On Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:27:26 +0100, Maurice Batey
<maurice@bcs.removethis.org.uk> wrote:

>Looking for a good newsgroup to help me diagnose a weird hardware problem with
>my 3-year old desktop.
>
>If this is not it, could someone recommend one, please?
>
>(Inconsistent symptoms, but machine always locks up within 4 minutes of cold
>power up, regardless of which operating system is being booted.
> In fact, on one occasion it locked up in the middle of entering the BIOS
>password. Commencement of problem coincided with starting to use broadband
>(connected to router by ethernet cable).

>Tried replacing use of Realtek ethernet
>controller with Intel Gigabit PCI ethernet card. No problem if keep PC
>switched on permanently)

Does this mean that the problem exhibited, changed somewhat
after swapping in a different ethernet card?


As Grinder pointed out, you either don't have it lock up
within 4 minutes or it does have problems if it's switched
on permanently, unless by switched on you mean the main AC
power to the PSU, instead of the whole system being fully
turned on.

Since the problem seems to be so repeatable, pull out the
ethernet card (while AC power is unplugged of course).

It would be good to get a concise but complete description
of all major components, including the motherboard make,
model, wattage, and it's rated current on 12V rail.

Open the case if you hadn't already and look for the
possibility of dislodged cables, cards, connectors, etc.
Check for vented capacitors.

Check the PSU voltages, with a multimeter if you have one,
otherwise at least in the bios hardware/health monitor page.

Boot, run memtest86+ for a few hours (overnight is ideal).
If there are errors, no point in looking elsewhere until
these errors are addressed (next focus on things more likely
to cause memory errors).