But now my computer crashes every night

vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
edited August 2004 in Folding@Home
Since joining, my computer crashes every night. This is my work computer, so after about 5:00 pm CDT, it sits idle for 15 hours. Since I started folding a few days ago, the folding program runs in the background all day without a hitch, but every morning my computer is locked up.

I'm on Windows 98. I have my power settings as follows:

System standby: Never

Turn of monitor: 1 hour

Turn off hard disc: Never

Screen saver after 5 minutes, but this is not a problem during the day.

I have NO scheduled tasks to run at night (e.g., defragment, disk scan, etc.) EXCEPT my McAfee virus scan at 1:20 am.

I have few if any other programs running.

I downloaded the first program on the Stanford page (98/ME/NT/2000/XP Graphical client Recommended client for all Windows versions)

What's up with this?????

Comments

  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited July 2004
    could be overheating, or have bad voltages, or your memory could be flaky. any # of things, folding may be inciting the failure, but the program isn't whats causing it. this is a hardware deal
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited July 2004
    Right offhand, I would say that heat might be the first thing to look at, especially if you happen to turn the ac up or off when you leave the office. I have had occasional crashes myself but it's a amtter of overclocking stuff and heat and not a problem with the client. Also, you might want to check your voltages too, since the program keeps everything loaded at 100%, but I would suspect heat since you don't seem to be having problems during use in the daytime when you probably have the ac turned lower. If it is heat related, then simply opening the case up and sucking all the bustbunnies out and cleaning the heatsink might fix the problem.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited July 2004
    so go ahead and see if you can get a system temp monitor (like mbm5) installed. let us know, im gonna bet thats your prob
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited July 2004
    Thanks for the information Straight Man. Unfortunately, I understood only about every third word (mostly words such as "the," "that," "and," etc.).

    In response to the questions I did decipher, it's Windows 98 (NOT SE). The computer was purshased 12/29/99 as Gateway remanufactured. All hardware is original. P3, 128 RAM.

    I'm betting it is NOT a heat/temperature problem.

    I'll report back with results from my trial and error attempts to solve.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited July 2004
    well let me ask this. when was the last time someone dusted the inside of the case? dusty heatsinks can cause crazy heat issues
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited July 2004
    TheBaron wrote:
    well let me ask this. when was the last time someone dusted the inside of the case? dusty heatsinks can cause crazy heat issues

    It was someone at Gateway before shipping the computer in December 1999.

    I'm still putting my money on something else.

    I don't mean to be stubborn about this, but .................... I guess I do.

    And when I find out I'm wrong, I will be the first to admit it.

    The mystery continues.
  • witenoizwitenoiz 19,356 miles East of Kansas City, MO Member
    edited July 2004
    I have a Compaq PIIIE 733Mhz running all day all the time with Windows 98 with 256 Mg Rambus. I know the case was cleaned about 8 months ago. It is a dedicated folder so I can't say for sure how it would do if I used it all day for work or surfing - but since you are using the screensaver version of Fah why not schedule McAfee virus scan at 1:20 am. to run during your lunch hour so you can see if that might be causing the hang up. How many times do you re-boot this box besides the obvious hang-up boot? You may be using all of your resources for the overnight activity after a full day of use.
    I have few if any other programs running.

    I would make sure you don't have a parasite in there - prime can help you with that! Jack
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited July 2004
    Me two weeks ago: "Nah, that computer isn't crashing because of heat. We just put in 3 more fans. It must be something else."

    Me after actually checking temps: "Oh, it's hitting 80 celsius. Time for a new case... like right now."

    I would advise checking temps so we can at least rule that out :) And, as a side note, I would definitely take that computer outside and use a can or two of compressed air on it regardless.
  • dragonV8dragonV8 not here much New
    edited July 2004
    Vanagon, i checked the inside of one of my puters one day. Got curious after reading a "Dust Bunny" thread.

    This is what i found and posted a thread on it.

    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15759

    Jon
  • witenoizwitenoiz 19,356 miles East of Kansas City, MO Member
    edited July 2004
    General Keebler wrote:
    And, as a side note, I would definitely take that computer outside and use a can or two of compressed air on it regardless.
    Outside? Interesting concept! Next time I will do that and see if my wife is happier! Jack
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited July 2004
    witenoiz wrote:
    Outside? Interesting concept! Next time I will do that and see if my wife is happier! Jack


    /me laughs at witenoiz explaining to his wife.

    Yeah, I do know where you're coming from Jack! ;D;D I blew out a computer full of nasties at the kitchen table once and my wife rode me about it for months after. :bawling: :grr:
  • dragonV8dragonV8 not here much New
    edited July 2004
    muddocktor wrote:
    * muddocktor laughs at witenoiz explaining to his wife.



    Yeah, I do know where you're coming from Jack! ;D;D I blew out a computer full of nasties at the kitchen table once and my wife rode me about it for months after. :bawling: :grr:


    Guys, guys, guys. You have all been around a bit. What is wrong with a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner?

    That is what i used on the Old Athlon. Came up a treat and best of all.....NO MESS, hehehe.

