XBX2 Freezing

[DJL]

My XBX2 system has just started locking up randomly. It doesn't take very long after booting - sometimes it will lock before I login, but other times 10/15 mintues after boot.

It all started yesterday when I went to install a new eSATA drive. I updated the BIOS from 2692, which i've been running for ages, to the latest 2809. Reason being i was going to enable the Marvell controller, for which serveral things had been fixed (s3 resume etc). BIOS upgrade went ok.

Marvell controller installed in Vista x64 ok, eSATA drive worked fine. But then it started crashing - instant reboot, nothing logged in the windows logs, no blue screen (auto reboot is disabled).

Assumed it was the marvell or eSATA disk so uninstalled both and disabled the marvel again. Still crashed. Went back to BIOS 2692. Still crashed.

I've reset bios defaults, unplugged everthing unessential, voltages appear fine. I also ran the MS RAM test and that showed no erros - also tried MemTest86 3.4 which locks up on one of the tests (about the third one). I tried underclocking the RAM, tried each of my RAM 4x 1GB modules seperatly. Nothing made any difference.

The reason for the eSATA drive was to backup my RAID0 array which has been failing occasionally (comes back after a reboot) - I suspect thats due to me not disabling TLER on my Western Digital RE2's.

I'm now thinking duff board? Will phone Intel tomorrow.

Does anyone have any sugesstions?

Thanks

Spec (1yr old - stock speeds):
XBX2
E6600
4GB RAM (4x 1GB Crucial Ballistix DDR 800 4-4-4-12 2.2v)
All hard drives on Intel SATA ports:

• 150GB Raptor (System)
  2x 500GB WD RE2's (RAID0 - Data)

Gainward Nvidia 7950GT
Enermax 550w PSU
Windows Vista x64 Ultimate (latest drivers/updates)

Sods law its happened at the worst time - i've got two weeks of coursework dealines starting tomorrow (3 reports and a VHDL test bench) and then exams...argh

[hkancyr]

Just a guess, you just installed the new drive before this started happening, seems like a power issue.
Do you have a spare PSU or access to one? Could be the reason the RAID is flaky too.

[DJL]

Thanks for your reply.

The new hard disk was external with its own psu - so no load on the computer PSU. All my spare PSUs are 3hr round trip away. Will try one at the weekend if I havn't got anywhere.

I've been playing with MemTest86+ and I think i've come to the conclusion the boards broken - I get memory errors in the first 1MB of ram - which ever module and/or slot i'm using. The other 1021MB of each module test fine.

Just wish Intel would hurry up and get back to me. Anyone know how long it usually takes to go through the RMA process and get a new board? - I might have to buy one if its going to take a while.

Thanks

Intels support process is quite funny..

Support: What seems to be the problem?
Me: My computer won't boot
Support: I'll send you an email, please fill in the word document.. (good job i have a laptop and word )

[hkancyr]

Hmm external, I didn't know how your power connected to that disc, certainly shouldn't seem to effect the PSU. The random freezes might indicate power problems, not as good a indicator as random restarts however, which it sounds like you experienced.
What sort of environment is the computer in? Has there been any problems with your houses power? New large appliances. Did you find the interior of the computer reasonably free of dust?
My bet is that you will solve it, sounds like you're going down the right roads. I'm sticking with my PSU theory. Good luck, if you hurry your data might still be useful.

[mickrussom]

Just a point of reference:
I'm using:
- 8800GTX
- 4GB (4 * 1GB) DDR2 800 ECC, 5-5-5-15
- X6800 CPU
- 850W PSU
- No marvell enabled
- 4 Seagate 750GB disks
- BIOS 2809

Vista 32-bit. I've not seen one single crash/hang/reboot/blue screen/etc for a year.

[orwell84]

I am definitely not as advanced as you guys when it comes to computers. But, I am having the same problem. Except, I did not do anything with my computer prior to this issue surfacing. My system was running flawlessly and was bulletproof until last week.

I have a bad axe 2 with e6400 (non OC'ed) 2gb of OCZ, an 8800GTS 320mb,a 34 gig WD Raptor and a 320gig Barracuda.

Anyone have any suggestions? Could this be a PSU issue? Do motherboards lock up like this if they don't get steady voltages?

How do I update my bios and which is the most stable build to use?

[DJL]

After finding out it would be a week before Intel would even call me back to do troubleshooting(!), I decided to buy a new motherboard. The system has been rebuilt using the Intel DP35DP and everything is fine again. I did look at getting the new DX38BT but I would have had to spend shed loads on DDR3.

Oddly though MemTest+ 1.70 is still reporting the same errors in the 1st 1MB of RAM. I'm pretty sure that this is an error with the software. Has anyone used Memtest+ with the XBX2/DP35DM? I have a feeling the Intel ME system uses a couple of MB of RAM - i'm wondering if that is making it appear as though there are errors. The Microsoft ram test still reports everything to be OK.

hkancyr - the computer and most peripherals are plugged into a APC SmartUPS 1500. I'm still not ruling out the fact that something else may not be function correctly - the problem may just be masked by using a different mboard.

So lookout for an XBX2 on ebay next month once Intel have replaced it.

[DJL]

I am definitely not as advanced as you guys when it comes to computers. But, I am having the same problem. Except, I did not do anything with my computer prior to this issue surfacing. My system was running flawlessly and was bulletproof until last week.

I have a bad axe 2 with e6400 (non OC'ed) 2gb of OCZ, an 8800GTS 320mb,a 34 gig WD Raptor and a 320gig Barracuda.

Anyone have any suggestions? Could this be a PSU issue? Do motherboards lock up like this if they don't get steady voltages?

How do I update my bios and which is the most stable build to use?

If you visit http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Filter_ ... sType=prev you can download the BIOS updates. There are four methods to install the BIOS update - the easiest being Express BIOS Update - look for the downloads ending EB.EXE (eg BX97520J.86A.2802.EB.EXE - which is the latest express bios update).

I was running version 2692 since April and my XBX system was rock solid. I'm sure the current 2802 is just as stable and there have been quite a number of fixes since April.

PSU problems can cause the symptoms described - what PSU do you have? What are the voltage readings in the bios?

[orwell84]

I am unsure of the PSU manufacturer. Are the voltages displayed in the BIOS in realtime? Will a spike or dip in voltage cause the freeze?

My computer now freezes either in windows, on boot, or, it even occurs in BIOS itself where the computer becomes unresponsive and just sits there till I reboot it. At that time, the problem will happen again. It could happen soon after boot, or 20 minutes after boot, but one thing remains the same: it will eventually happen, and always within 20 minutes.

[vddobrev]

Have you run any diagnostics or stress tests? For sudden freezes and reboots, I think the 3 main suspects are HDD (the HDD which has the swap file), Memory, and PSU.