Author: Ricardo Gibert
Date: 20:02:34 03/04/03
Go up one level in this thread
On March 03, 2003 at 10:04:51, Jouni Uski wrote: >I finally bought new P4 2,4Ghz PC. I installed Windows98 SE and Fritz8. I tried >to run engine-engine matches, but after one hour or similar they always stop. >And I get different kind of error messages: invalid page fault, error in >chessprogram8, error in user.exe, error in mfcxx.dll. AAAARGH! Is PC broken? > >Definitely no overclockin but out of box PC. Is win98 may be too slow for >2,4Ghz? Or what? >Any ideas? I cannot say about other programs, because I only run Fritz. >Problem happens with native engines so this isn't UCI.dll problem. Also in >running test suites it sometimes stops. > >Jouni There are a number of things you can do (make sure they do not void your warranty!): 1) Download Arena with Ruffian and see if a long test with Ruffian still produces a problem (http://www.playwitharena.com/). It's all free. 2) Always unplug your computer before opening case and ground yourself by touching the power supply. Don't forget to repeat the grounding procedure periodically. 3) Reseat all cables *and* wires (both ends) and RAM DIMs. BTW, this should have been the first thing you did when you recieved your computer. Just because the computeris fresh out of the box, doesn't mean it's okay. If you knew what happens to shipped items between factory and your home, you would amazed it works at all. WARNING: do not mess with the CPU, unless you know what you are doing and are prepared to make a fresh application of thermal paste in the proper manner. You will have to do this even if you do not touch the CPU itself. Unseating the fan from atop the CPU is enough to require it and the fan can sometimes be a bear to reseat. 4) Ground yourself, then swapping DIMs can help find and localize a problem. The problem may disappear (become hidden) or change it's character or frequency. 5) Running a ram testing program can certainly find and localize a RAM problem. Beware that the quality of the test may be poor. It may miss the problem. This is why some of the other things I suggest for checking for RAM problems are still useful. 6) *Underclocking* both RAM and CPU, then just one can sometimes help find and localize a problem. 7) The bios settings for the fans may be in error. Check these. 8) The bios settings for the RAM may be in error e.g CAS 2 may be too fast, but CAS 3 should be okay, etc. 9) You may have an intermittent problem with the fans. Do all your testing with the case open to check them peridically (Don't forget the power supply fan too). 10) Beware that having the case open may seem to solve the problem, but closing it up will cause it to reappear. An open case improves cooling, so you would have a heating problem then. Also, note that the process of closing a case can knock a cable loose. Be careful! NOTE: the above are given in no particular order. Use common sense to plan your repair and evaluate results. Any other testing would require additional resources. Find a pro if the above does not help. Don't forget your warranty! I hope this helps!
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