pretty much said (again) what else neeeds to be done.
 
H.

Quote:
Have you or have you not resetted the CMOS properly ?? See my previous post. What settings does it then come up with as default, 100/100 or 133/133 ?

yes indeed I have. When I reset the bios/cmos, it gives me a message like "you must run setup. press f1 to run setup", and i usually do. It DEFAULTS to 100/100 (which I am running right now for the sake of safety)

Quote:
You may indeed have a heat problem, your CPU temp is not 38C as you've previously reported, but 56C. Recalling that you claim to always run case open, this is really on the high side as an idle temp. For comparison, my overclocked CPU-temp (1400@1600) case closed is 45 C

The temperature seems to vary. Sometimes its around 48C, others its around 55 or 56C, and after the machine has been shut down and allowed to cool a bit, it IS around 38C. So the 38 (or 32) I quoted you above is from the BIOS setup, and I did not make up that figure, LOL. I am just telling you what the BIOS said.

Quote:
Your voltages are off, in some cases way off. You'll need to test with another PSU to eliminate this suspect. What make and model is your PSU ?

I don't think I can do anything about these voltages. As I mentioned above, the only thing the BIOS will allow me to change is the 100/100 or 100/133 or 133/133 CPU frequency/DRAM Frequency setting. The voltages I quoted you above come directly from the BIOS, and I cannot
modify or tinker with them in any way. Also, pardon my ignorance, but what does PSU stand for? If it has to do with the socket, it says something like "Socket 436" next to the processor.

Quote:
"Auto Detect DIMM/PCI Clk: Enabled", what are your options there ?


This setting can be set as Enabled or Disabled. I am unclear as to what this setting is for, so I have left it as it is after a CMOS/BIOS reset. If you need me to change it, let me know and I will set it to disabled.

I don't know if this will help, but my motherboard is an ECS K75SA board. It supports Athlon Thunderird, and Athlon XP processors. It even has a label right next to the processor socket that says in bold letters "XP".

Please feel free to ask for more information and I shall do my best to hunt it down for you and provide it for you, should you need it or ask for it

PSU = Power Supply Unit. Your voltages are definately not what they should be, so if you can, test with another PSU.
 
"the temperature seems to vary" ?? This is strange. The CPU Temperature which your data post above gives as 55C/131F (sometimes 56C/132F) should be fairly consistent when the machine has been idle for a minute or two. Ideally below 40C...
 
I'm running out of ideas why your CPU in your Mobo is identified incorrectly. This is your main problem right now and windows has nothing to do with it. It is caused etiher by a wrong setting in bios (unlikely, as you have cleared the CMOS) or defect hardware.
 
I'm afraid you're nxt step is to test the hardware:
- test another PSU
- test CPU in other mobo
- test Mobo with other CPU
- test different RAM
 
Only when you get the CPU identified correctly does it make sence to proceed to Windows.
 
H.

Dear Dirty Harry, As you mentioned in your previous reply, it SEEMS (keyword SEEMS that the processor is indeed a 133MHZ (marketted as 266MHZ FSB) capable processor. (again, SEEMS).
As for the Power Supply Unit (PSU), the PSU came with the case, and the case was marketted as "P4 ready". Now don't shoot me. I know this is an AMD processor, not an intel one, But when I bought the case I insisted on getting 400W instead of 300 or 350, so this case seemsed to be a reasonable bargain. It may very well be that the voltages are off since the PSU was desgined for a P4. Though an iminent and un-ignoarable possibility, I doubt that this has much to do with the problem since the machine SEEMED (keyword SEEMED to run OK for at least 6 months and is now running OK, at least at only 1 GHZ).
 
As for the Motherboard picking up the processor, if you read my above posts the motherboard has no problem detecting it as a 1.4GHZ (1400 MHZ) processor. The problem is Windows gives me STOP errors If i give the processor something "important" or hefty to do, as in play a game, or run for an extended period of time.
 
I am considering your (as well as many other's) idea(s) of trying with other hardware and/or PSU. However, This is not easily possible as my only freind who has an athlon board with DDR memory is reluctant to have me "borrow" hardware. He has fried one of his motherboards before and ever since he is very paranoid and skeptical about messing with hardware.
So unfortunately

Quote:- switch PSU
- CPU in other mobo
- Mobo with other CPU
- different RAM

 
will have to wait a bit.
 
Please, there is no need for me to bore everyone here by reminding them that the machine ran at 1.4GHZ with the current hardware without a hitch. YES I know that doesn't say MUCH, but it least says that it IS possible to run this hardware at this configuration, or it least it WAS possible.

No, we know, beyond doubt, that your CPU is designed for a 266 speed. The numbers you wrote down from the CPU core prove it, see the link I provided on how to interprete whats written on the CPU.
 
We also know that your voltages are wrong. Alarmingly much wrong, IMO. PSU's are generally made for both Intel and AMD, so the P4 label is OK. What make and model is your PSU?
 
You wrote that your CPU is autodetected as a 1050 (meaning 10.5 x 100Mhz) This is wrong, as 1400 is written on the CPU. It should be 1400 (10.5 x 133). Only when you manually tinker with the settings you get it to run at the speed it is made for, or am I missunderstanding something ?
 
H.

Quote:
You wrote that your CPU is autodetected as a 1050 (meaning 10.5 x 100Mhz) This is wrong, as 1400 is written on the CPU. It should be 1400 (10.5 x 133). Only when you manually tinker with the settings you get it to run at the speed it is made for, or am I missunderstanding something ?

True! A fresh reset of the CMOS/BIOS will default to 100/100MHZ which will have the processor run at 1050MHZ (1GHZ). The setting would then have to be manualy set to 133/133MHZ to get the processor recognized as a 1.4GHZ one.

As for the brand of the PSU, allow me to get back to you on that later. Its almost 4 a.m here and I need to sleep! I will worry about my computer more tommorow (today,LOL). Please remind me if i forget to look up the make / brand /model of my PSU.

See, thats the real problem. Already on boot your PC refuses to accept or identify the parts thats in it. Or did you always need to tinker with the settings to get it running correctly ?
 
Sleep well,
 
H.

Dump the junk and go Intel...

Errrr....guys - a few points of my own to make.
 
Firstly - shassouneh: I forget whether I asked you or not, or whether you answered me, but do you have spike/surge protection? By this I mean a special extension lead or something else that goes between the mains socket & the plug for your PC power lead that is specifically designed to protect against power surges? If not & you had a thunder storm in your area around the time things started going pear-shaped then that could well be the cause. However, if this is the case then you still have to track down which bits have been damaged.
 
Even if you haven't had a large thunderstorm in your area recently, other appliances in your house can cause smaller spikes, which over time can slowly damage components - you only notice when the damage gets to a level where it impacts performance.
 
[i got my 6-way surge protected extension leads after a nearby lightning strike totalled my cable tv box.]
 
To others: What's the correct voltage for an XP1900+? [just want to check mine's running correctly - feeling a bit paranoid now ].
 
Also, when I 1st powered up my system I think it defaulted to 1200 in the BIOS [i didn't notice what it displayed as before I went into the BIOS], but I was expecting this because as far as I knew I would have to do a BIOS update for it to be able to run an XP1900 @ full speed. That's why I didn't bother trying to change the speed settings. However, on another reboot [after fiddling with ram-stick order to get them all to work] for some reason I decided to look @ the Softmenu III thing again & noticed that it now said it was running @ 1500 [though I now know that this was the AMD XP rating, not Mhz], so I looked @ what available speed options it had & found it was already ready to run as a 1900 [1.6Ghz], so I set it to that. I just had another look, & apparently, although it only has the preset settings for Athlon XP's upto an XP1900, you can set it manually upto 13x133 which is 1729Mhz = Athlon XP 2100.
 
1 weird thing though - in the list of multiplier settings it went upto 13x, but then after that it had 13x&above - how would that be used? [my mobo's an Abit KT7A-RAID v1.3 for those who haven't seen me list my specs, BTW]

It's not defaulting to 100/100 when he reboots, but when he resets the CMOS, as he already stated. This is very common, as a safety factor, to default to the lower system bus speed upon a CMOS reset. Consider it analagous to your video drivers defaulting to 60hz refresh rate.
 
Just because the system ran for 6 months does not mean it should still run. If it was a heat problem, or a voltage problem, it can take a bit of time to damage components. It also could have been a power surge or even ESD. You should consider upgrading your cpu HSF and also adding a fan or better heatsink to your chipset. And get a UPS, they're getting cheaper by the week. This won't make your system run properly again, but may prevent trouble in the future after you resolve the current issue.
 
I'm sorry if your friend is scared to help out. Remember that next time he needs help. I don't know where you work, but look around and see if you can "borrow" some parts for a bit. That's worked for me before, but everyone there assumes I always know what I'm doing. But don't risk getting into trouble. You could buy some dirt cheap memory and a Duron (check if your board supports it) and a cheap PSU for diagnostic purposes.
 
Spend some time following the advice in this forum to narrow down your problem as much as you can before spending any money. Don't worry about posting here a lot, spend the time working on the problem. I don't think there is much more to be said in this thread. Perhaps you should print out all these replies for some reference material. Good luck!

