HTPC unstable and crashes/hangs

natrlhy · 2006-09-30, 07:06

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.4
Windows Version: Windows XP Pro SP2
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ AM2
HDD: Western Digital 500GB SATA II (WD5000KS)
Memory: 1 GB DDR2 800 (2x 512MB) Corsair XMS2
Motherboard: Asus M2N-E
Motherboard Chipset: NVIDIA nForce® 570 Ultra
Motherboard Bios: 0203
Video Card: MSI 7600GT 256MB (NX7600GT-VT2D256EHD)
Video Card Driver: ForceWare 91.47
Sound Card: ADI (onboard) HD
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Nvidia DualTV MCE
1. TV Card Type: Analog
1. TV Card Driver: 1.31
2. TV Card: Vbox Cat's Eye DTA-150
2. TV Card Type: ATSC
2. TV Card Driver: 2.1.705.7
MPEG2 Video Codec: NVIDIA PureVideo
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider: DirecTV (San Francisco)
HTPC Case: SilverStone LC17-B
Cooling: Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 HSF
Power Supply: SeaSonic S12-430W
Remote: Microsoft MCE (US Version)
TV: Pioneer Elite PRO-1110HD 50" Plasma
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI - HDMI

I have built the above system about 1 month ago.
More detail here: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/sh...ad.php?p=71694

I have an issue where I can't keep the system up for more than 2 days at a time. I have begun running some tests with the Ultimate Boot CD diag CD. I run a CPU test, it just hangs the system. I run memtest86, it hangs the system. How do I go about determining what is causing this instability? It's pretty tough to enjoy my HTPC when it can't even stay running.

Other symptoms include:

Waking up in the morning to a blank screen. It seems like it's in a suspended mode, but I try any and all keyboard combos and I get nothing.

I can be in the middle of running MP and it just reboots with no indication as to why.

I don't see any heat issues so I'm pretty perplexed at this point...

Any suggestions would be most helpful and appreciated!

EDIT: I'm following this thread at the AnandTech site: http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...&enterthread=y

infinityloop · 2006-09-30, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by natrlhy

I run a CPU test, it just hangs the system.
I run memtest86, it hangs the system.

I don't see any heat issues so I'm pretty perplexed at this point...

i would check all fans and heat sinks in the system (northbridge).

next i would try to replace the powersupply.
i had that quite often, that i.e. the +5 Volltage breaks done -> result reboot

it can work for days, or minutes......

if the problem is still there, i would try to replace the RAM.

if a new powersupply and RAM doenst work, then it could be the mainboard (VIA chipset?) or the CPU.

moullas · 2006-09-30, 09:58

If it hangs under Hiren's, then i don't think the chipset of the mobo could be at cause (Via has somewhat buggy drivers under windows, but Dos should be ok)

So, check the thermal paste on the CPU, the PSU and try removing one of the RAM chips and see what happens...

htpcoz · 2006-10-01, 14:28

In my case I have been getting progressively worse hangs on restoring from standby. This system has been running solidly with no such issues on 0.2.0.3 for quite some time. I had a couple of crashes (reboot while playing TV) 1 week ago , and since then it has been very unstable on restore from standby.

I've seen some situations where similar crashes/reboot scenarios have caused rewriting/corruption of BIOS settings. Given the fact that restore from standby is very BIOS specific, I thought I'd reset my BIOS settings back to factory default, and then reset any other settings I had customised back to how I had them.

Since doing this (and nothing else), I've not had a single problem running for 2 days now (probably 20-30 restores from standby). Prior to the reset I would get a hang on restore 2 out of 3 times before.

It's not very scientific, and may be a bit of a placebo, but it might be worth a try.

infinityloop · 2006-10-01, 20:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by htpcoz

I thought I'd reset my BIOS settings back to factory default

very good idea!!!

natrlhy · 2006-10-04, 08:37

I've set my BIOS settings to the defaults.

I ran like that for a few days and it still hung.

I have applied the latest beta BIOS 0402 and we will see how that treats me

natrlhy · 2006-10-05, 07:37

Just wanted to post an update...

I was talking on IRC with the members and after speaking with Commodore 64, he suggested I up the DDR voltage. Default for my memory is 1.9V. The max my M2N-E supports at the moment is 1.95V

I was able to run a memtest86+ for 3 minutes max BEFORE this change and my system would reboot.

AFTER this change, I was able to run the same memtest86+ for 1.5 hours with 3 passed tests and 0 failed!

I sure hope this was the magic bullet!

THANKS Commy64

NLS · 2006-10-05, 08:50

CBM64 doesn't speak much nowadays but when he speaks, he Speaks

natrlhy · 2006-10-11, 08:38

I wanted to let anyone following this thread that changing the DDR2 voltage from 1.90V to 1.95V has pretty much solved my HTPC reboot and "blank black screen" issues. I'd say my stability has gone from 50% to about 98.9%

Again, thanks Commy64!

