New Computer Problems... Please Help

smurf3d

hey all a couple of problems:

win xp pro
amd 3500+
msi k8t neo2 motherboard
200gb seagate barrcuda hd
ati radeon 9600pro 128mb
2gb ram

Ive been trying to get "USB Legacy Support" to work but i can't.. when i enable it in the BIOS then windows won't boot it'll just stick on a black screen before windows should boot.

Another problem under CMOS there is only my CD/DVD and no hard drive stated there is this normal?

Lastly my computer will randomly shut off its completely random. Wierd part is that the power is still on my the computer goes off (i.e. my music will stop) and my screen goes off.

If anyone has any ideas these its greatly appreciated.

Thrax

Do you have the barracuda attached to Serial ATA?
Do you require legacy USB support?
Did you have a previous installation of Windows XP on the hard drive prior to installing your new components?
What powersupply do you have?

smurf3d

i have a 7200rpm SATA raid hard drive not to sure what all those names mean but i'm unsure what serial ATA is..?

yes i do requie legacy USB support for a kvm switch

i had windows installed when i got this new pc but i reinstalled windows cause it was crashing

my powersupply is a Enermax p4 450watt atx power supply

hopefully that helps?

Thrax

Ok, you hard drives don't show up in the BIOS because you have a Serial ATA (SATA) drive.

Have you tried the KVM without legacy USB support?

How did you reinstall? Reformat or repair?

Your powersupply should be ok, I can't see it causing any problems.

Do you know how to get and run memtest?

edcentric

You need to get everything except the legacy usb/kvm working first.
With sata drives only the drive controler will show up at boot.

Sounds like you either have temperature trouble or driver confilicts.

smurf3d

Thrax: I can use the KVM Switch without Legacy support but i have to use a crappy keyboard (ps/2). It says in the manual you need USB Legacy Support to use a usb keyboard with it.

As for the reinstall i did a repair reinstall on it.

I don't know anything about memtest.

Edcentric: I agree i need to get rid of the random shut down, it just did it again its driving me crazy and being a 2d/3d artist its just unacceptable to have the computer freeze up in the middle of a project. I do need to get the usb legacy support thing going too though.

Whats next on the menu? what should i do? A guy on another forum told me to enable boot logging for the usb legacy thing i did that but where do i see the boot log?

If i need to i'll happily reformat this thing.

smurf3d

i guess while im at it maybe this is related but when i download files my downloads stop sometimes. you may think its just the website i but get the problem quite frequent on any website. i end up having to close the download and keep trying till it grabs the whole thing.. its really annoying so if anyone has any ideas about that? I have a linksys router which could be the problem.. maybe an option to turn on in there? Also i'd like to add that my 2nd computer goes into the same router as the new pc and my 2nd computer's internet is fast crisp and uninterrupted.

add: i've been trying to fix this computer tonight and is crashed 2x again.. im gonna blow! but to be specific to what it is doing... my monitor clicks off 5 seconds later my music will stop and thats it. if i turn the monitor on it goes on then clicks off as if the computer is off. i listen to my pc and the fans are running everything seems to still be on aswell as the power is still on. something is very fishy so hopefully one of you came with a big fishing rod to ease my pain. The only way to get the screen back running is to turn it off or restart.

Thrax

Go to memtest, download the floppy maker, and use it to create a bootable floppy disk. Boot off that disk, and let all seven tests run. It will say "Pass:1" when it is finished. If you get to "pass:1" with zero errors, then your memory is good. Please let us know the results of that test before we continue.

If you don't have a floppy drive installed, you can also download one of the pre-compiled bootable ISOs. Burn the image to disk with Nero or Easy CD Creator, boot from the CD, and proceed as instructed.

profdlp

smurf3d wrote:

...add: i've been trying to fix this computer tonight and is crashed 2x again.. im gonna blow! but to be specific to what it is doing... my monitor clicks off 5 seconds later my music will stop and thats it. if i turn the monitor on it goes on then clicks off as if the computer is off. i listen to my pc and the fans are running everything seems to still be on aswell as the power is still on...

Do what Thrax told you about memtest first. If you have some flaky memory in there then all the reinstalls and setting changes in the world won't help you.

After checking that, your freezing problem might have something to do with standby or hibernate. Go into control panel and see what settings you have under Power Options.

smurf3d

Thrax: I ran the memtest 3 passes 0 Errors.

Profdlp: In power options Home/Office Desk: Turn off monitor: never -- turn off hard disks: never -- system stanby: never --- system hibernates: never

Advanced tab: check on for "prompt for password when computer resume from stanby

-When i press power button "shut down"

-When i press sleep button "do nothing"

Hibernation tab:

-check on for "enable hibernation"

Thrax

Do you have a voltmeter?

smurf3d

no idea where do i find out? it tells my cpu temperature in the bios but i don't have anything on the case that tells the temperature.

and just as an update i don't know what i did but USB Legacy Support was enabled and it loads into windows.. unforturatly my KVM Switch still doesn't work with USB Keyboard.. it works with crappy PS/2 one. Doesn't make sense cuase it works with USB Mouse.. any ideas?