PC emergency!!! What is going on?

concorde

concorde

New Member
I have a major emergency here. My main computer turned off immediately when I opened an OpenOffice file ... it started loading the document (it was mine, nobody else's) and the before the computer shut off, the screen made itself smaller. Then the computer shut off. I turned it back on, it made it past the BIOS, it showed GRUB boot screen, and when I select Ubuntu, the progress bar goes and then stops. With Fedora, I see the splash image, then I see a black screen with "hh.h359_l". I restarted it. It was on three seconds before the computer itself made a crack sound as if something broke. I opened up the computer and there's nothing "sticking out like a sore thumb". It's not the power supply because I turned it on the third time and it turns on, although nothing works now. The BIOS screen doesn't even show now - there's nothing. :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:( I am using my backup now to ask this question.
 
It sounds to me like your graphics(either onboard or card ) have given up the ghost bud !!!!!!
 
I have integrated graphics - I have an older video card somewhere in a box so I'll try to see if that's the problem or not, I certainly it is not something serious.
 
i Would say the vid card also, or the video chip in your case. Just for the hell of it, you should reset your cmos battery. After all that, you might need a new mobo.
 
Taking the case to my kitchen table and taking everything apart, I found that my Athlon x2 has burn marks on it...I have a nice heatsink and fan, and there's a total of three fans in the case (not counting the power supply. The house is at a cool 62 degrees and I had the air conditioning on. The computer hasn't been stressed at all! What is going on here!!! This is my pride and joy, down the toilet. Haven't overclocked anything...no surge because 1)I have a 3000-joule surge protector plugged in and 2) my monitor and backup would have went with it. Can I get a reason why this happened? Urrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.:(

Oh, I'm using the screen that was plugged in the computer now. The screen's fine, thank goodness.
 
so is it all good now?

And if its not, your CPU might have given up on you if there are burn marks on it. For a CPU to go out, there doesn't have to have signs of stress. Or it probably got burned because there was no or minimal thermal paste placed between the Fan and the CPU.
 
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I think my processor blew up! I don't have a remote idea why. Did it just feel like blowing up or did something irritate it and blow it up? I mean, there's scorch marks on the CPU and its socket, and I see tiny melt marks on it if I look up close (the socket)...I am fuming mad! The processor is only 2.3 Ghz or so...and it's dual core, so it's not like its under stress - viewing a Web page, using OpenOffice and listening to some music is not stress...compared to what other people do like high end gaming and AutoCAD, window after window. Linux isn't hard on resources. The machine is plugged into a good 3000 joule surge suppressor and has a good, solid Antec aPFC power supply supplying 400 watts. This processor was getting everything it wants -cooling, reliable and plenty of power, light resources and it does this...Its temperature shouldn't be very high as 1)there's an adequate fan/heatsink, 2)there is plenty of ventilation, 3)the house is cool and I have the air on. If I had a surge, it would have taken my monitor, backup and printer, both working fine right now, plus the phone, lamp and a little fan in the same protector strip. I used thermal paste on the heatsink/processor. You know what, there are 8088s and x86es running strong after 15 - 25 years, and it's pretty sad that these processors can't even make it a year.

Has this ever happened to anyone W/O heat and power problems? What is the problem?
 
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I am going to see what other components went down just to be safe - the motherboard goes no matter what so I don't perpetually waste $60 -80 for processors. So I'm logging out and I should be back on after I test the hard drive, the power supply, the memory and my sound and Wifi cards. Will be back with results.
 
AMD cpus physically blow up after about 60-75 depending on model (thats lowest to highest) unlike intel ones, which simply turn off about 90, and cool down.
 
