Windows 7 freezes

[mapache]

I know...I know... I'm posting about my OS freezing in the hardware section.

I recently upgraded my desktop to Windows 7. This is what I'm working with:

Operating System

MS Windows 7 32-bit SP1

CPU

AMD Sempron 3100+ 35 °C Palermo 90nm Technology

RAM

1.25 GB Single-Channel DDR @ 200MHz (3-3-3-8)

Motherboard

First International Computer, Inc. K8M-800M (Socket 940) 28 °C

Graphics

eView 17f3 (1024x768@1Hz) Standard VGA Graphics Adapter

Hard Drives

98GB Seagate ST3100011A ATA Device (PATA) 28 °C

Optical Drives

ATAPI DVD A DH20A4H ATA Device

Audio

Realtek AC'97 Audio for VIA (R) Audio Controller

After upgrading from XP to Windows 7 Pro, I began having a whole gaggle of vertical multi-colored lines on my monitor when running Windows. Figuring my built in video card was taxed beyond belief, I got another one that's supposed to work with Windows 7 according to Microsoft's W7 hardware compatibility site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/com...20tv&os=64-bit

After installing the new video card, no lines on the monitor. YES! But, Windows now locks up and does it during a multitude of different programs.

W7 requires 1GB of RAM to run the software. As shown above, I have 1.25GB running at 200 mHz. When I looked today at getting another 1GB module, I noticed it's 400 mHz.

Q1. Is the lack of RAM possibly causing the lockup?

Q2. If I get a 1GB @ 400 mHz module in with my current 1GB @ 200 mHz module, will it cause problems; or should I get 2 400 mHZ modules?

Q3. Aside from replacing/swapping parts like a shadetree mechanic until it "runs", is there a software tool or something built into W7 I can use to figure out what's going on with the desktop?

Thanks in advance.

[Tueur]

Can you please clarify what card you are now using?

Two things spring to mind:

1) your PSU cant handle the new GPU,

2)Your GPU uses shared memory and is eating up system RAM which is already low.

[mapache]

Since the system kept freezing I removed the AGP video card which is in the Microsoft link. I am currently using the built in eView 17f3 (1024x768@1Hz) Standard VGA Graphics Adapter, but am back to getting the vertical lines on the monitor.

[tgell]

You listed resolution at 1024x768@1Hz. That should be set to at least 60Hz and for a CRT monitor it should be set to 75Hz if the VGA adapter allows it. When you installed the graphics card, was there a setting in BIOS to disable on-board graphics?

[mapache]

When I installed the card and turned the computer back on, Windows detected the card and installed its own driver.

How do I change from 1 Hz? Is that through display properties in Control Panel?

[tgell]

Right click on the desktop and select Screen Resolution then advanced settings.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...-settings.html

[mapache]

I reinstall the new graphics card first and then follow that tutorial, correct?

Without the graphics card in, I don't have the option to change the refresh rate. "Use hardware default setting" is the only thing showing. I'll install the card and see if that changes.

[tgell]

Since the system kept freezing I removed the AGP video card which is in the Microsoft link. I am currently using the built in eView 17f3 (1024x768@1Hz) Standard VGA Graphics Adapter, but am back to getting the vertical lines on the monitor.

The suggestion I gave was to correct the lines when using the onboard graphics.

When installing the new Graphics card, make sure if there is a BIOS setting for disabling onboard graphics. This may be why it is freezing but as Tueur pointed out, your graphics card may be too much for your computer, especially if the PS cannot handle it.

[mapache]

Gotcha.

I'll check into the BIOS issue and look for a new power supply.

Thank you both.

[tgell]

It may be cheaper to upgrade your ram first to see if that solves the problem.

[mapache]

I checked Device Manager and the new graphics card is the only one listed and was disabled. I enabled it and will stand by to see how much that helps.

[mapache]

Originally Posted by tgell

It may be cheaper to upgrade your ram first to see if that solves the problem.

