PC RIP!!

[jayeff]

Major problem. Started up my (other, brand new) system and got a message
that a vital core file is corrupted or missing, if I recall correctly system
32 or similar. When I pressed r at the bit where it says to do so it just
cycles through the startup and goes back to where it says to press r. My
more knowledgeable friend hit del/f9 to get into the setup and changed it so
it booted from cd rom, put in the XP disc and rebooted to be greeted by a
blank screen. Nothing. We didn't even get it to start the initial booting
procedure you get after just switching on.

Being a new system and the fact I have installed quite a lot of software
plus all the stuff I have migrated from my old PC, (all of which I am pretty
sure is virus free) collectively means the potential causes are anything and
everything but if it is something I've done it's one of these:

Last night I wanted to get my two systems set up for some LAN based gaming
and the only game I had to test it that'd run on both systems was Quake. I'm
wondering if I have screwed something up by trying to run such an old game
on a pretty up to date system (my graphics card is a 256mb GeForce
FX5600XT).

I also set up my old PC so that'd it share the VGA signal (through a
switcher) between an old monitor and the monitor it currently shares with
the new system, which connects to it via DVI-I. Other than the ethernet
cable I can see no way my new PC could be effected by anything I do with
the setup on my old PC, certainly not with the monitor cabling.

I used my CDRW drive to play a music CD and it seemed to be running a little
hot so I switched to my DVD Rom drive to play music CDs and that seemed ok.
Maybe you aren't meant to use a CDRW drive like a CD player?

I have a USB2 device connected but haven't installed SP1 as yet.

My power supply has a dial to change the speed and I might have had it too
low.

I installed, uninstalled and then reinstalled some DVD related software, I
had NVDVD installed, played a DVD with Windows media Player and Pyro, then I
uninstalled NVDVD and tried to play the DVD. (As part of the process of
getting my head round the way DVD software works). Maybe DVD software roots
itself deep into the core system files and you can't piss about with it like
that?

I turned off Zone Alarm to get the LAN to work properly and the system
crashed.

Kinda clutching at straws now!

My friend noticed a light that was lit up on my motherboard (Gigabyte K7
Triton) that should only be lit if an AGP2x graphics card is installed,
according to the manual, slightly worrying when I'm using an AGP8x. It's
been doing that since I first started using the system but I didn't even
think twice about it, I just thought it meant there was power. Anyway the
board wasn't loose so I don't know why it was doing that.

In a way I'm really hoping it is hardware related because that at least
means I don't have to tread on eggshells with anything I try to do with this
system.

Jay

 

[JAD]

Major problem. Started up my (other, brand new) system and got a
message

that a vital core file is corrupted or missing, if I recall correctly system
32 or similar. When I pressed r at the bit where it says to do so it

just

Having said this first, I would say:
You have a virus.
Your OS or something related to software has a glitch.
Do a 'repair' install of XP.

Now after trying to boot from the XP disk and getting no video, This
could be a second problem. Return the problem machine to a normal
setup. One monitor keyboard and mouse hooked up properly. Now begin to
troubleshoot.

Good luck

 

[jayeff]

Having said this first, I would say:

You have a virus.

Pretty sure we can rule this one out. Everything that is installed on the
new system is also on the old system which is working fine. The new system
has no email setup or proper internet access at all either. To be honest I
was having trouble accessing the net through the ethernet anyway, no big
deal as my ADSL goes live in just over a week and everything will go through
a router. I have AVG on the new system too, but haven't updated as yet. Is
it possible a virus was sitting dormant on the old machine, hiding from the
version of AVG on there and it was clever enough to see that AVG on the new
system wasn't up to date enough to deal with it? That doesn't sound right to
me at all but I'm always being suprised by the sort of stuff that goes on
inside a PC.

Your OS or something related to software has a glitch.

These things don't happen for no reason though. If it wasn't something I did
I can't see what it could be.

Do a 'repair' install of XP.

Wish I could.

Now after trying to boot from the XP disk and getting no video, This
could be a second problem. Return the problem machine to a normal
setup. One monitor keyboard and mouse hooked up properly. Now begin to
troubleshoot.