    At least Sally still talks to me. ;D;D
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2004
    Mess? Pfffft.
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited July 2004
    Okay, okay, okay...............

    You guys are selling me on the overheating sheet (avoiding the censor)

    Is there a program I can download that checks temps.

    Baron suggected "like mbm5" but where do I get it?

    In the meantime, for this weekend, I set all my powersaver options to never, I turned off my screen saver, and scheduled my next virus scan for Wednesday. I maunally turned off my monitor. With nothing else running, I'll check on Monday (maybe Sunday--I hate to work on the weekend).

    And yes, I'm sure I'm covered with dust, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I did not have these crashes until I started folding.
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited July 2004
    Right here at Short Media , of course. :thumbsup::cool:
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited July 2004
    Short-Media has everything. The internet does not exist.
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited August 2004
    Thought I posted this yesterday, but don't see it, so must have forgot to hit the "submit" button.

    Away from the computer all weekend. I had the system controls set to leave on the monitor and hard drive. Thought I had turned off the screen saver, but apparently did not. I manually turned off the monitor.

    When I came in Monday morning, I turned on the monitor and found my screen saver executing happily. Still folding, with no system crashes.

    I ran a manual virus scan yesterday, with no ill effects.

    Fine this morning also.

    I will try resetting my auto virus scan tonight.

    Will try installing the temp sensor when I find a little more time.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited August 2004
    Good, it is not crashing, then. MONITORs alone can overheat and lock-- then you get the conmputer running, but video can be off at monitor. MONITOR turns off, but computer runs. If a monitor get soverheated, no video until it has been off long enough to cool down.

    I'm hoping that a week or three weeks or three months from now, that this will prove to be the case for this one box along with the same exact monitor hooked to it. Note, if a monitor overheats adn manages to let windows know, or the BIOS in the computer know, then Windows can lock, so work-around of turning monitor off manually might just fix this for good.

    Heat sensor install is still a good idea, though, it can tell you when box needs to be cleaned of dust with temp rises causing alarms that "remind" you. But if heat sensor install tells you no real heat issues, monitor might still (by itself) be having heat issues-- so turning just monitor off for each night might prolong its useful life while letting the box\tower\core parts of computer happily run 24\7.
  • TheBaronTheBaron Austin, TX
    edited August 2004
    Straight_Man wrote:
    Good, it is not crashing, then. MONITORs alone can overheat and lock-- then you get the conmputer running, but video can be off at monitor. MONITOR turns off, but computer runs. If a monitor get soverheated, no video until it has been off long enough to cool down.

    I'm hoping that a week or three weeks or three months from now, that this will prove to be the case for this one box along with the same exact monitor hooked to it. Note, if a monitor overheats adn manages to let windows know, or the BIOS in the computer know, then Windows can lock, so work-around of turning monitor off manually might just fix this for good.

    Heat sensor install is still a good idea, though, it can tell you when box needs to be cleaned of dust with temp rises causing alarms that "remind" you. But if heat sensor install tells you no real heat issues, monitor might still (by itself) be having heat issues-- so turning just monitor off for each night might prolong its useful life while letting the box\tower\core parts of computer happily run 24\7.
    :thumbsup:
  • dragonV8dragonV8 not here much New
    edited August 2004
    Straight_Man wrote:
    Good, it is not crashing, then. MONITORs alone can overheat and lock-- then you get the conmputer running, but video can be off at monitor. MONITOR turns off, but computer runs. If a monitor get soverheated, no video until it has been off long enough to cool down.

    I'm hoping that a week or three weeks or three months from now, that this will prove to be the case for this one box along with the same exact monitor hooked to it. Note, if a monitor overheats adn manages to let windows know, or the BIOS in the computer know, then Windows can lock, so work-around of turning monitor off manually might just fix this for good.

    Heat sensor install is still a good idea, though, it can tell you when box needs to be cleaned of dust with temp rises causing alarms that "remind" you. But if heat sensor install tells you no real heat issues, monitor might still (by itself) be having heat issues-- so turning just monitor off for each night might prolong its useful life while letting the box\tower\core parts of computer happily run 24\7.

    Intersting comment, John, i mean Straight_Man. This type of thing must be the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere. Sally always left her Samsung 171N monitor running 24/7.

    Since adding more folding power and the electricity bill going through the roof, she started to do exactly as you suggested with a detrimental effect. Puter ended up with corrupted Bios. :bawling: J/K.

    More than likely "One of those things" me thinks.

    PS....NOT trying to move in on the thread.....Already posted in the emergency section yesterday. :thumbsup:


    vanagon45, sure hope your problem is fixed, or fixed itself. :)
  • vanagon40vanagon40 Indiana Member
    edited August 2004
    Last night left the monitor ON (with screen saver) and McAfee auto scan at 1:20 a.m. No crash. Leads me to think that problem is related to automatic monitor shut-off.

    I still do not believe there is or ever was a heat problem. But, I attempted to install the monitor. I assume it is "Motherboard Monitor 5.3.7.0." If so, I downloaded, but cannot seem to set up. Double click the icon and I get a MS/DOS Screen captioned "Finished - mbm 5370" that contains the message "This program must be run under Win32"

    I have no idea what that means.
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