Manufacturer overclocking - likely cause of system problems?

[Spiderfarmer]

Hiya gang,
I'm trying to track down what could be causing all of the various problems that I have with my Dell Dimension 8100. Now, I realize that some of the problems stem from the fact that I bought a Dell.

But, I was describing the problems to someone, and he said it sounded like the system had been overclocked to run at the advertised speed...and the overclocking was causing heat problems that may be causing other parts of the system to fail. Now, keep in mind, he suggested that without taking the system apart, just based on symptoms he'd heard.

Anyway, short of taking the system apart to read the code on the chipset, is there a good way to check to see if a system has been overclocked? I've run diagnostics programs, which tell me what speed it's running (a little slower than advertised speed, but not much), but I don't know if that shows the original configuration of the chip, or just the current performance of the chip.

[HASSELBLAD]

It has not been overclocked.

List some of the problems you are having.

[Spiderfarmer]

Hiya Hasselblad,

Well, a lot of the perceived problem is that the stupid thing doesn't have a reset button, so when something blue screens the box, hard reboot is the only option...but that's just annoying, outside of periodically fragging the disk.

But, from a performance standpoint, the darn thing is just seemingly useless. When doing 3d art or anything else that requires massive number crunching, it just bogs down to beyond slow. (I've had this Dell for over a year, but I hate having to replace it already.) The stats of the system are:

P4 at 1.3 GHz, 512 Mgs of fast RAM, GeForce 4 - 64Mb, big drive at 7200 RPM.

It should, theoretically be significantly faster than the computer it replaced, a P3 450. But, on a 3d render, it's benchmarking only 25% faster, games are faster, but compiling code is slower. I also tested it by doing a "unit" of work for the SETI project, and it's benchmarking much slower than the P3-450 did the same unit of work.

I lose about 2 minutes per hour from the system clock. In other words, if I leave the system running for 10 hours without a reboot, my system clock will be off by 20 minutes. If I leave it running for more than about 48 hours, the system will start "stuttering"...i.e., launching a browser window will show a series of events as the window opens...as though you were watching stop motion animation. Very soon after that starts to occur, the machine will lock up and need to be hard rebooted. (Again...because in their infinite wisdom, these boxes don't have a reset button. Where the reset button should be, is a hardwired button to their internal support documentation ... stupidest manufacturing trick, ever.)

I've fdisked, I've reinstalled a variety of OS's, I've tried a multitude of diagnostic programs and "tuneup" applications to try and ferret out the problem and the only thing I can come up with is that the darn thing is possessed, or it hates me.

Any suggestions you have would be welcomed.

[Strogg]

a bad CMOS chip in the mobo??? but the symptoms (especially the clock) seem to point directly to the motherboard. THe only thing you can do is to call them up and hope they can replace the motherboard, or maybe you can do that yourself. but that's only assuming the motherboard's bad. Someone please confirm this for me, since i've never seen the combo of symptoms before.

[fleppen]

the lagging of the clock is usually a symptom of a bad bios battery, so replace that to begin with.

[HASSELBLAD]

Back in the day of my Dell 8200 the system clock did that too: It didnt do it all the time, just sometimes.

Replace the battery like Fleppen said, thats good cause it will also reset the BIOS, may help things a little.

After that your problem should be fixed my a few system cleaners and maybe even a reformat.

[Spiderfarmer]

Groovy, thanks guys. I'll take her apart this weekend and see if I can figure out how to do that...else, I'll send out for hardware guru reinforcements...feed them lasagna and make them do it for me.

Cheers!

[Drew U]

Originally posted by Spiderfarmer
Hiya Hasselblad,

Well, a lot of the perceived problem is that the stupid thing doesn't have a reset button, so when something blue screens the box, hard reboot is the only option...but that's just annoying, outside of periodically fragging the disk.

But, from a performance standpoint, the darn thing is just seemingly useless. When doing 3d art or anything else that requires massive number crunching, it just bogs down to beyond slow. (I've had this Dell for over a year, but I hate having to replace it already.) The stats of the system are:

P4 at 1.3 GHz, 512 Mgs of fast RAM, GeForce 4 - 64Mb, big drive at 7200 RPM.

