On 25 May 99, at 13:03, MR GEORGE A CLARK wrote:

> A weird event happened. I was on the web, using Microsoft's IE5.,
> when the computer frozed. I tried using the three finger salute..
> nothing happend..I had to use the reset button. Any ideas as to what
> the problem might be..the very same thing happened as I was using AOL
> v.4.0
> My system...IBM clone...333mhz celeron o/c to 416 mhz (normal
> temperature), win98, Jaton 56kpbs (v.90)PCI modem, Seagate 6.2 HD, SB
> 16 (Abit BH6 MB)

  WHen a "three-finger salute" elicits no response, the simplest likelihood
is that the CPU is stuck in code that needs to run with hardware interrupts
disabled -- which, in turn, often means device-driver code which is busy
handling an interrupt from a particular device.
  So my first suspicion would be a defect in a driver, and if I had to pick a
device you list as a suspect, it would be the Jaton modem.  The vast majority
of PCI modems rely on the system CPU, by way of a driver, to perform some of
the work traditionally handled by modem hardware.  There may be a few that
don't, but Jaton, as a brand, is known for low prices and compromises on
quality....

  A second suspect might be the L2 cache on your Celeron.  The word I've seen
has been that the L2 cache RAM on Celeron dies tops out around 400 MHz or so;
this has been cited as reason for preferring the 300A over the 333 as a basis
for overclocking.  It's possible that at 416 MHz, you've hit the limit for
your chip, although if this is the problem, there's no reason for it to occur
primarily when you're on-line.  So I'm less inclined to believe that this is
the problem than that it's your modem.


David G

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