Freezing and buzzing

I had this problem a while ago but it stopped after I cleaned the radiator on the graphics card but it has started again, it will just show one colour with vertical lines on the screen and a buzzing sound. I have cleaned the entire case and updated all drivers but It is still doing it. I managed to note the hottest CPU core at 50*C and the GPU core at about 53*C, both of which should be fine up to at least 70*c.

Motherboard: Acer G5900
CPU: Intel I5-650 3.2GHz
GPU: AMD HD7850 (without oil system)
RAM: 8GB DDR3
OS: Windows 7-64

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

I want to say that your graphics card is giving out but I’m no computer guru.

 

Interesting as it's not the oldest component, it replaced a Nvidia a few years ago.

 

Things like GPU's are funny in there that age does not have much effect on their failure chances, sure after getting really old some parts start to fail more probably, but with solid state capacitors that is not so prone to happen as with older hardware.

You can test your GPU with 3D mark demo for example, 3 runs right after each other should bring out any hardware problems.

3 years is what computers are renewed at many business environments as that is certain they should last, 5 years is a bit stretching, probability of failure goes up a lot, longer than 5 years is considered a lottery. That was with old hardware, but then again there are computers 15 years old that work just fine, so you never know.

 

I've been trying to run 3DMarkDemo but it doesn't do anything after 42m of loading, is it supposed to be like this?

 

Certainly not, hmm, there is different versions of demo I think, latest might not work on your hardware, but some earlier version might?

 

There is only one version available that doesn't cost and I try not to buy software if the demo doesn't work. Other sources have also suggested sending off to get a new CPU installed and the need for a hydraulic cooling system fitted, either of which will cost a few hundred which I can't afford.

 

Maybe try with this:
http://www.catzilla.com/download

 

Just tried Catzilla and had the same crash. I then tried it again and the same crash but happened sooner into the test but this time on attempting to restart it I get the American Megatrends screen with the "overclocking failed" message which sounds like a burnt out CPU from what I remember when it happened to someone else's computer. I am using another device to post back as I have partially dismantled it to check for signs of damage but all seems ok around the CPU and graphics card.

 

Do you run computer overclocked? Odd message if not, but loading bios defaults should be quite solid and working, just not perhaps fastest setup which is one to try.

Certainly something hardware related or can be of course too tight memory settings too. Can be lot of things really, but if no overclock and if it does not work with bios defaults, then certainly hardware failure. Is it CPU, GPU or memory, that can be bit tricky to find out.

Memtest86 is good for testing memory, but if there is CPU or motherboard issue, it can give memory error or freezing too.
Running some CPU test, like pi or intel cpu burn test can give indication of CPU issue, but again memory problem can give errors or freezing in those tests.

Any higher load test like CPU test or GPU test can then make faulty PSU to reboot PC, especially if PSU is older and wattage has been at the limit when new, PSU wattage decreases some percents each year.

GPU then is something that really can't be tested reliably if it is not certain there are no other issues in system.

One of the easy tests would of course be to use some other GPU and see what happens, if that is possible.

 

I only have the one GPU at the moment so I can't swap it with anything and there is no on board graphics chipset. Having looked a little closer at the CPU the thermal paste seems a bit dry and dusty, which I guess means the processor has fried. The only problem is, I can only afford to replace one component.

I was thinking of looking for another G5900 that doesn't work as a spares donor for mine, but then replace the parts that get it running to a more up to date standard (then maybe tinker with the spares donor if all goes well). This might be a bit of a challenge as everyone where I'm from seem to have a throw away attitude about everything, even trying to find a used lawnmower locally is a challenge.