freeze ups, new mobo time?

I have win 7 home. Only Pro, ultimate and enterprise can backup to network locations.

I am half way through downloading Puppy iso. (speed has dropped to about 1/15th what it should be)

I will try to replicate a crash in puppy525 (Lupu), from cd. Since it doesn't write to the HD just sticks in memory it is less likely to do what ubuntu did... Not sure how to replicate a crash in Lupu though, none of the high load packages in Win7 seemed to be an obvious cause why would an equivalent in Lupu do it? Guess I would just continue to run Lupu til I got a crash?

If I get a crash, then that strongly suggests hardware, in the face of good component performance the finger is pointed at the motherboard.... ....solution: get a new motherboard.

If I don't get a crash, that suggests a motherboard just not supported by Win7. So in this case I conclude that to run Win7 in all it's glory and do everything I have come accustomed to, i must get a new motherboard.

So whether I get a crash or not in Lupu, I will still be buying a new motherboard.

I am a medical student, we are taught that if you are presented with something that could be one of two diseases, but the treatment is the same, stop investigating and start treating. I think, new motherboard time? Do you have a better idea?

The exception is that if I don't get a crash, then it might be my install of Win7. but only MIGHT be, not proven to be.

I think maybe I should be looking at software diagnostics. A 'Pass' in software diagnostics would point at motherboard, fail in software diagnostics outline rectifiable software problems (maybe in win7).

But have I done software diagnostics already? Driver Verifier, Griff, MBAM, Avast, win defender, ccleaner, keeping installed programs low..... ...were those passes? If so, then motherboard time? Or am I missing something? - I have outright avoided registry editors? Is there some mileage there?

Or is it simply that Lupu testing will be the only way of 100% isolating win7 and/or compatible software as causes? The other testing tools (listed para up) are not 100%?

Under win7 I will certainly get a crash in about 20 mins of 'Terraria' but then only intermittently (not evey 20 mins) on the desktop. (again this suggests software, oh the confusion).

At no point have I had a crash when running a test program from bootup, even though they have run all night. Which suggests there is some problem between Win7 and the hardware or with my inst of win7. The crashes in the night recorded in another post were on MG VMT, which runs on top of win7.

The game terraria is run from a 'steam' client. So a finger could be pointed at that, but: "terror from the deep" and "XCOM: enemy unknown" run within dosbox and are initiated from the steam client, I never have a crash with them. Not until a while after playing, and sometimes not at all. Also makes me think software, but only a bit. And I have had desktop crashes without running steam, as I switched it not to start on bootup.


Feel like I am back to square 1 on snakes and ladders having just been at 90~.

As to the warning that you cannot backup to a network: You are backing up to an external hard drive, so that warning does not apply.


Avoid registry editors; nothing there will help your system. In fact, usually quite the opposite. They may not wreck the system the first time, but eventually, they do break the system down to the point that a repair or clean install is necessary.


When you say "get a new motherboard" do you mean the same board, but from a new source, or do you mean an upgrade to the one you have that is guaranteed to work with Windows 7?


Also, there are ways to run Windows games in Linux including Steam packages.

The external drive is NAS, ie I put a network cable in it. The NAS serves other PCs, my wife's laptop. Yes I could investigate the USB port, and see if I can swap it to that without compromising the content.

I did try to backup before onto CD. It got to 49% and just sat there like a static happy thing. It just stopped. No errors, no "not responding" msgs, nothing. Now I have a "part way through backup" flag in the system tray. How do I get it to "call off" that back up or "complete it"? Is the disc containing the half backup any use?

No I have not touched any reg cleaners since before the re-install before last. There is a regedit program if you search the text box on the start menu, but I guess that's developer voodoo?

New board: Different model, new from shop; certainly win7 friendly. Does anywhere sell socket 939s anymore? some on ebay, heritage of the offerings appears veiled in some cases. I don't think I could find my current model motherboard on ebay at all, not that I want to.

In the outset I thought: great, new motherboard and new proc too as no-one will do new 939s any more. Then I thought: that is a big spend for a poor diagnosis. I didn't and don't know what I am fixing. Even if I find a cheaper 939 motherboard, that is still a big spend to only NOT fix the problem.

My problem is I'm too much of a purist. I want to find the ultimate cause before I commit cash, but I feel in this case, I might not be able to.

So here we go with a Lupu....

Ok,

I am now running Lupu. I will continue to run Lupu for a week until I get a crash. I usually get 1 a day. I will do all the normal stuff I do.

Cheers

Ah, didn't realize you had a network configuration for your external drive. That makes sense. I do not know if there are new 939 boards... I would avoid buying off e-bay as many products from there are not supported and often have sketchy owners. Try to find an old board if you have to through a reputable site, and preferably one that is not used if it is not too expensive.

Let us know how things go with Lupu.

OK,

Struggled to get Lupu to connect to the NAS. Couldn't get the NAS web page configuration up let alone "map" (yeah I know, mount) the NAS drive. I needed to do this for productivity. This is a working machine: I am a student and use it in studying. Also had to "system repair" every time I went back into windows, taking 20 mins each time. Gave up on Lupu.

Saw a new but end of line 939 motherboard on a reputable online electronics shop, made for win7 at a reduced rate. Asrock 939A790GMH. Looked good from most reviews. Ordered. Arrived. Built. Installed Win7. Beautiful. Not a problem. Smooth quick running. Installs software, quick, deinstalls quick, updates fine. Been running smoothly since (5 weeks?) rebuild/lastpost. Had re-installed so many times I had to do a telephone activation, The auto activation was rejecting the Win7 Activation Key, where it had worked before.

Solution: Motherboard replaced.
Lessons learned: Be sure your hardware is good, any doubts about using secondhand hardware may be justifiable.
Thanks to: You all.

Great news! Glad a new board sorted it.