Constant reboots, overheating, display driver failing

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Uselysses

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My PC is a refurbished tower I picked up from work. They were going to recycle it and I figured that I could fix it up and score a cheap, decent PC. I've had it for about 2 months now and the problems with it have been steadily increasing.

Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo
80 GB HD
2X2gb Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
(I don't have the MoBo specs, I'll check that when I get home tonight)
2 fans, one on the side, on CPU fan (no front fan)

The only modifications I've made were initially removing the CPU fan to determine the processor (an Intel Core 2 Duo), then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it. I also installed 2X2gb DDR2 RAM. After a number of times where it overheated, and refused to start (see below) I removed and re-installed the CPU fan, this time with a slightly bigger dab of thermal paste.

The first problem that I noticed with it was that occasionally when I powered it on it would start off, then abruptly shut off (this after I'd removed the CPU fan, then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it on my processor). I'd immediately try to boot it up again and would hear four tones, alternating High-Low-High-Low, and would receive a message one my screen that my PC had shut down due to a "thermal overheating event" (I don't immediately have the exact wording). I'd hit enter and Windows would start.

The second problem was that occasionally when watching video or using Photoshop my screen would go black for a few seconds, then come back on with a note about the "display driver failing" - only it referred to a driver for Vista, not Windows 7 (even though i had initially installed Windows 7 via a boot disk). My roomie attempted to solve this problem for me by booting my PC into safe mode and uniinstalling that driver, and reinstalling a Windows 7 driver found online. This seemed to work for a few days until I started gettign the message again.

THe third problem was that after such "black outs" I started seeing what appeared to be dead pixels in the margins of chrome, and pink squares on video I'd watch. This was annoying, but I could ignore it as long as my screen didn't black out. That all changed when I started getting regular BSODs after the black out, and instructions to launch Startup repair (which takes forever).

Now, my PC will apparently start (in that it sounds like it's turning on). but my monitor does nto detect a signal. At this point I've ready to cut my losses, but I'm not sure whether I should drop more money on a fan or abandon this project altogether. I can open it up and provide any add'l info needed when ig et home tonight.

Muchas Gracias to anyone who can give me some insight!
 
My PC is a refurbished tower I picked up from work. They were going to recycle it and I figured that I could fix it up and score a cheap, decent PC. I've had it for about 2 months now and the problems with it have been steadily increasing.

Specs:
Intel Core 2 Duo
80 GB HD
2X2gb Dual Channel DDR2 RAM
(I don't have the MoBo specs, I'll check that when I get home tonight)
2 fans, one on the side, on CPU fan (no front fan)

The only modifications I've made were initially removing the CPU fan to determine the processor (an Intel Core 2 Duo), then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it. I also installed 2X2gb DDR2 RAM. After a number of times where it overheated, and refused to start (see below) I removed and re-installed the CPU fan, this time with a slightly bigger dab of thermal paste.

The first problem that I noticed with it was that occasionally when I powered it on it would start off, then abruptly shut off (this after I'd removed the CPU fan, then reapplied thermal paste to it and re-installed it on my processor). I'd immediately try to boot it up again and would hear four tones, alternating High-Low-High-Low, and would receive a message one my screen that my PC had shut down due to a "thermal overheating event" (I don't immediately have the exact wording). I'd hit enter and Windows would start.

The second problem was that occasionally when watching video or using Photoshop my screen would go black for a few seconds, then come back on with a note about the "display driver failing" - only it referred to a driver for Vista, not Windows 7 (even though i had initially installed Windows 7 via a boot disk). My roomie attempted to solve this problem for me by booting my PC into safe mode and uniinstalling that driver, and reinstalling a Windows 7 driver found online. This seemed to work for a few days until I started gettign the message again.

Muchas Gracias to anyone who can give me some insight!


1. Your first issue about low/high tone beeping if its in a 4 pattern beep, its stating that there is a OC'd ram issue and possibly your cmos chip is faulty "time and date with bios configuration".

2.What type of thermal paste did you use on it and how much did you use ?
I recommend you take a little q-tip with 15% rubbing alchol and clean off the past grease you had on it.
Next dry it with lint free cloth, put 4 litte drops on the cpu, let it settle with the heatsink on it for 10 minutes and turn it back on.

If you have a video card and you are seing any discolorization on it even dead pixels, you may as well take it to the trash can and get a new one if its not underwarrenty.
If its onboard video with those symptoms, you maybe looking into a new board.

Check and see if your case is ATX standard base where you can pop out the I/O panel.
If you can do that you maybe to put in a new motherboard/cpu in it.

Let us know whats happens later on.
 
It is. I popped my MoBo out to put the CPU fan back on.

The video card is integrated. They aren't actually dead pixels, jut discoloration. Would getting a new video card be the solution or a new Motherboard altogether?

For the first point, are you saying that I should remove one of my sticks of RAM from the motherboard?

I'll respond this evening with the paste. I think it was ceramic type. I don't think I let the heatsink sit with the paste, i wonder if that's the problem. IIRC I checked the temp of my PC using that PC Wizard program and it was 39 C inside.
 
Couple things,

Check the. CPU fan is securely plugged in. You'll get that error sometimes with it being unplugged.

The black screen is most likely your gpu dying.
Also vista and win 7 share drivers
 
Beep codes vary, with out knowing the exact motherboard we can't say that a high and low tone beep means faulty ram. Most boards use single tone codes, not multi... I have never heard of a multi-tone board before either...
 
Beep codes vary, with out knowing the exact motherboard we can't say that a high and low tone beep means faulty ram. Most boards use single tone codes, not multi... I have never heard of a multi-tone board before either...

Could just be me mishearing it. I read that most beeps are supposed to be long-short instead of two tones so it could just be that it's actually Long-Short-Long_Short. I'll post the MoBo details tonight, but thanks for your help!

Love your icon btw.
 
I got this from Intel and apparently, there are two tone beep codes! (always learning something)
Desktop Boards — BIOS beep codes

High/Low beeps beep pattern:
high, low, high, low, high, low, high, low

Each high and low beep with the front panel LED blinks totals 16 blinks. CPU thermal trip

Check that the processor heatsink/fan is properly installed.
Check that the thermal interface material is sufficient and is spread evenly.
 
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