I moved recently, and my Linux server started having trouble when I set it up at my new place. Specifically, yum and firefox kept crashing out oddly where I never had any previous errors. I assumed it was a memory problem, so I ran memtest86 on it for a while, and I got a whole slew of errors on Test 7 where it reads and writes random values. I also tried memtest86+, which would just hang when it got to a certain set of operations. I tried removing each memory stick separately and rerunning, but the errors persisted. At that point, I had to assume that something had gone wrong either on the CPU or the motherboard somewhere.

Long story short, the machine was 2 years old so I figured I was due for an upgrade anyway and purchased the components for a new Pentium D-based system, which I figured was the best performing thing in my price range. I could assemble an ABIT AW8D mobo-based system including 1GB RAM for about $400, which is nice. I threw in a new video card since the mobo was PCI Express. It all arrived last week, but I got this funny feeling when I assembled it that it wasn't going to work, and my "this-ain't-right" detector is usual pretty accurate. I don't know what it was, but sure enough, I apply power and the thing gives me a series of beeps (1 long, 3 short) which indicate a keyboard error, apparently. 2 PS/2 keyboards and a USB later, still no change.

Oddly, the POST code readout shows 8.7. which could be a CPU voltage problem, so I don't know who to believe. I thought maybe my old 350W power supply couldn't handle the load, despite the manual's claim that 300 was sufficient, so I swapped in a 500W Seasonic S12 which is rated one of the best by Tom's hardware. Still no change. I've appealed to the distance debuggers out there on the Abit forums but haven't gotten any responses. Might just be RMA for me...

If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments.