Mainboard or CPU?

[garymeds]

it is the board - it died on me just now. looking for another while i RMA. i totally lost video either from on board or PCI-E card and pc doesn't boot up (powers up ok)..

just popping on here to see if there are any suggestions!

[_Iz-]

I've used the ASUS M2A-VM in the last 3 computers I built, I'm VERY happy with it. I currently have the M2NPV-VM in my PVR and it's OK but isn't quite as stable as I'd like... I'm considering swapping it out for another M2A...

[pastro]

memtest86 finds lots of problems with flakey boards. Run that overnight and see if there are any errors.

[fluffykeith]

I thought Id throw in my 2 cents worth here.

I had a memory fault, well not a fault but a timing issue. memtest worked fine but using prime95 showed up the error.

Either give that try or in the bios underclock the system. The memory controller is on chip for the AMD so reducing the multipler will also reduce the memory speed which is what I did.

Keith

[daveid]

I thought Id throw in my 2 cents worth here.

I had a memory fault, well not a fault but a timing issue. memtest worked fine but using prime95 showed up the error.

Either give that try or in the bios underclock the system. The memory controller is on chip for the AMD so reducing the multipler will also reduce the memory speed which is what I did.

Keith

Reducing the multiplier of the cpu has no effect on the memory speed, only on the cpu speed. You would have to reduce the FSB/Clock speed or set a RAM divider to lower the speed of the memory.
For example, if your cpu speed is 2.2 GHz, with a 200 MHz FSB and a multiplier of 11, your ram speed is 400MHz (200x2 for DDR).
If you lower your multiplier to 10, your cpu speed will drop to 2.0GHz, however your ram will stay at 200x2 = 400MHz, because it is set by the FSB.
To lower your RAM speed, and leave the cpu at 2.2GHz, you must set a RAM Divider, which is done in one of two ways. 1. by selecting a lower speed i.e. setting 166 (or 333) which would give you ~157x2 = 314. Or 2. by selecting a divider such as 1/1 (400), 5/6 (333), 2/3 (266), 1/2 (200) 1/3 (133) 1/4 (100).
The formula used to determine the ram speed does have to do with the multiplier, but as long as the memory is set to 1:1 (200MHz), it will run at whatever speed your cpu FSB is set to.
Divisor = CPU Clock Speed / (RAM Divider * HTT)
Then round the Divisor to the next highest whole number.
Actual RAM speed = CPU Clock Speed / Whole numbered divisor
so. using the example of a 11x200 = 2.2GHz cpu, if you lower the memory divider to 5/6 (333) you would do this:

divisor (x) = 2200 / (5/6 * 200)
x = 2200 / 166.66
x = 13.2
divisor = 14
ram speed = 2200 / 14
ram speed = 157x2 = 314MHz.

[lester]

I have had a couple of bad CPU's I think they were AMD Athalons? I usually use SiSoft Sandra to do burn ins and checks.