Ah, this is why they sell dual and quad core CPUs way cheaper than Intel. I am really disappointed, and I think I am going to use a Pentium D or something now that I know this information. I've heard it from other sources, too, this morning, about AMD processor blowups. I've read articles about Intel temperature controlling built into the CPU and how they don't blow up like AMDs. I guess I will never buy an AMD, Because if my house was as cool as a cucumber and that CPU wasn't being stressed at all (running 3-4 programs and a few Linux processes), well, then why, I don't think I should buy another AMD. I think I am going to go ahead and buy a Pentium D processor and a new board and RAM - I think I'll save a few $$ and get a Celeron, maybe a Celeron D. If this processor blows up, why I'll just not use a computer anymore:P.
 
yeah the X2 cpus can handle a lot more than the old athons though

intels generally power off before melting, and can handle higher temps

the 6000 has major heat problems, it runs about as hot as the latter pentium 4s did (very hot)

the phenom is in danger in the 60-70 range, this is about the same, than the c2d, but the c2d has the safety measure mentioned befoere, and generally rusn cooler anyway

http://www.pantherproducts.co.uk/Articles/CPU/CPU Temperatures.shtml
http://www.heatsink-guide.com/content.php?content=maxtemp.shtml
 
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Every AMD mobo I've ever used has overheat protection built into the mobo to prevent exactly that!! - overheating damage, I will agree that intels can handle heat better , but I would be more inclined to believe the cause being either

  • cpu fan failure
  • lack of adequate thermal paste
  • heatsink clogged/not on cpu properly
of course- any hardware CAN fail but I have never had an AMD cpu just burn out on me for no reason yet ;)
 
I'm going to have to reinstall everything, put all my files back on to the hard drive and change thousands of settings because of this, esp. if I'm going from AMD to Intel, aren't I because they use different architectures (EM64T is Intels, AMD64 is AMD's) or is it just going to be Plug and Play with a few changes?
 
* cpu fan failure - the fan was operating
* lack of adequate thermal paste - I used plenty
* heatsink clogged/not on cpu properly - I clean the computer on a regular basis

This is likely cause of poor manufacturing techniques. When I open up the System Processes and view the resources, it rarely surpasses 60%. It usually hovers around 5 -15% so this system is not under stress Opening up GIMP, a real intensive program, would probably make the system go no further than 35%. Secondly, the machine is in a clean environment and is cared for properly. Whenever the heat or a/c is ran, or just the furnace fan, there is a central air cleaner that kicks on which drastically reduces dust around the whole house as a whole. The machine is three feet off the floor where most of the dust comes from. Lastly, it has a good 3000 joule power surge suppressor, so there is good, clean filtered power coming in. The only thing I can think of is poor manufacturing techniques or maybe they do make good processors but I just ended up with a lemon.:)

you may need to reinstall windows though. - I'm a lucky Linux user:P.
 
The OS is still hardware dependant and will no doubt need to be reinstalled unless you get identical hardware as before, but something tells me I don't think you are going to be much of an AMD fan from now on somehow ;)

Actually I know on M$ you can do a system preperation (SYSPREP) for hard drive deployment to other machines but I have no idea if something similar is possible in Linux- I expect there is and maybe someone will care to elaborate on the process ;)
 
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concorde said:
* cpu fan failure - the fan was operating
* lack of adequate thermal paste - I used plenty
* heatsink clogged/not on cpu properly - I clean the computer on a regular basis

This is likely cause of poor manufacturing techniques. When I open up the System Processes and view the resources, it rarely surpasses 60%. It usually hovers around 5 -15% so this system is not under stress Opening up GIMP, a real intensive program, would probably make the system go no further than 35%. Secondly, the machine is in a clean environment and is cared for properly. Whenever the heat or a/c is ran, or just the furnace fan, there is a central air cleaner that kicks on which drastically reduces dust around the whole house as a whole. The machine is three feet off the floor where most of the dust comes from. Lastly, it has a good 3000 joule power surge suppressor, so there is good, clean filtered power coming in. The only thing I can think of is poor manufacturing techniques or maybe they do make good processors but I just ended up with a lemon.:)

you may need to reinstall windows though. - I'm a lucky Linux user:P.
Click to expand...


probably a stupid question but how much is plenty thermal paste to you?
 
lovely? said:
probably a stupid question but how much is plenty thermal paste to you?
Click to expand...
not so silly actually because if you use say... Artic 5- then excess paste can damage solder connections on the mobo due to silver particles in the paste being a VERY GOOD conductive material ;)
 
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