Computer restarts on Windows XP loading screen

kefartokefarto
edited April 2006 in Hardware
OK here goes.

Yestarday I received some new parts, a computer upgrade. It consisted of a motherboard (Gigabyte GA-K8N-SLI), a processor (AMD Athlon 64 3000+) and a graphics card (Gigabyte 6600GT 256MB).

My problem is, that when I installed my motherboard drivers, after I installed XP Pro SP2, my computer (after the drivers were installed), started to restart in a a continuos loop. Before it restarted each time I saw a flash of a BSOD, but it went to fast for me to make out anything besides a blue screen. In a panic I booted to safe mode (looks like a driver problem) and somehow I figured out which driver (amdk8.sys) was causing the problem and deleted it from C:\Windows\System32\Drivers folder. The problem stopped, but now I'm scared to reinstall my performance enhancing motherboard drivers. My reason for this post: how do you fix this problem so I can install my drivers, graphics card and sound and onboard ethernet working, just this amdk8.sys is annoying me. Please help.

Kefarto

Comments

  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited April 2006
    When you installed the new MB did you do a Repair Install, or format the drive? Or did you just hook everything up and get right to it?

    There are a number of solutions for your problem. My response will depend on the answer to those questions. :)
  • kefartokefarto
    edited April 2006
    To answer your question...

    After I installled the motherboard, I disconnected my second harddrive, installed windows xp on the first. Then after windows was on, I reistalled my second hard drive, and then did the drivers.

    Kefarto
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    Dowload the latest drivers for your motherboard,
    http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/MainPage.aspx
    http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=1928

    Have you tested that your system is okay, HDD, RAM etc ?
    Use the Ultimate Boot CD to test your hardware.
    http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

    How about the motherboard bios ?

    My guess is that you are having some problem with the drivers on your CD, but it might be hardware related problem.

    You will find the nVdia drivers here ...
    http://www.nvidia.com/page/home.html

    Download the latest nF4 chipset driver and the Graphic driver.

    http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_nf4_winxp32_amd_6.70.html

    http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_84.21.html

    Start installing the Chipset driver then reboot.
    Then install the graphic driver.

    Please read this before you install the drivers.
    http://www.nvidia.com/object/driver_installation_hints.html

    Then if you need some special drivers that Gigabyte has ... just install them last.

    Also make an register repair boot diskett so you can repair the system if something goes wrong.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited April 2006
    Do everything Esso said first - that is great advice. :thumbsup:

    Concerning the amdk8.sys problem, you might find this information useful - it looks like the file is unnecessary to begin with. I'd reboot in Safe Mode after each driver update, check to see if amdk8.sys is there, and if it is I'd rename it to amdk8.old or something like that.

    Let us know how it goes. :)
  • kefartokefarto
    edited April 2006
    Wow, thanks for the advice so far.

    I've just read my motherboard documentation and I noticed it has a nice backup utility, that allows me to backup my hard drive and restore it by pressing F9 at the POST screen. I'll backup then try your advice.

    Thanks a lot,
    Kefarto
  • kefartokefarto
    edited April 2006
    OK, so far I have backed up my computer, downloaded and installed the motherboard drivers. I'm in the process of downloading the nForce 4 AMD drivers off the nVidia site. All is well so far, no problems yet. I have an idea of what the amdk8.sys does, I think its for AMD Cool 'n Quiet. What does AMD Cool 'n Quiet even do and do I need it?

    Thanks for the help so far, I'll always come to short-media.
    Kefarto
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    Here you have some more information and AMD drivers to download.
    http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182,00.html

    If you like you can read more about AMD over here.
    Its in Swedish but most of the data points to US web.
    http://www.techsweden.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=106730#106730

    Cool'n quiet:
    AMD Cool'n'Quiet! Technology allows the system to dynamically and automatically select the CPU speed, Voltage and Power combination that match the instantaneous user perfomance need.
    These changes can happen as often as 30 times per second. Note: This driver is for Desktop Athlon 64 systems only.
    http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_9706,00.html
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited April 2006
    My advice is to stay away from the Cool 'n Quiet stuff. It has caused a lot of people a lot of trouble.
  • kefartokefarto
    edited April 2006
    All is well. I installed all my motherboard drivers and grpahics drivers except for AMD cool n Quiet, and everything works fine. I set my computer to some enhanced performance settings in the BIOS, thjough this morning it wouldn't start, so I reset CMOS and all is good.

    Thanks for all your help.
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited April 2006
    I re-opened your thread, kefarto. It may be helpful to someone else down the road. :)

    Glad you have things up and running. :cheers:
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    I have found this thread at XS,
    Overclocking with Cool N Quiet guide

    I also have being reading that Cool'N Quiet should be turned off when overclocking the CPU, due to system instability.
  • sammysammy
    edited April 2006
    profdlp thanks for reopening this.

    I have a similar problem:
    my computer after a crash my computer auto restarted, and after the windows loading screen it started to restart in a a continuos loop. Before it restarted each time I saw a flash of a BSOD, but it went to fast for me to make out anything besides a blue screen. I tried to boot to safe mode but after it tried to, it flashed the blue screen and crashed again.

    I have no clue where to start.
  • EssoEsso Stockholm, Sweden
    edited April 2006
    One thing that has been on my mind for a long time, is to have one
    basic trouble shooting document.
    It is so easy to forget about good advice.

    Some times when the computer suddenly can't boot up properly, there might be because one of the ram sticks is failing.

    So remove one ram at the time and see it that solves the problem.
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