CPU SWAP CAUSING MAJOR PROBLEMS!

[DeltaSlaya]

Ok, this is a complicated issue and I don't know how much of it is related but I have a lot of information.

First this is all the information I can think of regarding the PC:
Intel Celeron D 336 2.8ghz > swapping to Pentium D 915 causes problems (800fsb, and DDR2-533mhz ram support)
1x 1gB Cruical DDR2-533 RAM (PC2-4200, I think the new RAM has ECC? would this cause a problem?)
Foxconn P4M800P7MA-RS2 with latest BIOS (supports Pentium D and 533/800fsb, RAM DDR/2 266/333/400/533mhz)
80gB and 120gB HDDs 5200rpm
Point of View 7300GT Graphics Card
Onboard Ethernet
Windows XP SP2 with latest drivers according to Driver Genius
300W Generic PSU

Now, the problem comes in a variety of forms and I think in some way they are all related.

1. Downloads, especially .exes and .zip/.rar files are corrupted and updates for programs and XP frequently do not install.
2. Event viewer>system reports numerous 51 (Important) and 11 (Warning) "Disk Errors", up to 20 in a row, unsure if this happens when CPU is swapped.
3. Occasional reboots when running programs such as games.
4. SuperPI, Prime95 and other benchmarking/staility programs report errors as if the system has been incorrectly overclocked, which it has not.

I sent the CPU back to the supplier, only at that stage knowing of the downloading issue and they claimed it was checked free of faults by supplier and it was returned. I then discovered the other faults and ran memtest through numerous runs, ran seatools and chkdsk on both drives, installed all the best drivers I could find, removed hardware, swapped cables, bought new RAM (as suggested by supplier), changed BIOS settings around, including to "Fail-safe defaults", checked XP file's integrity and validation, to no avail. Yet the Celeron D processor causes none of these faults, to my knowledge.

Hope someone can point me in the right direction, the only thing I can think of is that the PSU is not suppling enough watts to satisfy a dual-core CPU over a single core one. Also accounting for the decrease in PSU reliabilty over time I think it could be worth a shot but have never got around to trying another one, any thoughts on this?

Can't wait for responses!!!

[linuxlover]

The PSU probably isn't powerful enough. I use a 500watt psu for my single core system, and a 380watt for my PIII!!! But it could be your HDD too. Also what heatsink are you using?

[GX1_Man]

300W Generic PSU

Bad news, and not just the wattage. Get a quality PSU and don't ruin your expensive components. If you don't spend at least $50 we'll be seeing you again soon with a worse story.

[DeltaSlaya]

The PSU probably isn't powerful enough. I use a 500watt psu for my single core system, and a 380watt for my PIII!!! But it could be your HDD too. Also what heatsink are you using?

I have run chkdsk and also Seatools on the 80gB drive, both report no errors. I may try booting on the 120gB but as I have said the problems only change when the Celeron D is swapped for the Pentium D so I don't see why it would be the hard drive.

300W Generic PSU

Bad news, and not just the wattage. Get a quality PSU and don't ruin your expensive components. If you don't spend at least $50 we'll be seeing you again soon with a worse story.

Yes I will try buying a new PSU from a website in New Zealand. www.dse.co.nz
The current one is a FSP Group Inc. ATX-300GTF. (Some information here: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/other/display/fsp-psu.html)

Also could it be anything to do with the Error Checking Code on the RAM?

[DeltaSlaya]

I will try running it without the graphics card and report results and also CPU/MB temperatures with something like coretemp or speedfan. If that changes anything I guess it means it's the power supply definitely? Is this a good option + would it fit in a M-ATX case?

http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/465cf70a016a3616273fc0a87f330675/Product/View/XH9032

Thanks for all the prompt help so far...

[DeltaSlaya]

Running without GPX card and only 1 HDD made no difference. SuperPI still returns error. I also noticed that the PSU only supplies for 20 of the 20+4 power pins on the motherboard, as it is only ATXV1.2, is that a problem? Especially for a dual core CPU? The idle temperatures after about 30mins are, according to speed fan: System 33-35celcius, CPU 46-50celcius (dont know whether thats on core or under die?) Vcore is 1.22V. What else could it be if swapping the PSU doesn't work. The CPU? (I was informed that CPUs do not cause errors such as download corruption.)

[contrex]

I also noticed that the PSU only supplies for 20 of the 20+4 power pins on the motherboard, as it is only ATXV1.2, is that a problem? Especially for a dual core CPU?

Bingo!

Yes. Especially for a dual core CPU

[DeltaSlaya]

I also noticed that the PSU only supplies for 20 of the 20+4 power pins on the motherboard, as it is only ATXV1.2, is that a problem? Especially for a dual core CPU?

Bingo!