Agreed. So back to the OP, will adding a 400 mHz module to an already existing 200 mHz module cause any issues? 1GB is 1GB, right?

[tgell]

Sorry, I missed that. DDR modules that show 400 actually run at 200 MHz. Do both modules say PC3200?

PC3200 DDR RAM runs at a FSB speed of 200 Mhz. Since it is a Double Data rate (DDR) RAM, it runs internally at double the speed of the FSB, thus at 400 Mhz internally.

[mapache]

Interesting that they run at half speed.

Yes, both are PC3200. This is what I originally upgraded with and ignorantly assumed it was sold as 200 mHz:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...020&CatId=1600

This is what I found yesterday thinking 400 mHz would be awesome:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...?EdpNo=6394278

[Tueur]

Where did you read that it is running at 200MHz?

Your MB runs upto 400MHz and your RAM runs at 400MHz. Download CPU-Z and list your clock speed, CPU multiplier and memory speed.

you should have a clock speed of 200MHz and a multiplier of 9. If this is the case then your RAM must be running at 400MHz already as on K8 Architecture the memory bus is double the clock speed when using DDR and 4xclock speed with DDR2. The only way you could get a memory bus speed of 200MHz is if your CPU clock is 100MHz with a multiplier of 18.

[mapache]

I got that from the bolded section in my OP which shows 1.25gb @ 200mHz.

I just got to work, so I'll run that for you tonight and post it then.

That last paragraph is all Greek to me.

[Tueur]

I know... I also got it from that but you wrote the OP so you must have got the info from somewhere unless you made it up.

Basically the speed of your CPU is determined by the core clock speed times the CPU multiplier. your core clock should be 200MHz which would require a CPU multiplier of 9 to get to 1.8GHz ie 200x9=1800. This relates to the number of bits of information that your CPU can process each second 1,800,000 bits per second.

Your memory bus speed is also relative to your core clock. This is a somewhat crude way of calculating it but basically DDR (Double Data Rate) effectivly means that it carries out 2 operations per cycle. DDR2 will carry out 4 and DDR 3 will carry out 8. So your Memory bus speed is your core clock (200) times 2 because you are using DDR RAM.

We know you are using DDR RAM so if your Memory Bus IS running at "half speed" (ie 200MHz) you core clock MUST be running at 100MHz. In order to achieve a CPU speed of 1.8GHz you CPU multiplier MUST be 18 (100x18=1800)

Something in the back of my memory tells me that you cant increase a multiplier above its stock (in your case 9) This means that IF your Memory Bus IS 200MHz, your core clock MUST be 100MHz and your CPU Multiplier can not be above 9, the max that your CPU is running at is 900MHz.

The only other possibility would be a memory divider but I dont know if they are supported under K8 and I doubt very much that your MB will support that.

[Tueur]

I meant to finish by saying that I think it is more likely that the 200MHz that you quoted in your OP is actually the clock speed in which case your memory bus speed is already 400MHz

[Tueur]

sorry for repeat posting, but something else that just occurred to me. You say that you have 1.25GB of RAM. Does that mean that you have 1 x 256MB and 1 x 1GB stick? if so take out the 256MB stick and see what happens.

It maybe that your stock 256MB stick is only 200MHz and that is kicking in a memory divider, which means that both sticks are running at 200MHz (ie the lowest common denominator). taking out the 256GB stick might drop out the divider. 1GB running at 400MHz will pi55 al over 1.25GB at 200MHz.

As an aside some of my terminology was a bit off below, so apologies for that. The figures you want from CPU-z are Bus Speed, multiplier and core speed from the CPU tab and the DRAM speed from Memory Tab. Run it first then pull out the 256MB stick and run it again.

[mapache]

Gotcha.

That data came from Speccy.

The memory is as you thought: a 1GB upgrade with an original 256k module. I'll do the checks as you requested and post the results.