Diagnosis: HDD or CPU?

Yesterday, my computer got the BSoD. Except, instead of being the usual memory dump nonsense, it gave me this message:

"a problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage"

I reset the machine. After it got into windows, it pulled the same crap a few minutes later.

I reset again. Suspiciously, on the startup screen prior to POST, the screen is staticky. It doesn't get past post.

I tried it again a couple times, and the one time it got to windows, have the screen was cut in half by a static line with darkness on one side and the desktop on the other.

I'm worried that it's the HDD since that always seems to be the problem nowadays. But I put it on another machine and its data is accessible, so I'm inclined to believe it's the GPU that's the problem.

The problem here is that the motherboard is integrated with the Nvidia chipset that runs the graphics. So I don't really have the ability to test my theories.

Does a broken chipset sound about right to anyone else? If so, is there some diagnostic measure I can use to test it aside from buying another graphics card?

 

The GPU sounds like it should be VERY suspect.

What is your make/model of PC?

Desktop, or laptop?

Can you boot into Safe Mode?

 

It's a desktop. XFX Geforce 8200 Motherboard.

Can't find a model number, but I believe that's the one. Spitting image.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3939759&CatId=3699

And I didn't have enough time to test it before it crapped out, but since it was able to access Windows, I imagine it was also able to access safe mode. The only problem is that it wouldn't have much time to operate in that environment before crashing.

BTW: I just checked the BIOS. It says the GPU temperature is ranging from 220 - 260 degrees Farenheit.

The sys temp, by contrast, is a relatively cool 95 degrees.

.....and now (just as I type this), it's shutting down spontaneously while it's in the bios. Overheating perhaps?

In which case, if I let it cool down, it'll probably let me access these environments again until the temperature gets too high. But I imagine it's gotten to that heating point too often; chip's probably fried. *sigh*

Agreements? Discrepancies?

 

It could be that the chip is fried, or the temp sensor is shot. With the graphics issues/description, I would suspect the former.

I don't think you could get away with simply adding a graphics card in this case, especially if you can't completely "turn off" the integrated chip. It may still trip an overload even with a PCIe card, but maybe not. I would wager a guess that you have gotten many reliable years from this board, and fishing up a DDR2 board could be a pain. People are still asking way too much for them, but they are out there.

http://pcplanetsystems.com/pcp/mage...-v-gbe-matx-motherboard.html?___store=default

Have you considered a system upgrade?

 

Oi. I really would rather not have to spend the funds.

I imagine that, once it cools down again, I could get to the bios. Is there not a connection to the integrated chipset from there? Or is that not even possible?

 

Yeah. Looks the option to make the chipset secondary is there.

....Then again, I just looked at your link. That's a pretty good bargain for that board....Considering I paid around $1200 for this one. You tempt me sir.

....Okay. Update.

After the temp got too high and the PC shut down spontaneously, I unhooked it and inspected the chipset. I ended up cleaning dusty excess clumps out of the heat sink.

I boot it back up too get to the bios to check for that option. After I was done, I walked away from it, letting it boot. Now it's in windows, working fine. For now.

Despite this, could the chip still be fried, albeit moderately functional?

 

Yeah, it's possible. Heat sinks don't like dust bunnies, that's for sure.

There is the chance you could get away with a graphics card should the problem persist. Not all boards share memory with the chipset, and if your BIOS parameters are set to use PCI the board may ignore the integrated chip altogether. Therefore it may not go out on thermal overload.