Yes. Especially for a dual core CPU

Ok, I will get a new PSU ASAP that is V1.3 compliant as they support 20+4 motherboard power connections.
Can anyone recommend this?
http://www.dse.co.nz/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/465d389a013ff2802740c0a87f3306b6/Product/View/XH9032

Thanks

and @contrex, if you don't mind could you link a site or anything regarding the 20+4 and dual core operation.

[contrex]

300W "Generic" PSUs are often feeble and may work OK in starter systems but start to give trouble when performance upgrades or better hardware is installed. They can deteriorate over time (a year or two) and not even give the performance they had when new. You want more watts. 400 or 450 at least.

This guy shows the way.... If a PSU ain't got a name, it ain't no good. Thermaltake is a name that people mention.  Personally I like Antecs. The overclocking guys tend to have good PSU tips - look on Google for overclockers forums and search them for PSU discussions involving your CPU / Mobo.

1. Asus P5WD2 Premium, P D915 2.8 @ 4.0GHz, Antec 430W TruePower PSU, 2GB Patriot DDR2 667, Nvidia Quadro FX 1300, 2 X IDE Hard Drive, TT Big Typhoon;

2. Asus P5WD2, P D 930 3.0 @ 4.0GHz, Antec True 430W PSU, 1GB Gigaram DDR2 667, Quadro NVS280, 2 X IDE Hard Drive, TT Big Typhoon;

3. Asus P5WD2, P D930 3.0 @ 4.0GHz, Nextherm 460W PSU, 1GB G.Skill DDR2 667, Forsa 7600GS, 2 X IDE Hard Drive, TT Big Typhoon;

4. Asus P5WD2, P D930 3.0 @ 4.0GHz, Akasa 460W PSU, 1GB Geil DDR2 667, Quadro NVS 285, 2 X IDE Hard Drive, TT Big Typhoon

http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49061

http://www.pcbuyerbeware.co.uk/MBoard2.htm

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&q=atx+dual+core+psu+12v&btnG=Search&meta=

http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=100&hl=en&q=atx+dual+core+psu+12v+20%2B4&btnG=Search&meta=

[DeltaSlaya]

Cool thanks for all the help, will swap PSU to a 430W ATX1.3 with 20+4 connector and post results!

[soybean]

I believe FSP Group, which you now have, is also a decent brand; it's what I'm using.  Unfortunately, yours does not have the right power connector (24-pin) and may be a bit underpowered for your system.

[DeltaSlaya]

Ok, this sucks... New power supply 430W with 20+4 pin connector and the problems are still exactly the same. I guess its either the CPU or the motherboard now but before I send the CPU back, again... any other ideas? I might try downflashing the BIOS as well

[contrex]

Off the top of my head

Did the CPU Vcore get changed to the right value?

RAM seated OK?

RAM compatibilty

IDE cables in good condition & connected OK

disk /disks failing?

[DeltaSlaya]

Off the top of my head

Did the CPU Vcore get changed to the right value?

RAM seated OK?

RAM compatibilty

IDE cables in good condition & connected OK

disk /disks failing?

Vcore is default and I don't know where to change it.
RAM is in fine and mhz is compatible with CPU and mobo, not sure about ECC though but the problems havent changed from the last RAM.
IDE cables have been swapped around, and disks have run through chkdsk and long seatools, although in
Windows I was getting some 11 and 51 disk errors.

Flashing down now, report results later...

[contrex]

Prime95 errors sure sound like RAM /CPU. This page, "Torture Test Your CPU With Prime 95" says that if you cannot decide whether the CPU or the RAM are causing the errors...

http://www.playtool.com/pages/prime95/prime95.html

Well worth reading through.

It's just not that easy to completely isolate the problem which causes Prime95 to fail. It's usually the CPU but sometimes it's something else. The only way to be 100% sure is to swap in replacement components until the problem is fixed. You just have to do as many tests as you can to make your best guess about which component is responsible before deciding which one to replace or adjust.

To help you make that guess...

When Prime95 fails in any way, the very first thing you should do is run a memory test to rule that possibility out. MemTest86 is a very thorough memory testing program. If your memory passes the tests then you're pretty much down to the CPU and the CPU/RAM interface as the most likely causes although there are some other possibilities.

And,

If you have the kind of CPU which accesses its RAM by communicating with a northbridge chip on the motherboard, then your CPU is probably the problem but the northbridge could also be responsible. The RAM data is passed in both directions between the CPU and northbridge and if the northbridge is a little weak, it may have problems communicating with a hot CPU. If you're not sure what to blame then you can try running only the "small FFTs" test. It does very few RAM accesses while running the test. If it fails, then it's very likely to be the CPU which is at fault. Unfortunately, that's not 100% guaranteed because even the small FFTs test still accesses RAM and does other things like read and write disk files.

It also mentions as another possibilty, overheating CPU. You are happy with heatsink size, placement, thermal contact, etc? Are you monitoring temps?