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View Full Version : I'm about to kill my computer...



CaptainMooseInc
09-20-2004, 04:14 AM
Alright guys,

I built my dad a computer about a year back and have been problems with it ever since. Here's the parts rundown

Antec LANboy Case
CompUSA 400W PS (new)
Asus A7N266-VM/AA mobo (onboard LAN, video, sound)
AMD athlon xp 1900+ chip
thermaltake volcano 11+ HS/Fan
Seagate 80GB 7200RPM HDD
512MB DDR PC2100 RAM (2x 256)
GeForce FX 5200 Graphics card
AOpen Cobra 850 5.1 Surround Sound Card
CD-ROM
DVD-RW

Now, I had just cleaned Win ME off of his computer and formatted to NTFS and installed WinXP Pro. It took FOREVER. The computer during install would -continually- and randomly shut itself off. Eventually it finally went all the way through. A week after running, it started messing up. I went to my dad's house to start working on it and after installing some new windows update, I rebooted and the D: and E: (CD-ROM and DVD-RW) drives were GONE and NOT coming back no matter how much I'd restart. I tried running Norton Systemworks 2004 (the one button checkup) and it'd freeze during the Registry Doctor. I tried running anti-virus and it'd freeze after 5000-10000 files were scanned. Eventually I could only get the computer to boot up to the screen where it let me choose what "MODE" I wanted to go into (LAST KNOWN -GOOD- CONFIGURATION MY ASS). Now I'm trying to get Windows back on the damn computer and it is doing the "I'm gonna keep shutting myself off" deal again.

Can anyone help me? Neither him or I have the funds to replace anything or just build a new one. Trust me, I'd do it if I could but I have no money and my f'in car is about to die.

Please, keep the suggestions of installing Linux to a null...
We're talking about a computer for a middle aged accountant from W. Va. here. He wants to get online, pay his bills, read his pyramid scam e-mails, and watch porn while the wifey is asleep.

Thanks,
-Jeff

Thor
09-20-2004, 05:47 AM
Have you tried to run a memtest yet?

Don't have a link handy, but it is called memtest86 I think.

It boots from a floppy

I had similar Problems when a Ram stick died in my dads computer...took me forever to figure it out...Thought it was the mainboard at first...


Hope it helps


Thor

IronBits
09-20-2004, 09:22 AM
Make sure all your drivers are updated, especially the BIOS.
http://www.asus.com.tw/support/download/item.aspx?ModelName=A7N266-VM

If that doesn't work, you will probably need to upgrade that motherboard :cry:

GHOST
09-20-2004, 04:10 PM
first it started to crash. then i could not boot up. replaced memory, cpu,(cpu had little craters in it - that has to be it! not!) bios, mobo, hard drive, cables, cards. tried reinstalling os- would go on partway then stop. turned out to be power supply. :mad:

good luck

CaptainMooseInc
09-20-2004, 08:28 PM
I'll run memtest...I'll get the new BIOS (it's running 1004 and I think 1007 is out now)...and the power supply that's in it is less than a week old, it did the same thing w/ the last power supply

Paratima
09-20-2004, 09:39 PM
I'm with IronBits. Absolutely essential to get the latest BIOS! :eek:

Moogie
09-21-2004, 12:25 PM
Get a can of contact cleaner. Pull out the MOBO, and then remove each card/memory module and the CPU. Clean each electrical contact (I use qtips) on the items you removed (the CPU is a pain btw). Re-install the items (try not to touch handle the electrical contacts with your bare hands).

Was thermal grease used when the CPU was installed? If not, that might be the source of some of the problems.

Good luck!

CaptainMooseInc
09-22-2004, 01:11 AM
yeah, thermal grease was used. Unfortunately I didn't using Artic Silver, I used the CompUSA version of it. Looks the same, and the tech said it is the same, just repackaged.

IronBits
09-22-2004, 02:58 AM
Check the voltage output of your CompUSA 400W PS, or try a different one...

