# Computer Shuts off During Memtest and BlueScreens



## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Hi guys,

I've tried several different combinations of ram/ram slots and memtest just shuts off. It has gone for a few hours but then it'll just turn off suddenly. Also, I can boot into Windows but after a while it may blue screen with different blue screens (one was IRQL_NOT-LESS_EQUAL_).

Could this be a power supply issue? Bad motherboard maybe? bad CPU!?

Thanks!


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## efx8 (Apr 2, 2011)

PC specs?

So you tried different RAM sticks in different slots and you got the same result?


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

efx8 said:


> PC specs?
> 
> So you tried different RAM sticks in different slots and you got the same result?


Yup, at one point I had 3 sticks in, ran memtest for several hours and there was 1 error. I then did it stick by stick for a couple hours each, and no errors that way.

It's an Athlon XP 2500+ cpu, on an MSI-6570 motherboard. Memory is a total of 3GB (1x3) and they are DDR PC3200 (DDR400)

Has 2 hard drives and a video card (can't pull it up right now). Tomorrow I'm cleaning it out just to try and rule out a heat issue


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## Tyree (May 10, 2009)

Brand & Model of the Mobo(MSI 6570 is the GPU) and PSU?
MemTest needs to be ran one one stick at a time making several passes for accurate results.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the irq error usually relates to bad memory or corrupted drivers.

CPUs very rarely fail unless exposed to extreme heat but we need to know the make of the mobo and the psu.

you can open the case and look at them to find out. You dont need something to tell you. The psu will have a label on it and the mobo usually has the name and model on it.

PS you would get better performance running your ram in dual channel i.e 2x2GB running 3GB will make the ram run in single channel.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Tyree said:


> Brand & Model of the Mobo(MSI 6570 is the GPU) and PSU?
> MemTest needs to be ran one one stick at a time making several passes for accurate results.


MSI-6570, this one : 6570 Manual


It seems to crash no matter what combination of ram/which slot I'm using.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

greenbrucelee said:


> the irq error usually relates to bad memory or corrupted drivers.
> 
> CPUs very rarely fail unless exposed to extreme heat but we need to know the make of the mobo and the psu.
> 
> ...


It doesn't look like this mobo has dual channel, according to the manual.

I'm about to clean out the computer to try and rule out heat, my next step is to test another power supply.

The current power supply is an Enermax 3071-B3A


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi is this a 300w psu


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

yeah you have single channel ram


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

I believe it is 350W but I can't see the wattage without taking out the PS to be sure which I might do soon


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Ok guys, we've really narrowed this down but I'm still a little stumped.

I tried another power supply, cleaned out the case thoroughly. Still happens. I'm thinking there must be a short somewhere?

The initial problem was this, VERY IMPORTANT i think..

He had an original piece of ram in the first slot, he tried putting another one in but it would only read the initial 512mb. I took it both out and used 3 different sticks. If I remember correctly, actually, one stick at a time seemed to run ok. 

Could this be a short somewhere?


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

UPDATE:

One ram in the system, still crashes. I'm stumped.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

I wish I could edit my previous messages but anyway...

I also noticed that when the computer turns off, I have to unplug the power and hold the power button down to get it back on.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Ok guys, I've concluded it must be the motherboard (unless the video card or something else is causing a short? no onboard video though to test it)

I did notice in hardware monitor that the 3.3V went up as high as 3.47v which a DC Output Voltage Regulation chart says is the 'upper limit'. I did try another power supply though so...


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

I would inspect the motherboard thoroughly for buldging or leaking capaictors. It's an older motherboard that may have been maunfactured during the "bad capacitor plague" days.

Badcaps.net - How To Identify


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Amd_Man said:


> I would inspect the motherboard thoroughly for buldging or leaking capaictors. It's an older motherboard that was maunfactured during the "bad capacitor plague" days.
> 
> Badcaps.net - How To Identify


I thought it might be related to that as well, but I'm all of out energy today. I'll check it out in the next couple of days hopefully


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

I found the board page:

MSI Global ? Mainboard - K7N2

Seems like the same as the MSI 6750 board but K7N2 is what is marked.

I don't see compatible ram of 1GB sizes. Only 512 or lower, but even with the original 512 stick im getting errors?

http://www.msi.com/file/test_report/TR10_519.pdf


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Amd_Man said:


> I would inspect the motherboard thoroughly for buldging or leaking capaictors. It's an older motherboard that may have been maunfactured during the "bad capacitor plague" days.
> 
> Badcaps.net - How To Identify


Capacitors all look fine to me. No signs of bloating


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

What size was the other psu ? did you test the hdd


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

The other PSU was 450W. Don't think it's the HDD since it crashes during memtest using a boot cd.

I just took everything out to do a bench test. It ran for 5 hours with some memory errors but no crashes. I'm thinking there was a loose cable during transport.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Ok... after it worked for 5 hours sitting on a bench, I redid all the bronze screws underneath the motherboard and fastened everything in tight.

Still turns off. Always around 11-14 minutes of memtesting. I'm stumped and I don't like it X_X


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

the standoffs should not be over screwed in. They should just be screwed in till they fit and they should be all the same so the motherboards capacitors isn't touching any metal.

It sounds to me like you have a short somewhere.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Now I did a few things.

- Cleaned memory modules and slots again..
- Put in the original 512 stick of memory with a 1gig stick. So far it seems very stable. I noticed the memory speed and timings changed because the 512 stick runs at 166 instead of 200 like the 1gb's. I wonder if I can try running the 1gb sticks altogether at 166 and see if that is stable .
- I'm also going to apply a bios update right now just to be safe, even though the updates don't seem to mention this particular fix..


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

two different speed will make both ram sticks run at the slowest speed.

Are you sure the ram you have is compatable with your board?


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

bad news guys, it didn't work after all. It ran a little longer and crashed around 19 minutes.

I'm having some problems getting the computer to boot from floppy but im sitll trying the bios.

I don't think it's a compatibility issue greenbruce, because even with the original stick, it's crashing =/


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

Are the voltages of the different ram chips all the same? If not put the highest capacity one in and manually set the voltage in the BIOS to it's recommended setting.


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Yup, all are 2.5v. I just bit the bullet and told the guy that it's time for a new computer anyway and he was very understanding about it. 

Guys, I really appreciate all your help. I kinda wish I could test this on another mobo of the exact model but I'm so tired of working on it. Been working on it for 3 days, longer than I've ever had to work on a computer lol


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## Amd_Man (Jan 27, 2009)

I also hate not being able to pin point the exact problem, but it does happen sometimes though. This must be a fairly old computer seeing as the memory voltage is 2.5v?


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## bascotie (Feb 15, 2012)

Yeah, 2003 X_X


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