Win98 not running well - sorta jerky

[FrayDenZ]

I had my cpu (k62 400 on Soyo 5ema mobo) oc'd for a while and it burned it up. I swapped cpu's and reformatted my HD (a Fujitsu 6.4 G 5400rpm). It seems to run ok for about an hour after I've reformatted - done it 2x - but after that, it starts acting funny. I right click on something for the menu, and it locks for about 10secs or I have to ctrl-alt-del to close whatever window I'm in. It does that with IE5, too, like if I try to maximize, it'll lock - this is the 2nd time I've tried to post this. I opened a new IE window and ended up having to reboot.
I dont think my system is too hot. I burned the peltier cooler out that I had, too, but the fan still works. The HD is pretty warm, but not uncomfortably so. It does seem to sort of rattle more, tho. Not like its accessing, but like its loose, which it isnt. I guess I mean it vibrates really fast a lot.
Does this sound like a burned HD, or could I even get this far? I dont want to run out and buy a new one if I dont have to, tho an IBM 7200rpm sounds awfully nice... http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Mike H.]

Sounds like a bad power supply or Mobo. Get a digital volt meter and test it right away.

Running an AMD chip at high mhz & voltages draws alot of amps. To much for older Mobo's and cheap 200 watt PS.

I use an epox MPV3G-M and a high quality 300 watt ATX PS to run my K6-2 450 @ 500 and 2.8 volts with watercooling to remove the tremendous amounts of heat it produces.

[FrayDenZ]

Thanks! I'm gonna take my comp to my comp store and have them hook it up to some machine thats supposed to tell whats wrong with it. Couple questions, tho.
I dont know what the power supply is. Whatever came w/the ATX case I got, tho I suspect it's a cheap one. Trying to run at 2.7 and 2.8 volts fried my cpu, I think, so I figured it had enuf power.
I'm thinking that if its the mobo, that I might just get a celeron 300a & a new mobo, too, and try that overclocked.
About the power - can I get a 300 watt ps w/out having to get a new case?
And about the cooling - water cooling? Is that expensive, and where could I find out more?
I appreciate it http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[Mike H.]

Yes you can buy just a power supply to replace yours, it is were all the wires go into. Usually complete cases don't cost much more than the Power supply though. I am working on a watercooling kit that anyone that can install a regular heatsink could install. I don't have any prices yet. If you E-mail me I'll let you Know when the kits ready. There are alot of web pages that tell you how to build one yourself, but no kits you can buy for SS7. Also how do you Know your CPU is burnt up. it is pretty hard to to burn one up unless you walk away and let it fry. It will stop responding way before it destroys itself, and if you shut it off and let it cool, or lower it, it will be OK usually. Try the CPU in another Mobo.

Good Luck

Mike H.

[FrayDenZ]

Well, on the one hand I feel like an idiot, and on the other, I'm just tickled. I just got back from the comp store, and everything seems to be ok. Why? Because the guy there installed the drivers for my mobo. Geez. For some reason I was thinking they stayed on the HD after a format. Guess not.

As far as my cpu being fried, I've never had it happen, so I'm guessing, but right after I cranked the volts and set to 500mhz, it wouldnt boot at all - the monitor said it was recieving no signal. I had to disconnect the power, too, to get it too shut down. I dont really know what that means.

Everything seems to be fine now - I'm a little sadder, but wiser for the experience. You think my cpu still has a shot? Oh, and if I swap them to check, do I have to reformat again - have done so every time so far.

[Mike H.]

As long as you don't O/C and/or get any error's no you don't need to reformat.

[Maxman]

Look on the Windows 98 box. See if you can find the word Microsoft. Oh what do you know that is your problem.

[Kal]

Ref the fix, loading the MB drivers, was that unique to your current MB? I did a clean install of Win98SE using format c:/s but never considered trying to reload ASUS TX97E mb drivers. Hadn't seen this "step" in any of the forums on clean install, etc.
Comments?

[FrayDenZ]

No, I dont think its unique to my board. As far as I know, when you reformat (c: /s) you erase your mobo drivers too, and should reinstall them - the latest version - tho Win98 probably has some generic drivers it uses. I found that my mobo drivers were at least 6 months out of date, and the new ones added a cool utilty, too. Worth checking the manufacturers site if you're not sure.
As it turns out, that wasnt my problem, tho. I was really hoping, and the comp store guy thought also, that it was just a software problem. It wasnt, tho http://www.sysopt.com/forum/frown.gif I bought a shiny new IBM HD. Problem expensively, but finally, solved.