Quote:
[defaulting to 100/100] ... is very common, as a safety factor, to default to the lower system bus speed upon a CMOS reset. Consider it analagous to your video drivers defaulting to 60hz refresh rate.
Can very well be, I've been on Abit-boards for sooo long. My KG7R finds the CPU correctly upon first boot (or after clearing CMOS). But why are the voltages wrong ?
If this is a safety factor the advice is: set the CPU settings as they should be, boot to DOS from a floppy, stress mem and CPU a bit on 11.5 x 133 and see if it works.
BTW, I subscribe to the statement "Just because the system ran for 6 months does not mean it should still run"

H

Quote:
If this is a safety factor the advice is: set the CPU settings as they should be, boot to DOS from a floppy, stress mem and CPU a bit on 11.5 x 133 and see if it works.H You might wanna re-read that Harry...

Ok dear folks. I'm kinda overwhelmed with questions and information to go through here. Let me reply to as many questions as I can remmember
 
1.) Surge Protection: No I don't have any surge protection of any kind. Sorry folks. And we've been having pretty smooth weather here, so the last thunderstrike was "ages" ago, LOL. The theory that other devices might have caused damage seems still reluctantly very probable
 
2.) Defaulting to 100/100: When the CMOS (BIOS) is reset it ALWAYS defaults to 100/100 MHZ. I always had to manually set it to 133/133MHZ to get the processor running at 1.4GHZ. When I first got the board/memory/cpu/psu, I did just that and it started to work OK on 1.4GHZ.
 
3.) Stressing it under DOS: Does anybody know of command-line software that could start from say a regular win98 boot disk/CD (not full DOS) that I could do to try to stress the CPU under DOS?
 
4.) Stressing it under Other OSs: Should I even try Win2k SP2 or SuSE Linux 7.3, or do you think I'm gonna run into similar problems no matter what OS(s) I have installed?
 
5.) Voltages? As you can tell I'm a complete idiot when dealing with detailed CPU / Voltage terminology. All I do know is that I have NO CONTROL WHATSOEVER on these voltages. I can ONLY change the 100/100, 100/133, or 133/133MHZ setting. The Bios "greys out" everything else.
 
6.) Heat Damage: Again, I never said my problem is not related to heat or heat damage, HOWEVER, judging from the fact that the procesor still CAN run at 1.4GHZ (although unstable) suggests (keyword suggests) that maybe (keyword maybe) heat is not the immediate cause of my headaches.
 
7.)
Quote:Dump the junk and go Intel..., yeah, FAT CHANCE that's gonna happen with me being a broke college student. LOL (no offense Palos). 
Let me see, I'm STILL open to ideas and thoughts, so please do not hesitate to add your 2 cents to this thread
 
PS: Note, again, When I use capital letters I use them for emphasis. I do not intend to "shout" or have a sharp tone of any kind. Its just sort of phonetic.

I dont want to further confuse you at all here,but is this a proprietory machine (dell,compaq,hp,gateway)?
 
Was this a propritory machine with a new mainboard or cpu?
 
What bios version are ya running(usually tells at post on top)?
 
 
Have you tried to update the bios and if so was it a modded bios or beta version?
 
Please post bios type and version.give me exact modle number of your board and i will do some research:D

No, Proprietary? He** NO, LOL. I should know better. I built this machine myself. The BIOS date on it is September 20, 2001. I CANNOT UPADTE the BIOS on it since I don't have a floppy disk drive.
 
 
IMPORTAND URGENT UPDATE:
The system will now NOT BOOT WHATSOEVER at 1.4 GHZ. After it goes through the POST/BIOS thingy, it HANGS (freezes)! As a matter of fact, If i try to go into BIOS setup to change it back to 100/100MHZ (1GHZ) then it simply freezes too! THE ONLY way to get the machine to work and boot is to Manualy rest the CMOS/BIOs to 1GHZ and boot that way, so I can now ONLY boot at 1GHZ. Any ideas anyone?
Please respond if you can, this may suggest sever hardware damage, and I really want to know if that's the case!

I don't mean to sound harsh, but you've been given tons of ideas, and lists of things to try. Some very logical thinking from everyone participating in this thread, but it doesn't seem to me that you've followed any of the advice yet. You just keep rebooting into 100/100 or 133/133 and then coming here to tell us it still doesn't work. What do you think is going to happen? We can't fix your box over the internet! Print this thread out, get offline, and remove stuff from your comp systematically to see which component is bad. You could have done that 5 times over by now!
 
Again, I'm not trying to insult you or anything, just trying to get the message across. Nothing will change unless YOU do something. So go get to it!