Hardware Problems

G

Guest

Usually I can work my way through things and fix stuff myself. But not this
time.

A few months ago I went to a highly recomended computer store and bought a
new motherboard, processor and power supply. Ever since then i've been having
some problems. I paid them to install everything so it would be 'covered.'
But when I got it home and started having problems I phoned them and they
said they would fix it ... If I paid them $45 (Canadian $35 American?) an
hour. They lost my business there because they are the ones who installed it
improperly.

They stated everything was compatible because I took my comp in and showed
it to them so there would be no mistakes. The first problem I had, though,
was the insane load up times. It would show a pic of the intel HT motherboard
info for about 30 secs, try to load, get some writing that would only let me
bypass it by ctrl-alt-deling it and then back to another intel pic for the
motherboard info. I timed it once ... it took about 1.5-2.5 mins (i'll have
to double check it again sometime). I even d/led a program that monitors
performance for boot ups to see what was the problem, but it wouldn't even
recognize that long waiting periods as part of the boot up and other than the
intel stuff and the ctrl-alt-del part it loaded fast.

Now i'm having problems installing stuff. I get the BSOD that tells me its
beginning the physical memory dump everytime I try to install something large
from disc. Doom 3, Harry Potter game and now a pre order disc for Everquest
2. I somehow got Doom 3 to install after 2 full days of fiddling.

I plan on buying more memory and a new HD soon and possibly a new video card
but would like this fixed before I add more hardware onto the pile when maybe
some of the current stuff is messed and needs replacing.

Hopefully someone can help me out because i've spent countless hours trying
to fix it and searching help forums and FAQs galore and never once found
anyone with a similar problem. Lots of BSOD being triggered by different
things and never once the intel MB hanging problem.

Thanks in advance.

Specs (will open up my box to get more info if required, this is all off the
top of my head):

Windows XP
2.4 Ghz
512 RAM (Kingston?)
P-4
SP1
Radeon 9500/9700
HD 5400 rpm
MB Intel PERL865
 
J

Jerry

The Intel logo pics during boot are an option in the BIOS and can be turned
off. (At least mine can on an ABIT IC7-MAX3.)

Does your motherboard require two sticks of RAM so that DDR is invoked? If
you have only one 512Mb stick this could slow things down. (Mobo manual
should have info.)

Is HyperThreading an option and turned on in the BIOS? (Mobo book)

The mobo should have come with a CD so you could install the chipset, audio,
video, etc drivers - was that done. (Also, Intel has updated mobo drivers
on their web site.)

I learned enough years ago to do my own computer assembling and repair so as
to avoid 'so-called' computer stores. [I started with a Tandy 1000TL/2
(store bought) in, what? 1986, and ever since I've done my own upgrading
from the 286 (Tandy) > 486> Pentium I the II then III and now 4.] (Plus
doing many more systems for neighbors.)

Other items you didn't mention: Power Supply size and whether or not the
BIOS was flashed to the latest verion.

Also, ATI recently posted version 4.10 of the Catalyst drivers for the
Radeon.

Jerry
 
G

Guest

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll be sure to double check which version I have
for the ATI driver.

How do you get to the BIOS? F8? F10 on startup? I tried both and all they
would give me was a list of how I wanted to start my comp (safe mode, debug
mode ect).

I'm going to shut off my comp and check the RAM and try the f8/10 again.
heh, maybe the second time around will be lucky :p
 
B

BR549

Your Intel motherboards bios is entered by pressing the F2 key after the
POST runs but before the OS loads. That info is available in the
motherboard manual.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll be sure to double check which version I
have
for the ATI driver.

How do you get to the BIOS? F8? F10 on startup? I tried both and all they
would give me was a list of how I wanted to start my comp (safe mode, debug
mode ect).

I'm going to shut off my comp and check the RAM and try the f8/10 again.
heh, maybe the second time around will be lucky :p
 
G

Guest

Update: Got rid of the intel picture ... now it just sits on a screen showing
system specs for the same amount of time. I dunno if this is normal. Before I
upgraded I booted waaaay faster. *shrugs* There are two sticks of DDR266
single channell 256 RAM in there and HT was already turned on. Here's the
error message from the BSOD:

atapi.sys error

KERNEL_DATA_INPAGE_ERROR

STOP: 0X0000007A (0XC03E1208, 0XC000000E, 0XF8482558, 0X04B17860)

ADDRESS AT F8482558

BASE AT F8476000

DATA STAMP 3D6DDB04
 
T

Thomas Wendell

You bought a new mobo, processod and PSU. And had it installed in an old
case with HD etc?
Did the old HD have XP installed, that you think will automatically
recognize such an upgrade without problems?
It needed to have at least an repair install done on it, but I don't know if
that works any more , if you have tinkered with the drivers and such.....


--
Tumppi
Reply to group
=================================================
Most learned on nntp://news.mircosoft.com
Helsinki, Finland (remove _NOSPAM)
(translations from FI/SE not always accurate)
=================================================
 
J

Jerry

According to the book "Windows XP Inside Out" the Kernel_... and Stop:...7A
error could be caused by defective memory, malfunctioning hard drive, disk
controller or cable, corrupted data, or a virus. Try running CHKDSK to fix.

No listing for the atapi.sys error or the other Stop errors - a Google
search could help here.

Jerry
 
G

Guest

Hi Jerry,

Can you tell me any detail on what the STOP 9c code indicates ? I keep
getting the BSoD - see the last 5 crash codes:

BCCode : 9c BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 8054DA70 BCP3 : E6458000
BCP4 : 00000145 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

BCCode : 9c BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 8054DA70 BCP3 : E6720000
BCP4 : 00000135 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

BCCode : 9c BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 8054DA70 BCP3 : E6750000
BCP4 : 00000135 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

BCCode : 9c BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 8054DA70 BCP3 : E6000000
BCP4 : 00000175 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

BCCode : 9c BCP1 : 00000000 BCP2 : 8054DA70 BCP3 : E6780000
BCP4 : 00000135 OSVer : 5_1_2600 SP : 2_0 Product : 256_1

Microsoft say it is the CPU registering a hardware excemption.

Regards Stephen
 

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