Major problems with Windows XP

[Paul]

Over the past 3 weeks, I have had to reformat about once a day.

Basically, when I reboot for maybe the 2nd or 3rd time in a day, Windows just won't load, no splash screen, nothing. Even if I select Safe mode. Last night, my computer restarted on it's own (it wasn't Blaster) and after that, the same thing happened.

I don't think it's a software problem anymore, I've run Norton 2003 on all my drives. I think it may be my RAM or one of my hard drives. Any suggestions are appreciated guys.



P.S. I have taken my oldest stick of RAM out, we'll see how long it works :rolleyes:

[Enverex]

Try making a bootable disk or CD from www.memtest86.com and letting that check your RAM first.

NS

[Paul]

Thanks NS, I figured my ram was ok if i took my oldest stick out, it's probably it's time to go anyway. This is much easier to make the bootable cd because I'm not gonna reformat again today (for the 4th time).

/me pats Dad's HP Pavilion

[Paul]

Okay, I ran the memtest program for about 3 hours, and my results were 7 passing and 4 failed. Is that good or bad?

[primesuspect]

Any failures at all means you need to toss the ram.

Once again, memtest86 saves the day!

[profdlp]

Paul had this to say
Okay, I ran the memtest program for about 3 hours, and my results were 7 passing and 4 failed. Is that good or bad?
That means that roughly 36% of the time you try to do anything on your computer you will encounter a significant problem.

The only acceptable result is "No Errors Found".

Your job now is to determine whether the memory test failure is due to bad memory, or a bad motherboard.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but at least you have a head start on fixing it. :rolleyes:

Hang in there! :wave:

[TheLostSwede]

primesuspect had this to say
Any failures at all means you need to toss the ram.

Once again, memtest86 saves the day!

It's a good program, yes. However, i have encountered that memtest may pass forever, but windows may hang or reboot anyway when i KNOW it's the memory that fails.

[Paul]

After those replies, I think it may be my second (newest) stick of ram. I only bought it last March, so that would be a surprise if it was dying already. I'll run the memtest with different sticks of ram when i get home from school, hopefully its not my mobo ;[

[profdlp]

Paul had this to say
...that would be a surprise if it was dying already...
May not even be dying - just incompatible with the rest.

Start with one stick, test it thoroughly, then add the others one-by-one.

[Straight_Man]

Better, test EACH stick alone, then add the ones that pass one by one, testing in each pass through RAM config loop(add one, test, if errors set aside one not compatible and go to add one ELSE if no errors go directly to add one, repeat test once more twhen all sticks are in or sockets full with compatible RAM). Also, check the HD cabling. XP MAJORLY farts under several circumstances:

One is virus, you say that is not it.
Second is RAM, this is a possible.
Third MAJOR thing that will do this is bad data on HD, bad or WRONG cable is most common culprit.
Fourth is video problem, it does not like video hangs.
Fifth is NOT allowing it to do a disk check (file system check) when it wants to-- it will put file system in a semi-DOS mode until run,slow HD results but should not make a reboot happen spontaneously.

Within RAM, could indeed be a speed incompatibilty from module to module.

BUT, if you got 7 passes and then 4 fails out of same stick as time on continues to increase, RAM IS overheating, 90% chance. It could be RAM too slow for box or a BIOS fooled by other sticks into thinking it needs to run RAM faster to match them. Easiest way to get slightly mistmatched RAM to run is to put SLOWEST stick in lowest numbered bank, RAM can run a tib slower than rating, not MUCH higher.

If each test alone works but putting two together fails, take last stick installed and swap with first installed, see if errors move as far as where in MB. If yes, RAM is dying, if NO is socket on mobo, maybe just dusty IN DIMM Socket (I also found one with a piece of TAPE in it, another full of cat hair, and a third with a piece of cardboard (flake of it) blocking contacts, so do not just check RAM, blow out sockets with canned air or an electronics rated blower\vac(an ESD safe one).

John.

[primesuspect]

Ageek had this to say
XP farts under several circumstances:

I can relate...

[Straight_Man]

Unfortunately, closest thing to Gas-X or Rolaids or Tums for XP is the registry editor... :D

John.

[Paul]

I tested each stick individually, each one had more errors than passes. So if you guys were me, would you go for the new mobo? I was kind of looking for an excuse to upgrade this KR7A anyway.......

P.S. I used different slots when testing the ram also

[qparadox]

Well if you can try at least one of the sticks on a buddies computer first. It definitely sounds like m/b to me though. It could also be that your board went haywire and fried all your memory which is why i recommend ensuring that you have at least 1 good stick before getting a new board.

[Paul]

If it still borks when I get a new board, I've also been wanting some faster ram, plus christmas is coming up so I should have no problem getting what I need :D PC2100 isn't cutting it anymore

Thanks

[Straight_Man]

Board, not RAM ALONE. ALL bad not likely unless the PSU is overvoltaging all of those things, but then other things are likely to have been damaged also. For now, board, and if the sticks fail in a memtest on another mobo in another box using a different PSU, RAM then also. If NOT, have PSU tested, please.

Mobos alone normally do not blow RAM. Usually have HELP from a a PSU (power supply).

John.

[MachineGunKelly]

I'll second that. The PSU is the most important AND the most commonly ignored component in a computer system.
A dying PSU took out the voltage regulators, which allowed too much juice to the mobo, which fried it and the proc. The HD wasn't acting properly afterwards even in another rig. With the voltage spike that must have occured to take out the proc and mobo I threw it all out.
All from a faulty power suppy that cost 30/40 bucks. :doh:

[Josh-]

Third MAJOR thing that will do this is bad data on HD, bad or WRONG cable is most common culprit.

Cables arent data on the HD.

If hes formatting daily, then greatly likely that it is NOT bad harddrive data.

If your problem persists, try booting up from the bootlog and doing a system restore instead of formatting again, for once. Then check your system hardware that is being detected, and make sure it detects everything. Perhaps then you may easily determine the problem.

[Thrax]

You can't have a "Wrong" cable on IDE devices.

[Josh-]

Maybe you can also try a different operating system and see how it runs..

[Enverex]

You can have a wrong cable, i.e. a 40 wire IDE cable on a drive trying to use UMDA Mode 5 (or 4) on a motherboard that doesnt auto detect (and set the mode) will scramble it.

NS

[Paul]

Alrighty, I get my new mobo, and installed Windows XP yesterday, no random restarts but after about the third time I restarted it just went to a black screen where the splash screen should be.

Can turning the System Restore service to 'disable' make this happen? Because it was right after I shut off "improperly" that it happened

Thanks

[Leonardo]

No, turning off System Restore does just that - turns off the System Restore program. You've got a hardware problem. You've definitely got hardware problems.

[Paul]

Heh, I installed win2k and after 10 reboots everything is still working fine. Guess I'll stay with this for a while :D

[madmat]

Did you run memtest86 on the new board to see how the memory works?
I'm kind of interested to see if it was the board...I have been having issues with memory failing but that was after a bios "update" that seemed to fubar the memory controler, after flashing back to an earlier version the errors went away but I'm still not entirely pleased with the bios I've got on here as it seems to be hammering the SATA drives on my system for some odd reason.
By any chance are the chips on your ram labled ELIXER?

[Paul]

Ran memtest the first time i powered up my new board, 10 passed, 0 errors. I got micron chips on both of my stick

Thanks