Topic: FLAC errors = processor dying?

[MattD]

I'm getting encoding errors going wav>flac which the error message said was likely a hardware issue, especially if it occurs in random places each time I try to encode the same track. I'm worried that my processor is overheating or otherwise dying. Also, my roommate said he heard some strange high-pitched sounds earlier when I was out of the room letting a batch conversion run. How would I go about diagnosing and fixing the problem? The processor is an Athlon 1.4 GHz that is almost 6 years old.

Thanks in advance for the help.

[hzgone]

check the fan on your processor first.  If that is not the case could be a hard drive going out.  Try moving the file to another drive and see if it works.  If it is the fan on your processor, replace it quick.  If it happens to be your drive better move everything before you can't get it back, without paying a lot of money.  Good luck with your problem

[taktheride]

I'm getting encoding errors going wav>flac which the error message said was likely a hardware issue, especially if it occurs in random places each time I try to encode the same track. I'm worried that my processor is overheating or otherwise dying. Also, my roommate said he heard some strange high-pitched sounds earlier when I was out of the room letting a batch conversion run. How would I go about diagnosing and fixing the problem? The processor is an Athlon 1.4 GHz that is almost 6 years old.

Thanks in advance for the help.

This is crazy, I get the same errors from my pc with the SAME processor. I got it in Spetember 2001. 
But my trusty, holier than thou Apple computer has no problems...ever.

[MattD]

I'm still not sure what it is. Both the case fan and the processor fan seem to be running fine. The only thing I can think of is that the chip is no longer making good contact with the heat sink, but I can't really SEE that, as the heat sink is huge. Anyone in Arlington/DC have thermal paste handy?

Otherwise, my parents recently upgraded and I can pick up their old Compaq for the time being. I'm slowly convering over to Macs anyway, so I might just use the Windows box as a playback device before too long and control it remotely. I'm putting my drives in FW cases as well, so soon I won't have to worry about being tied down to a box. It's all about the data!

[MattD]

It's definitely chip-related, as anything with a 100% processor hit for more than a minute or two (FLAC-ing, PS actions, etc.) causes errors or freezing. It happens with data on any of my drives, so it's not drive-specific. I shut that machine down for now and I'll only boot it back up to grab something from a drive if I need to.

Otherwise, I'll see my parents this weekend and can grab their old PC.

[Nick in Edinboro]

I wouldn't rule out the possibility it isn't the RAM causing problems as well.  How old is the ram? 

http://www.memtest86.com/

Also you could try to see how stable the system is with some of the software overclockers like to use, there's a bunch of options here:
http://www.benchmarkhq.ru/english.html?/be_cpu.html

[BJ]

I wouldn't rule out the possibility it isn't the RAM causing problems as well.  How old is the ram? 

http://www.memtest86.com/

Also you could try to see how stable the system is with some of the software overclockers like to use, there's a bunch of options here:
http://www.benchmarkhq.ru/english.html?/be_cpu.html

excellent advice and links nick...

[MattD]

I'm gonna have to make a bootable CD for that because it looks like I can no longer get into Windows. The login screen comes up, but I can't click or use the keyboard from there.

[Nick in Edinboro]

Do the keyboard lights work (CapLock, etc.)?  If the mouse is optical is the laser on?

[MattD]

Yes and yes for both of those. I was thinking it could be the mainboard instead, but no idea how to diagnose without being able to swap out components.

[Nick in Edinboro]

If the mainboard was having issues with the I/O it wouldn't boot.  The BIOS will spew out a "Keyboard Failure" message if it can't see it....

Given that they both have power then the board is prolly fine, but I don't know where that puts your problem