Help needed! Serious computer problem!

[patio]

Replace the CPU fan...it's probably been pretty well beat if you've been running it overheated for this long...
I'll bet the temps go down another 3 4 C

[grapefruit]

Unfortunately, I'm out of money for a new fan, so this one will have to do.

Anyway, I've managed to keep the computer running for several hours without any issue, the temp staying just below 60C most of the time, with highest reached of 70C and lowest of 54C. Made it run CPU-intensive programs while monitoring temps and fans. Would stay around 63-65C, no lag whatsoever, fan barely spinning once in a while when hitting 65C to cool down. Started doing my own business as usual, and again no problem detected, no over-heating, no lag, nothing.

However after a few hours of this, while playing a MIDI file, the freeze and the long continuous beep sound came, while CPU at 58C. Upon restarting, became laggy and unresponsive before Windows finished loading. I was able to bring up the task manager to check on processes. I noticed System Idle Process having a value of 00, implying some other processes would be eating up all ressources. However, all other processes also had a value of 00.

UPDATE: I just found a new defective hardware that could be partly or wholly causing the problem. My graphic card has 4 blown-up capacitors, 2 of which are leaking...

[patio]

I'd still get a new CPU fan...

[Computer_Commando]

...UPDATE: I just found a new defective hardware that could be partly or wholly causing the problem. My graphic card has 4 blown-up capacitors, 2 of which are leaking...

You can get a better graphics card than what came with it for $50.
EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT

[Computer_Commando]

...Also, somehow this time HWmonitor shows more than one value, so I am posting a screencap of it now.
...VTIN and SYSTIN values seem bogus, everything else seems accurate.

Mine reads just like yours (same sensor).


[recovering disk space - old attachment deleted by admin]

[grapefruit]

You can get a better graphics card than what came with it for $50.
EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT

Ouch... Even though it's pretty cheap for a graphic card, it's still hardcore on my wallet.
I was thinking of trying to replace the dead capacitors first, which would be a cheaper option, and if it fails, then consider a new card.

Just to make sure, could a defective graphic card be the cause of the recurring freeze/lag and beeping?

[Computer_Commando]

1.  Ouch... Even though it's pretty cheap for a graphic card, it's still hardcore on my wallet.
2.  I was thinking of trying to replace the dead capacitors first, which would be a cheaper option, and if it fails, then consider a new card.
3.  Just to make sure, could a defective graphic card be the cause of the recurring freeze/lag and beeping?

1.  OK.
2.  Only if you have the expertise & the equipment & can actually read the values on the caps.
3.  Yes.

[Computer_Commando]

Ouch... Even though it's pretty cheap for a graphic card, it's still hardcore on my wallet...

$25 after rebate of $30, free shipping
EVGA 015-P3-N969-LR GeForce 9600 GSO

[grapefruit]

Sorry for taking this long to answer. Anyway I got the money to buy a new graphic card and got myself a Radeon HD5450.
I must say most problems are gone now. No more random lag, all programs run as expected, computer starts up and shuts down normally without crashing (and the power button finally started working again for manual shut down), no more beeping,... well every major bug seems to have been taken care of.

However.

It's now very unstable. It will freeze completely randomly after a certain time (from a few minutes, to several hours or more), without any other symptoms whatsoever. It just locks up for no apparent reason, without any previous lag, without any beeping, or anything else. I noticed it tends to happen more often when the system is idle for a certain while, though it did also crash during a virus scan.

I've scanned and removed any malware using MalwareBytes, updated all drivers, ran Memtest for a good long while, and ran chkdsk for a second time. No problems detected there.


Btw, I want to thank everyone who spent time to help me on here, it's very much appreciated =)

[Computer_Commando]

Sorry for taking this long to answer. Anyway I got the money to buy a new graphic card and got myself a Radeon HD5450.
I must say most problems are gone now. No more random lag, all programs run as expected, computer starts up and shuts down normally without crashing (and the power button finally started working again for manual shut down), no more beeping,... well every major bug seems to have been taken care of.