It should, theoretically be significantly faster than the computer it replaced, a P3 450. But, on a 3d render, it's benchmarking only 25% faster, games are faster, but compiling code is slower. I also tested it by doing a "unit" of work for the SETI project, and it's benchmarking much slower than the P3-450 did the same unit of work.

I lose about 2 minutes per hour from the system clock. In other words, if I leave the system running for 10 hours without a reboot, my system clock will be off by 20 minutes. If I leave it running for more than about 48 hours, the system will start "stuttering"...i.e., launching a browser window will show a series of events as the window opens...as though you were watching stop motion animation. Very soon after that starts to occur, the machine will lock up and need to be hard rebooted. (Again...because in their infinite wisdom, these boxes don't have a reset button. Where the reset button should be, is a hardwired button to their internal support documentation ... stupidest manufacturing trick, ever.)

I've fdisked, I've reinstalled a variety of OS's, I've tried a multitude of diagnostic programs and "tuneup" applications to try and ferret out the problem and the only thing I can come up with is that the darn thing is possessed, or it hates me.

Any suggestions you have would be welcomed.

Replace the motherboard with a retail one that is compatible with your processor, for starters.

Dell has oem mobo's with limited bios options (many are greyed out). You will never learn how to configure your bios optimally with an oem motherboard.

~Drew

[DavidGP]

To test a Intel CPU for overclocking or running at non standard speed run this Intel Proc ID Util

[HASSELBLAD]

Originally posted by Drew U
Replace the motherboard with a retail one that is compatible with your processor, for starters.

Dell has oem mobo's with limited bios options (many are greyed out). You will never learn how to configure your bios optimally with an oem motherboard.

~Drew

I really dont feel that is needed at this point.
1. His CPU is a socket 423, they dont make very many of those and the ones they do make are crap. Also his RAM is prolly PC133.
2. If he were to replace the mobo he would have to replace the case as well.


True that Dell's BIOS isnt that great, I feel the problem is more with crap installed on his PC.

Spiderfarmer, try these:
jv16 PowerTools
Ad-aware 6.0
We may have some free programs that do it, but I like to use Norton System Works. It has a few nice tool and you can pick it up for about $29.99.

[Spiderfarmer]

Halo, thanks for the heads up on the Intel util, I was trying to find that bad boy.

Hasselblad said:
Spiderfarmer, try these:
jv16 PowerTools
Ad-aware 6.0

I'm a big ol freak about spyware, so I've had AdAware and Spybot Search and Destroy installed. The power tools are pretty groovy, but I hand roll my registry pretty regularly, so I was pretty sure it was in good shape. (I may not be a hardware geek, but I can make the kernel sit up and beg. (And the tools didn't find anything in the registry that I didn't know was there, so that's good.)

I'm pretty sure it's a hardware issue...and I've almost hit the point where I'm ready to take this stupid box out into the back 40 and shoot it with high caliber weapons. Honestly, shooting this damn box with an AK47 would be the most fun I've had with it. And we'll take the digital camera out and film it...for really, how often do people get to see film clips of little women with big guns firing on useless computers?

I really appreciate all the tips and program links guys, you've been a big help in narrowing down the issues. At least I know now it's not overclocked, it's registry isn't overweight, there's no spyware installed...it's just a crappy computer...which may or may not be having bios and battery issues.

Upgrading/flashing the bios...any opinions?

[HASSELBLAD]

I dont think you can flash a BIOS on a Dell?

Sorry if this was already asked, do you think its a heat problem?
Try running Sandra 03. Maybe if you ran both memory and CPU tests you might narrow down the problem.
Feel the back on your case, is it really hot? Open the case and turn on the PC, feel the HS/F, does it give 3rd degree burns?

[fleppen]

SiSoftware Sandra 2003 SP1

use it and see what the temps are like Hass said

[Spiderfarmer]

Guys, thanks for the heads up on Sandra...what a great utilitiy.

According it it, my heat levels are fine. I'm still playing with all the options in Sandra, I'll post back if I can figure anything out.