Win XP Pro lock up help

[Lukasz]

I recently installed Windows XP Pro. After a few hours it froze up, with a persistnt beep coming from the speakers. It sounded like an IRQ conflict for the dreaded SB live. I got the card it's own IRQ and now the freezes are less frequent. About once a day compared to 2-3 hours, but I stil get them, which I know is avoidable.

I have noticed that my ethernet card is sharing IRQ with 2 USB host controllers. I will try switching around the ethernet card in pci slots tomorrow to get it it's own IRQ and see if that solves the problem.

If anyone can post any insights I would be very grateful.

Other notable info that might be needed to solve the problem or things causing it:

Hercules (3D Prophet 2 MX) Geforce 2 MX on Nvidia WinXP 21.81 drivers

SB Live on 5.1.2535 drivers from Windows Update

The biggest clue I have is the monotomous beep I get with the freeze, I think. Anyone?

[XPerties]

Here are some nice websites that detail the beeping. You can find out what the codes are and that will give you a starting point.

ht*p://www.tmp-houston.com/BeepCode.htm

ht*p://www.nthelp.com/beepcode.htm

ht*p://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/beep/

-Chris

[Lukasz]

hrm, thanks for the pages, checked them all out. One thing though, aren't these for problems on boot up? I am fine all day, then suddenly I get the beep freeze while surfing the web, or playing a game.

I tracked down what one long beep means in award bios and it is related to devices malfunctioning. I have no problems outside of Windows XP though, so I do not think that is it.

Thanks for the help though, any other ideas? I'm willing to try almost anything. These lockups are getting quite annoying.

[Guest LouCypher]

Just wondering, but do you have the thermal alarm option enabled in BIOS? On my system the BIOS is set to beep like that whenever the CPU temp gets to 140 degrees. It also locks up the system and continously beeps. It can be set to shut down (mine is).

If your system is only doing it after awhile being on then you could have an overheating issue and the beeping is probably an alarm.

Check for dust accumulation around the power supply, CPU fan/heatsink, and anywhere else. You might have a bad fan and soon a bad CPU!

[Guest LouCypher]

Btw, I am also running the Sound Blaster Live! under Windows XP and don't have any lockups so I don't think it's your sound card that's causing it.

My system is as follows:

512MB PC133

Athlon 850MHz

TNT2 32MB (with Detonator 21.81)

RealMagic Hollywood Plus

STB FM/TV PCI Tuner

2 x 30GB HD

dual booting Windows XP 2600 and Slackware 8.0

EVERYTHING works great for *ME* except the TV card, which the sound doesn't work under XP, but ow well..

[Lukasz]

Hrm, I have a athalon cpu, I think they can stay fine to like 90 celcius. Mine rarely goes above 100 farenheit though (thanks to my ingenius window fan blowing on cpu cooling system =. I check for it regularly, to make sure it's cool (bios informs me of system and cpu temps).

I'll check for the dust n stuff, don't wanna fry anything heh.

I'm thinking that it's some kind of IRQ conflict or something with my graphics card, thanks for the help so far =)

edit: could you tell me more about how yor sb live is set up? Drivers, othr stuff installed with it, IRQ, etc?

[XPerties]

In the future you can see all your temps while in windows so you dont have to go to the bios. Viewing it in the bios doesnt give you a true ready....try something like this program, works great. Theres other out there but I feel this is the best one.

ht*p://mbm.livewiredev.com/

-Chris

[Guest LouCypher]

Motherboard Monitor 5 will also let you set you system to shutdown whenever it gets too hot. It requires an external program that is also available from the same link. It was what I recommended to AaronXP to identify the memory he had. The System Information section is real good in that progtram.

[Rick]

Yeah! Chris recommended this software and I have been very impressed with it. It will really come in handy when I get through with my major computer upgrade.

Rick

[NikNt]

Got to "Hercules" Forum and find the post about XP.

I have Prophit II Ultra and my WindowsXP locks up, especially if I surfe the Web and open quite a few windows. Many people say that it is the Video Card, even with Detonator XP 21.81 drivers, the drivers don't help.

Just go to System/Advanced/Performance/Settings and set to "Best Performance". RightClick Desktop/Properties set 16Mil colors.

Wait for new drivers.

[XPerties]

[b:557d8605d0]NikNt-[/b:557d8605d0] I know that XP is sensitive to having to many windows open which will cause your computer to lock up due to low amount of RAM. Im not sure how much you have but just for future advice for those who have low amout of ram.

-Chris

[Lukasz]

Hrm, Thanks Nik, I'll check out that post. I fiddled with a buncha settings and it hasn't frozen in 2 days though, maybe I'm rid of it.

I didn't have a problem like yours though, mine did it totally random.

[NikNt]

Hi [b:f6816e8ad5]Chris[/b:f6816e8ad5].

On my first post in this forum I gave all the specs. of my Computer.

I have of [b:f6816e8ad5]1.256,000 MB[/b:f6816e8ad5] RAM, so this is not the problem. The problem in my machine is Video Card. As I replied to several people on our forum, in Hercules.com forum they talk about it, and there are quite a few people who have problems because of the Video Card.

[b:f6816e8ad5]P.S.[/b:f6816e8ad5] in all my posts I say "it's Video Card..." of course there are many different sources of the problem.

[b:f6816e8ad5]1.25GB[/b:f6816e8ad5] of RAM is more then enough.

See you Chris...

To [b:f6816e8ad5]Lukasz[/b:f6816e8ad5]

My problem was also RANDOM, and sometimes if I have all fetures

enabled (visual...) it can or can't happend.

But you know, since yesterday, in settings I changed Color settings from 32Milions to 16Millions colors, and didn't have any problems.

Also you Card is a little different from mine. people have different problems but the source fo the problem is the same (VideoCard).

Hercules Prophite II Ultra 64MB

Anyway, if you find out what was the problem? If it's not VideoCard, then [b:f6816e8ad5]let us know[/b:f6816e8ad5].

Thanks...

[Lukasz]

3 days now without the beep freeze, but still freezing once a day regardless. What i did is turn off ACPI, think I'll be turning it back on though, as that doesn't seem to be it, I use 16 bit desktop already. I will try use the performance one and see how it does though.

[NikNt]

All these things you try, I don't think they make the problem goaway forever. But anyway try and tell me.

I didn't have any problems since day before yesterday. Because I switch to 16M colors. You know I think eveyone is different.

Try and share.