Without any signal to the monitor I am powerless to do anything. I just hope
the store can figure it out.

I was kinda hoping one of my possible causes would get a response, I have a
horrible feeling this is going to be a recurring problem that formatting the
HD and starting again won't solve.

Jay

 

[Last Boy Scout]

First of all just list all your parts to start any hardware related
message. It is a real pain to read your entire post to try to figure
out what kind of hardware you are using.

When installing a motherboard and setting up your computer, make sure
you install the chipset drivers. Did you do that? You are suppose to
do this before you install any software or peripheral hardware like
sound cards, NIC Cards etc. Often the drivers for the integrated NIC
is on the chipset driver disk. I strongly recommend not trying to
transfer things like games over to a new PC, but to install them.
Often you have drivers from another motherboard or OS that do not work
well on a new motherboard. Your video card may not work right without
installing the chipset drivers!

After you install the chipset drivers, you should get the Internet to
work and install the Windows Updates or any other software updates you
need. Then after you get the Windows updated, so it is secure, you
can install software. There have been a lot of Virus and Worms which
Windows is vulnerable to and needs to be patched for .

 

[jayeff]

First of all just list all your parts to start any hardware related

message. It is a real pain to read your entire post to try to figure
out what kind of hardware you are using.

Sorry, didn't think of that.

Gigabyte GA-7N400-L
GeForce FX5600XT 256mb
AMD XP2800+
512mb DDR PC3200
Maxtor 80gb 7200 ATA133
Sony DVDROM
Pioneer DVDRW

Not that there should be any sort of conflict there, I got a reputable
company to put it all together.

When installing a motherboard and setting up your computer, make sure
you install the chipset drivers. Did you do that? You are suppose to
do this before you install any software or peripheral hardware like
sound cards, NIC Cards etc. Often the drivers for the integrated NIC
is on the chipset driver disk. I strongly recommend not trying to
transfer things like games over to a new PC, but to install them.
Often you have drivers from another motherboard or OS that do not work
well on a new motherboard. Your video card may not work right without
installing the chipset drivers!

After you install the chipset drivers, you should get the Internet to
work and install the Windows Updates or any other software updates you
need. Then after you get the Windows updated, so it is secure, you
can install software. There have been a lot of Virus and Worms which
Windows is vulnerable to and needs to be patched for .

I installed XP Pro before I did anything, I'm certain of that. It is
possible I installed the drivers for the graphics card before I installed
the drivers on the CD for the motherboard (chipsets, ATA133 Raid, USB2,
Audio, serial ATA). I didn't install anything else till after all those. As
I don't have a f***ing clue I guess if I f***ed up it was here. I'm guessing
this is bad. Is this like £700 down the toilet bad? Or is this the store £40
in pocket to fix it?

I was going to leave updating until I get my ADSL connection anyway due to
the huge downloads involved. I did get Zone Alarm and AVG up and running
though so I had some anti virus protection set up but I still don't think it
was a virus that caused this. I'm guessing this was me doing it on my own
trying to save money and having to figure it all out on my own. You'd think
there'd be a more idiot proof way of doing this.

Some RTFMing has me thinking I didn't screw up. The manual for my GeForce
says it does a chipset check and prompts you if it isn't satisfied,
therefore I must have at least installed those first.

Jay

 

[JAD]

Return to a normal desktop Jeff, AFA the peripherals go. Being a new
machine I am not sure going inside is a smart thing. You could try and
reset the CMOS.

You have to be able to get video at the bios level, otherwise it
points to a vidcard/port problem.

 

[jayeff]

The guy at the store had a look and determined that the processor was
running overclocked. 200mhz instead of 166mhz. (It's an AMD XP2800+) Their
bloody fault anyway, they built the system. Now I am supposed to hit f8 or
something and
do a restore.

Mmm, doesn't want to play, so I guess I have no choice but to format the C
drive and start over. It screws up all the settings and installed software
but hopefully I won't have to redo it all after this. This time I'll
remember to do the repair floppy disc too!

Jay