2006-09-30, 07:06	#1 (permalink)
natrlhy Retired Team Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 324 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	HTPC unstable and crashes/hangs MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.4 Windows Version: Windows XP Pro SP2 CPU Type: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ AM2 HDD: Western Digital 500GB SATA II (WD5000KS) Memory: 1 GB DDR2 800 (2x 512MB) Corsair XMS2 Motherboard: Asus M2N-E Motherboard Chipset: NVIDIA nForce® 570 Ultra Motherboard Bios: 0203 Video Card: MSI 7600GT 256MB (NX7600GT-VT2D256EHD) Video Card Driver: ForceWare 91.47 Sound Card: ADI (onboard) HD Sound Card AC3: Sound Card Driver: 1. TV Card: Nvidia DualTV MCE 1. TV Card Type: Analog 1. TV Card Driver: 1.31 2. TV Card: Vbox Cat's Eye DTA-150 2. TV Card Type: ATSC 2. TV Card Driver: 2.1.705.7 MPEG2 Video Codec: NVIDIA PureVideo MPEG2 Audio Codec: Satelite/CableTV Provider: DirecTV (San Francisco) HTPC Case: SilverStone LC17-B Cooling: Arctic Cooling Alpine 64 HSF Power Supply: SeaSonic S12-430W Remote: Microsoft MCE (US Version) TV: Pioneer Elite PRO-1110HD 50" Plasma TV - HTPC Connection: DVI - HDMI I have built the above system about 1 month ago. More detail here: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/sh...ad.php?p=71694 I have an issue where I can't keep the system up for more than 2 days at a time. I have begun running some tests with the Ultimate Boot CD diag CD. I run a CPU test, it just hangs the system. I run memtest86, it hangs the system. How do I go about determining what is causing this instability? It's pretty tough to enjoy my HTPC when it can't even stay running. Other symptoms include: Waking up in the morning to a blank screen. It seems like it's in a suspended mode, but I try any and all keyboard combos and I get nothing. I can be in the middle of running MP and it just reboots with no indication as to why. I don't see any heat issues so I'm pretty perplexed at this point... Any suggestions would be most helpful and appreciated! EDIT: I'm following this thread at the AnandTech site: http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...&enterthread=y Last edited by natrlhy; 2006-09-30 at 08:24.

2006-10-05, 07:37	#7 (permalink)
natrlhy Retired Team Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 324 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Just wanted to post an update... I was talking on IRC with the members and after speaking with Commodore 64, he suggested I up the DDR voltage. Default for my memory is 1.9V. The max my M2N-E supports at the moment is 1.95V I was able to run a memtest86+ for 3 minutes max BEFORE this change and my system would reboot. AFTER this change, I was able to run the same memtest86+ for 1.5 hours with 3 passed tests and 0 failed! I sure hope this was the magic bullet! THANKS Commy64 Last edited by natrlhy; 2006-10-05 at 17:14.

2006-10-05, 08:50	#8 (permalink)
NLS Portal Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Age: 34 Posts: 879 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	CBM64 doesn't speak much nowadays but when he speaks, he Speaks __________________ NLS ...never thought I would advertise MP around that much, so soon... (and when some dev adds better menu handling, multiple calls to modules and plugins with different options and much better dbase handling, it will be love... ah and a nice 3D front end and inter-module messaging system and...) Don't argue with the founder of Greek Off-Topic Community about taking a thread off-topic. I cannot help it! My webshots album (contains the old version of my HTPC setup too)

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2006-09-30, 09:58	#3 (permalink)
moullas Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Age: 29 Posts: 101 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	If it hangs under Hiren's, then i don't think the chipset of the mobo could be at cause (Via has somewhat buggy drivers under windows, but Dos should be ok) So, check the thermal paste on the CPU, the PSU and try removing one of the RAM chips and see what happens...

2006-10-01, 14:28	#4 (permalink)
htpcoz Portal Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Brisbane Posts: 115 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	In my case I have been getting progressively worse hangs on restoring from standby. This system has been running solidly with no such issues on 0.2.0.3 for quite some time. I had a couple of crashes (reboot while playing TV) 1 week ago , and since then it has been very unstable on restore from standby. I've seen some situations where similar crashes/reboot scenarios have caused rewriting/corruption of BIOS settings. Given the fact that restore from standby is very BIOS specific, I thought I'd reset my BIOS settings back to factory default, and then reset any other settings I had customised back to how I had them. Since doing this (and nothing else), I've not had a single problem running for 2 days now (probably 20-30 restores from standby). Prior to the reset I would get a hang on restore 2 out of 3 times before. It's not very scientific, and may be a bit of a placebo, but it might be worth a try.

2006-10-04, 08:37	#6 (permalink)
natrlhy Retired Team Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 324 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I've set my BIOS settings to the defaults. I ran like that for a few days and it still hung. I have applied the latest beta BIOS 0402 and we will see how that treats me

2006-10-11, 08:38	#9 (permalink)
natrlhy Retired Team Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 324 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I wanted to let anyone following this thread that changing the DDR2 voltage from 1.90V to 1.95V has pretty much solved my HTPC reboot and "blank black screen" issues. I'd say my stability has gone from 50% to about 98.9% Again, thanks Commy64!