CaptainMooseInc
09-22-2004, 05:34 AM
Does anyone consider the following odd?:

I ran MEMTEST and it ran for roughly 2 hrs and 19 mins. The computer never restarted once, no problems at all. The second I try to install Windows XP, it gets about 1/2 of the way through loading the initial setup (I didn't even get to choose to install or not) the damn computer not only went blank screened, it shut itself off. WTF is it w/ Microsoft and my damn computer!? I tried installing an updated BIOS, but I can't make a bootable floppy for some reason with the ASUS Aflash utility. I would dismember the computer and clean everything, but I haven't gotten there yet.

Do any of our members live in Indiana and/or Indianapolis that would be willing to check this computer out and/or come to my house to see it and potentially work on it. My latest computer I built is a dream machine to me and hasn't f'ed up, but something about this computer just doesn't want to work.

OMG PLZ SOMEONE HELP!

-Jeff

Chinasaur
09-22-2004, 06:48 AM
My .02...

1. Heat - MemTest would have heated up the CPU/RAM more than an OS install so heat probably isn't it.
2. MemTest reports no errors so it's probably not that.
3. Installing XP "took forever" and the other drives were "gone".

1. Get the floppy that came with your HD, use it's utility and low level format the HD.

I also put a computer together for my Dad three years ago. I did a partition and wipe with Partition Magic and sent him the box. He head problems with it for months until my brother formatted the beastie. After that, it was ok.

2. Go into the BIOS for Basic disk functions...(typing on my VP-6 so I can't remember the entry)..think it's 2nd one.
3. For each disk, even if it says Auto. Select it, switch detection to Manual, set disk access mode to LBA, then set detection to Auto again and do next disk.

I have an Asus VP-6 ( that exhibited behaviour similarly. The computer would randomly lock up and would not start up displaying "OS not found" messages. Friend had the mobo for two years and he screwed with the BIOS and the computer required 3-6 restarts for disk detection and gave him problems continuously. I had to reset each drive manually even though detection was on Auto. After I did that, computer booted fine and has worked flawlessly.

I live in SE Indy (I-74 and Post Rd) in case you want another pair of eyes on it.


:cheers:

Darkness Productions
09-22-2004, 08:49 AM
Originally posted by Chinasaur
1. Get the floppy that came with your HD, use it's utility and low level format the HD.


In case you don't have the floppy, head over to http://ultimatebootcd.com/ and download the ISO and burn it to a CD... it is the best thing you can have for finding problems with your computer's hardware.... I really can't stress how cool this app is enough.

IronBits
09-22-2004, 10:32 AM
The second I try to install Windows XP, it gets about 1/2 of the way through loading the initial setup... XP was designed to force folks to upgrade their hardware (I can't prove that statement/opinion)

Try to install windows98 etc and see if you still have that problem.

It appears to be IDE related... defective mobo? happens...

Get the latest driver you can find for your mobo IDE, then when XP starts up (after you try another OS and find it to be ok) you can press F2/F3/F5 (I don't recall) to add additional drivers before it installs, and it will look to the floppy for those drivers (where you put the driver when you downloaded and extracted it) ;)

IronBits
09-22-2004, 10:41 AM
Most excellent find DP :notworthy

There is a link on that page http://www.windowsubcd.com for windows :D

CaptainMooseInc
09-22-2004, 07:11 PM
I hope to god it's not a defective Mobo. The computer is on its third board now. It had 2 AOpen boards prior to this one.

I live at Shadeland and Fall Creek just off of I-465. If you're interested, we can setup a meeting on Friday if at all possible. It's really the only day I have off.

E-mail me at jlattea@iupui.edu for my info and I'll drag ya over here.

Thanks everyone, I'll keep trying. The BIOS thing sounds like a good idea. I'll add it to the top of the list.

-Jeff

CaptainMooseInc
10-02-2004, 01:36 PM
:bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear: :bang: :swear:

It was an OVERHEATING PROBELM!!! I wiped the old off-brand heating compound (CompUSA brand) off the chip and the HS. I applied Arctic Silver 5. Not only was it darker, but it looked more moist than the off-brand crap. :bang:. I feel so f'in stupid.

On another note, I've got a friend who upgraded his system. He sold me his PC2100 DDR 266 256MB RAM (Samsung) stick and his PC2100 256MB DDR RAM (Nanya) stick. Look over in the Bargain Bin for a post on asking price for both sticks.


Thanks,
-Jeff