Computer freezes when using boinc... why?
Message boards :
Number crunching :
Computer freezes when using boinc... why?
Message board moderation
| Author | Message |
|---|---|
 Count Kronaakh  Send message Joined: 22 Jul 06 Posts: 83 Credit: 1,612,126 RAC: 0 
|
Well, after many research on what causes my recent computer crashes, I found out that it's boinc... When i started the PC, it went for a while, then I heard a "click" sound from the tower box (i suppose the cpu clicked out, i experienced this while overclocking too high way more earlier), then the computer crashed... I started windows in safe mode, removed all unuseful services, but the crashes continued... then, I exited boincmanager... and now everything's working just fine... I can do photo editing, even video editing, without crash, so i don't think it's strictly hardware issue... If anyone experienced this, or knows anything about it, maybe also solutions, please write me ASAP! Many Thanks, Mav. "The Truth Is Out There!" (X-Files) ID: 809515 ·  |
dnolan  Send message Joined: 30 Aug 01 Posts: 1228 Credit: 47,779,411 RAC: 32 
|
If you're hearing a click, I'd suspect possibly the power supply. You may not have issues doing things that aren't drawing power for 100% system usage 100% of the time, it may just be that Boinc is stressing the system enough to trigger the condition that shuts it down. What's in the system (cpu, ram, drives, video card, etc.) and is it OC'd? What kind of power supply is it, and how old? -Dave 
ID: 809516 · |
|
Count Kronaakh Send message Joined: 22 Jul 06 Posts: 83 Credit: 1,612,126 RAC: 0
|
hmmm... Well, it's an AMD Athlon XP 1600+, 512 RAM, 2 HDD (20GB Quantum and 40GB Seagate), 128MB ATI video... No overclock at this time, it was OC'd earlier this year, but then I switched back to the normal, and then, after approx 2 months of not using the PC, the problem started slowly... the power supply is 350W but quite old, as the PC is in this config since more than 5 years, only the video card was changed since then... May it be the power supply? But then, how come that at other programs' high load it doesn't crash? I mean I can do adobe premiere on the pc without crashing... "The Truth Is Out There!" (X-Files) ID: 809519 · |
|
Count Kronaakh Send message Joined: 22 Jul 06 Posts: 83 Credit: 1,612,126 RAC: 0
|
Don't bother... It crashed now without boinc as well, so i might think about buying a new Power supply... :D Thanks for the tip! Mav. "The Truth Is Out There!" (X-Files) ID: 809520 · |
|
dnolan Send message Joined: 30 Aug 01 Posts: 1228 Credit: 47,779,411 RAC: 32
|
Don't bother... It crashed now without boinc as well, so i might think about buying a new Power supply... :D Sure, hopefully that's it. Not much makes an actual click, I remember old EIDE and SCSI hard drives that would make a "click of death", but I can't remember hearing a newer drive do that. If it's a standard ATX power supply, you could look at something like this Antec Earthwatts 430 that Newegg has for $44.99, free shipping, and there's a $10 rebade available. Not bad for an 80+ power supply, and it sounds like it would be a good power fit for your system. -Dave
ID: 809524 · |
|
1mp0£173 Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 8423 Credit: 356,897 RAC: 0
|
hmmm... Well, it's an AMD Athlon XP 1600+, 512 RAM, 2 HDD (20GB Quantum and 40GB Seagate), 128MB ATI video... I seem to remember issues with ATI video drivers, and that newer drivers will fix the problem. I don't remember the details. ID: 809554 · |
|
Ianab Send message Joined: 11 Jun 08 Posts: 732 Credit: 20,635,586 RAC: 5 
|
Don't bother... It crashed now without boinc as well, so i might think about buying a new Power supply... :D Power supply would be the first suspect, the Click will be coming from the hard disk, probably doing a 'Park' operation as the power supply dips out. It could also be a fault in the drive itself, if it shuts down at random, the windows page file goes offline and windows can just lock up or blue screen. But PSU sounds most likely, especially failing under a heavy load, Seti crunching works the CPU at 100% ALL the time, most other apps are just bursts of CPU use, then they wait for I/O or operator input. But now it's locking up all the time it just means the fault is getting worse. Anyway PSU is easy to swap, and never hurts to have a good spare on the shelf, you will need it one day. ;-) Ian ID: 809581 · |
|
JBWoolley Send message Joined: 8 May 07 Posts: 35 Credit: 6,214,366 RAC: 0
|
Well, after many research on what causes my recent computer crashes, I found out that it's boinc... Had similar issues. Thought I had the max overclocking zeroed in. Was stable for over a month... no problems. Started SETI. within 15-20 minutes freeze (with a click) as it froze. (Think the other post about disk heads park as freezes is right on the money.) Discovered that backing off the overclocking 5% and it stabilized. Suspected that not only CPU temp increases with crunching... but also some motherboard components. Hope this helps, Jack ID: 809666 · |
kittyman     Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51469 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004
 |
Well, after many research on what causes my recent computer crashes, I found out that it's boinc... For true, for true...... I had similar problems with some of my rigs when the new AK V8 ports came out..... Rigs that had been running at a stable OC for months started to have problems when I started crunching with the new apps..... But then again, I was asking them to do about 30% more work with the new apps doing the crunching....so I just had to back a few of them down a few mhz, and all was well in crunching land again....... Full bore Seti crunching, especially with the new opti apps, will load your system almost at full capacity. "Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster 
ID: 809717 · |
|
Count Kronaakh Send message Joined: 22 Jul 06 Posts: 83 Credit: 1,612,126 RAC: 0
|
Well, strange sounds at the PSU fan now, so i might think it's going out...:) my PC works now at -0.42% downclock from the original cpu frequency, so i don't think there's some problem with that... anyway, thanks for the advice for all! Regards, Mav. "The Truth Is Out There!" (X-Files) ID: 809868 · |
|
ka4iqd Send message Joined: 19 Jul 99 Posts: 16 Credit: 6,009,002 RAC: 0
|
You have probably already fixed the problem since this thread is about two weeks old now but I was out of town and just now seeing it. One thing you can always try if a previously stable computer starts crashing is to get a can of compressed air and blow the dust out of all your fans and heatsinks. I overclock right to the edge of stability, using prime95 for stress testing, and I have to blow the dust out of my cpu heatsinks every couple of months or so or I'll start getting crashes from overheating. ID: 814714 · |
|
kittyman Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51469 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004
|
You have probably already fixed the problem since this thread is about two weeks old now but I was out of town and just now seeing it. One thing you can always try if a previously stable computer starts crashing is to get a can of compressed air and blow the dust out of all your fans and heatsinks. I overclock right to the edge of stability, using prime95 for stress testing, and I have to blow the dust out of my cpu heatsinks every couple of months or so or I'll start getting crashes from overheating. LOL....do you have kitties? "Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster
ID: 814717 · |
zoom3+1=4  Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65779 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49
|
You have probably already fixed the problem since this thread is about two weeks old now but I was out of town and just now seeing it. One thing you can always try if a previously stable computer starts crashing is to get a can of compressed air and blow the dust out of all your fans and heatsinks. I overclock right to the edge of stability, using prime95 for stress testing, and I have to blow the dust out of my cpu heatsinks every couple of months or so or I'll start getting crashes from overheating. Or mutts even? :D The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's 
ID: 814746 · |
©2024 University of California
SETI@home and Astropulse are funded by grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and donations from SETI@home volunteers. AstroPulse is funded in part by the NSF through grant AST-0307956.