However.

It's now very unstable. It will freeze completely randomly after a certain time (from a few minutes, to several hours or more), without any other symptoms whatsoever. It just locks up for no apparent reason, without any previous lag, without any beeping, or anything else. I noticed it tends to happen more often when the system is idle for a certain while, though it did also crash during a virus scan.

I've scanned and removed any malware using MalwareBytes, updated all drivers, ran Memtest for a good long while, and ran chkdsk for a second time. No problems detected there.
...

I'd still get a new CPU fan...

[grapefruit]

Forget about the unstable-ness, I found out what was causing it (some corrupted Windows system files). However now my computer stopped detecting my soundcard all of a sudden. The soundcard is almost brand new so I doubt it has given up.

How it happened:
Was listening to music when I decided to plug the headphones into the speakers' headphones plug. Noticed sound coming only from the left channel. Upon checking the 3 surround audio cables connected to the soundcard, I noticed one of them was pulled out, so I plugged it back in, which caused a loud pulsating noise in the subwoofer. I unplugged the cable, turned off the speakers, then plugged it back. Noticed the comp had frozen for unknown reasons. However the sound was coming out nicely. (I tested by playing on my synth, which is connected to the stereo input of said card)
Upon rebooting though, it did not detect the card anymore. While trying to reinstall/update drivers, I kept getting a "Setup did not find any product related to this driver, please make sure the product is connected"

I tried booting without the card (which worked fine) then booting again with card in (which did not work fine). Not only was the card still not being detected, but I didn't get anything on screen after the windows loading boot screen (though the computer seemed to be working fine. Keyboard was responsive, and I did log in to my session and open some programs blindly, and each time I'd hear the computer respond accordingly (hard drive working fans starting or stopping as they usually would)). This black screen problem persisted even after rebooting without the soundcard afterward. I have no idea of what's going on this time...

[Computer_Commando]

My Medion has onboard sound (CMedia); is yours onboard (integrated) or a separate card, or both?

[grapefruit]

My Medion has onboard sound (CMedia); is yours onboard (integrated) or a separate card, or both?

There is a CMedia one on-board, but the one causing the said troubles now is a separate one I bought about a year and a half ago to improve sound quality (an Audigy4). So yeah, both for now, onboard (deactivated) and separate.

[Computer_Commando]

Could be a problem with the Audigy card.  Remove it, go to BIOS, enable onboard sound and see if all problems disappear.  If you previously installed the CMedia drivers, they are still there.  You do know that the Medion "Composer" was designed to produce high quality sound?  I think it came with software for music composition.  With good speakers/sub-woofer, it's really quite good.

Every time you remove and reinstall the Audigy, BIOS may or may not autodetect, and may or may not enable or disable onboard.  You have to check it every time you make a hardware change.

[grapefruit]

Could be a problem with the Audigy card.  Remove it, go to BIOS, enable onboard sound and see if all problems disappear.  If you previously installed the CMedia drivers, they are still there.  You do know that the Medion "Composer" was designed to produce high quality sound?  I think it came with software for music composition.  With good speakers/sub-woofer, it's really quite good.

Every time you remove and reinstall the Audigy, BIOS may or may not autodetect, and may or may not enable or disable onboard.  You have to check it every time you make a hardware change.

The on-board soundcard was only deactivated under windows, so in the bios, it is indeed still active. I checked just now. I still have the black-screen problem. And no, the on-board sound card does not produce a sound of a quality good enough for proffessionnal music recording/composing. As with all other on-board soundcards, it gives off a very unclean sound, and the stereo input is too sensitive and does not pick up lower notes correctly. I've heard a HUGE improvement in sound quality just by changing for a simple audigy card.
Though I dont mind having to use the on-board card now if that's the only way I can get everything to work properly, even if that gets to screw up music making. For now I just want the screen to display correctly...