Is there an AMD Problem?

[jensenbr]

I have an AMD K6/2 475 and I am experiencing random lockups in games and even at the desktop just sitting there using a word processor. I have done everything to include stripping the entire system down to nothing but CPU, memory, and Video and reinstalling Win98, and that still doesn't do it. I tried another video card from my other system that I knew that worked and it didn't..The weirdest thing was that I had this system up and stable for 3 months before the lockups began..any ideas? Ive already swapped RAM out too, and that didn't help it either. My next avenue is to replace the CPU to see if that stops the problem...I also have the latest drivers for all my hardware, and am running Direct X 7.0. I have also ran Wintune 98 against my machine and run the hard drive diagnostics that came with the hard drive, but no dice..any ideas?

System Specs:

AMD K6/2 475
128 MB Fast Page RAM
Windows 98 OSR1
Diamond Monster Fusion AGP Card
Diamond Monster Sound MX300
Adaptec Ultra Wide SCSI Card
US Robotics 56K .V90 modem (internal)
VIA AT Motherboard running at 100MHz bus

One other note: The lockups started on another motherboard, so I swapped out motherboards and the problem still occurs. I have also seen a problem when I run 3dFx games like Unreal, I get a lot of weird flashes at random on the screen like small polygons (artifacts)....Ive got a pretty big CPU fan and I have a lot of heat sink compound between the CPU and the heat sink...help me here!

[deep_sky]

well, i have an amd k6-2 450 non overclocked and it runs hot let me tell you. I too experienced random lock-up and wierd errors when my cpu was running too hot. just one fan on the processor is not enough, especially if you have video cards. vid cards get quite hot when you work them with a 3d game.i would say get some extra case fans (at least two) and set them up like this:
first check to see which way the power supply is blowing air, if it is going out of the case then you want somthing going in, and vice versa.

set a fan to suck air in at the bottom of the case to get cool air in, if you can direct it at your cards so much the better

set a fan to blow hot air out the top of the case, you may have to cut a hole in the case to do so

you can get 80mm fans, fan guards and fan filters from safeshopper.millisec.com for good prices, along with any additional cabling you might need to plug fans into.

i know this might seem a bit much, but i have a heatsink with thermal compound and fan on my processor and it runs at 118F without all this extra cooling i have in my case...

[grandslammer]

Hi!

I run an AMD K62/380. I use a DFI motherboard w/VIA MVP chipset with AWARD bios. I also run Powerleap Control Panel.

http://www.powerleap.com/

It is under "fee stuff." This "optimizes" the cache, write allocation, etc. and also adds RAIN software cooling. Seems to work well for me. (I'm not usually crazy about all in one setups, but I like this one...)

But, while you're actually running games (unreal tournament, my personal favorite!) you don't really see much difference. But of cousre, as soon as the game ends, your cpu temp begins to drop. As I see it, this can't help but add some life toyour CPU.

MOHO

But, I can play most any game for as long as I wish.

Now, have you flashed your bios lately? I flashed my bios with the most recent update. I would recommend this, especially if you run an Award bios. I did this months ago, and no problems what so ever. With some setups, yyou need to do this with, I thnk, above 300mhz AMD chips.

Hope this helps you...

Mike P.

[This message has been edited by grandslammer (edited 12-12-1999).]

[grandslammer]

Also, you're running an AGP video card. So, if you have an open PCI slot, move your cards so that your number one PCI slot is empty. (the one nearest your agp) Put a slot fan there to exhaust hot air. This will serve doubly to cool your AGP, and to pull hot air from your case.

I have an 80mm fan at the bottom front of the case, pulling cool air in, and blowing it across the cpu and the back of the motherboard.

Good Luck In All...

Mike P.

[scotter]

Fast way to know if it's a heat problem take the case off and set a samll house fan up to blow at high speed in the case run your system if your problem goes away and or lightens up you know it's heat

also you do not wont a lot of thermal compound just a little dab will do you
so pop the heat sink off and wipe away any exeses compound all you want is enough to fill in the little gaps and scratches http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
a very thin layer

[pickel]

JensenBR: Grandslammer sent me the "Powerleap" software some time ago. I've tried all kinds of programs and Cpu coolers,but this one works the best. I have a
AMD 300 @ 350 and has complimented it to the max. Don't tell my duaghter, but it runs better than her brand new celeron 400 w/ 128 mb RAM. I'd download it and at laest try it out. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

the pickel

[CMonster]

I agree about the PCI slot next to the AGP being left empty - this is very important. Enough has been said here about cooling - how about the CPU core voltage? What is it set at? You may want to go a little higher, like if you are at 2.4v maybe try 2.5 etc.

[jensenbr]

I'll try downloading that software you wanted me to. As for the CPU voltage, my 475 is supposed to be at 2.4 volts, the system ran stable for three months before the problems started..is it not uncommon for a system to run stable for and then the problems start cropping up? I don't know about the heat problem itself, I ran the system with the case open with nothing but a video card on the motherboard and still got the lockup problems, and it is pretty cool down in my office (around 50 degrees). Im pretty sure that the CPU is at issue here, so I'll try less heat compound and I do have an extra case fan, which strangely enough, came from a huge heat sink that I used to have that broke. I'll keep you posted on what happens..I'll also try flashing the bios.