Dear Ask-a-nerd: Computer "check up" programs?

[pErvinalia]

Another possibility is that your mobo/chip is overheating. When it gets too hot the computer will start struggling and eventually usually reboots or freezes or just goes stupid. There's tools to check your mobo temps, so when you get to that point, let me know and i'll dig around and find the one i've used before.

[Jason]

memtester is different from memtest. It's much more thorough.

Example output for one 'loop':

Code: Select all

Loop 117:
  Stuck Address       : ok         
  Random Value        : ok
  Compare XOR         : ok
  Compare SUB         : ok
  Compare MUL         : ok
  Compare DIV         : ok
  Compare OR          : ok
  Compare AND         : ok
  Sequential Increment: ok
  Solid Bits          : ok         
  Block Sequential    : ok         
  Checkerboard        : ok         
  Bit Spread          : ok         
  Bit Flip            : ok         
  Walking Ones        : ok         
  Walking Zeroes      : ok         
  8-bit Writes        : ok
  16-bit Writes       : ok

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm still convinced it's a memory problem. There's a number of memory monitoring tools you can get that can tell you how much of your memory is being used, and allow you to clear out unused bits of the memory. It could be worth running one of them and watching what levels the memory are being used at when your computer freezes. Anything over about 50% is getting into stressful territory. I don't know what the choking point would be, but if it's up above 70% then you'll almost certainly have problems. I use a thing called CleanMem Mini Monitor. It runs in the background and displays the percentage of memory usage down in your windows status bar. I'd give that a go as well, Zilla.

I have a memory monitor running as desktop gadget. Nothing strange shows there.

I'm going to kick in MemTest now. I'll let you all know the results in the AM.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

No errors.

[pErvinalia]

just fuckin' hit it with a hammer. I don't know...

[Gawdzilla Sama]

just fuckin' hit it with a hammer. I don't know...

I'm going to grind through ever test I can think of before I smash a $1600 computer.

[pErvinalia]

have you considered taking it to someone who actually knows what they are doing?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

have you considered taking it to someone who actually knows what they are doing?

First I do all the tests I can. Then when I've eliminated everything I can, I'll take it to a shop and tell them what I've found so far. That will save me a few hundred in bench time.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I hit "shut down" five minutes ago and it's still trying to do that.

[pErvinalia]

what's your Ram monitor saying? Is it still up?

[pErvinalia]

Give that CrystalDiskInfo a run over your hard drive.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

what's your Ram monitor saying? Is it still up?

It showed low activity, then it froze with everything else.

CrystalDisk showed no problems last night.

This thing froze up shortly after I switched to Windows from Memtest (8 hour run). I wonder if there's some cumulative error that would make it freeze?

[pErvinalia]

That reminds me, you should test your cpu for overheating.

first hit on google looks like a good one - http://openhardwaremonitor.org/
Can get temps of your cpu and your video card. If either of those are too high, that could be causing your problems.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Palemoon is always the first thing to freeze up.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

I'm going to run Chrome for a few days.