Unstable Computer (NO overclock) -- Help!

[momosmokey]

Hello,

 

I helped my dad build his new computer about a year ago. Recently he's been experiencing crashes. He told me the screen would display a whole bunch of weird colored crap on the screen and then the computer would crash.

 

I had him run memtest 86 and within an hour the test said:

 

RAM 0: 3 errors

 

RAM 3: 1 errors

 

the test claimed both of his RAM sticks had errors. The ram used is the same I have (Patriot 'Sector 5' 2x2Gb = 4Gb @ 1600Mhz)

 

I than had him run one of the RAM sticks in only one of the DIMM slots to try and isolate the RAM and see if they would both display errors. The test had been running roughly an hour before my dad checked it again. The test claimed it had only been running seventeen minutes. The computer had crashed mid-test.

 

Could this be a CPU fault?

 

He's using onboard graphics.

 

He's using:

Intel Core i3-550 @ 3.2 Ghz (stock)

MSI E33 motherboard

Patriot 'Sector 5' 2x2Gb = 4Gb @ 1600Mhz)

 

What methods of elimination would you use to try and isolate the problem?

 

Let me know what you think.

 

Thanks

Edited March 19, 2012 by momosmokey

[90sgamer]

Ram is much more likely to go bad than a CPU. Do you have any RAM you can test that you know is good? That's first thing you should do, you can even take RAM temporarily out of another computer to test it in your dad's machine. If it tests fine, you know the problem is only your dad's RAM. If you are worried about the CPU I'd monitor temperatures and run Prime95 as well and see if there are any problems (with RAM you know is good. It will give you an error with bad RAM even if your CPU is fine).

 

Be careful handling the RAM sticks if you take them out. They are extremely sensitive to static electricity. A little shock, even one you can't feel, and the RAM is toasted. Not saying that is what happened, just FYI.

Edited March 19, 2012 by 90sgamer

[momosmokey]

Alight, I'll try that. Thanks.

 

We thought it was the RAM at first because, like you said, it's more unlikely for a CPU to be bad and if it is, it would be pretty apparent.

 

It seems odd for both RAM sticks to be faulty though. Or could having one bad stick trigger memtest 86 to give additional errors?

[d6bmg]

Both the modules could be faulty. There is nothing amazing in that.

[Drdeath]

Tell him to stop downloading porn

[MandoPatriot]

What is the onboard graphics? That could be what is going bad. Onboard graphics are touchy. On my recently dead HP laptop, the GPU died and the computer won't even post.

[d6bmg]

Tell him to stop downloading porn

 

lol. What is the relation? Please explain.