A
Andrew Beard
Please forgive the length of this post - I thought that the more information
I provided, the easier it will be to diagnose the problem.
Approximately one month ago I conducted a complete reformat and reinstall of
Windows XP SP2 (from a slip-streamed CD) onto my system with specs as
follows:
CPU: AMD Athlon XP-M (Mobile) 2500+ (running at 200MHz FSB x 11)
Mobo: Abit NF7-S v2 nForce2 Ultra
RAM: 1x Crucial 512MB PC3200
GPU: Sapphire Radeon Atlantis 9800 Pro (128MB)
PSU: Chieftec 360W
HD: Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm HD
After installing Windows, the critical hardware drivers, virus protection
(Norton AntiVirus 2005) and the recommended Windows updates, the system was
running fine (as it
always has done). I then decided I should update the BIOS on my motherboard.
As I have done so many times before, I downloaded the appropriate file from
Abit and followed
their instructions to the letter. After clearing the CMOS for a full minute
I restarted the PC. This is when the problems began.
The computer seemed to freeze at random points during the boot stages -
before Windows even starts to load. Sometimes it would only get as far as
determining the speed of
the CPU before freezing. I figured that I had incorrectly set one or more of
the parameters in the BIOS and tried to enter it. However, the system
continued to freeze
whilst in the BIOS, despite all the parameters appearing correct. I checked
the temperatures - they were all within acceptable limits (40C CPU and 30C
case).
To my astonishment, after leaving the system switched off for a day or two I
was able to boot into windows and run all my applications as normal.
Unfortunately this was
shortlived as it soon became apparent that the problem had manifested itself
as apparently random rebooting. The system would boot up fine but simply
reset itself within a
few hours. I disabled the 'automatic restart' feature in Windows and, low
and behold, at each crash I was confronted with the blue screen of death
with details about the
crash. The technical info generally consisted of:
Stop 0x0000008E (0xC0000005 0xEF85037E 0xED2B87C4 0x00000000)
tcpip.sys Address EF85037E base at EF84D000 datestamp 41107ecf
After rebooting I checked the event log, which sure enough, was populated
with 'Save Dump' events (corresponding to each crash) which pointed to a
dump file. The contents
of the dump file simply confirmed the above info, which seemed to indicate a
memory problem. However, running memtest86 for several hours did not yield a
single error, so I
have now dismissed the memory from the potential causes.
After bearing with the random reboots for several weeks, I have recently
attempted to return the BIOS to the former revision. Bizarrely enough the
problem seems to have
cycled: continual failure to boot into Windows followed by random
blue-screen crashes when Windows finally boots. Also, whenever I attempt to
de-clock the CPU back to stock
speeds it freezes during startup (and in the BIOS) again.
I've dismissed any software/driver/virus problems because the system freezes
in the BIOS, before any of those things have a chance to affect the system.
What with all the
wierd freezing during start-up and in the BIOS after updating it, I'm
inclined to believe that the details of the random rebooting are not really
indicative of the problem
- just merely another manifestation.
I've also dismissed the PSU as the problem as there would be no way that
Windows could write a memory dump to the hard-drive if the power was cut
(correct?) Does it sound
like these symptoms are indicative of power fluctuations? The voltages
applied to the system appear ok.
So I believe I'm left with either the CPU or the motherboard as the source
of this problem. Is it possible that my CPU was affected during the BIOS
update (I don't think
it's possible), or perhaps the CPU started failing at that point by pure
coincidence (very unlikely)?
So my best guess is that it's the motherboard. Has the flash rom been
corrupted during the BIOS update? (Is there a way to reset my motherboard
back to 'factory settings'?)
Could it be a capacitor failure (or some other difficult-to-determine
component)? Or is it as simple as a faulty CMOS battery? I have absolutely
no idea. What about the GPU
- have I dismissed it prematurely? Could a faulty GPU cause such problems in
the BIOS?
One thing that bothers me is the 'settle time' that my PC seems to require
before it successfully boots into Windows after updating the BIOS. What
could possibly cause
this?
I would be very grateful to anyone who can provide me with advice as to the
likely cause of this problem. Any suggestions for fixes or potential faulty
components are most
welcome. Ultimately, I don't mind if I need to replace a burnt-out
component, but without knowing which component is at fault I'm stuck.
Many thanks in advance,
Andrew.
I provided, the easier it will be to diagnose the problem.
Approximately one month ago I conducted a complete reformat and reinstall of
Windows XP SP2 (from a slip-streamed CD) onto my system with specs as
follows:
CPU: AMD Athlon XP-M (Mobile) 2500+ (running at 200MHz FSB x 11)
Mobo: Abit NF7-S v2 nForce2 Ultra
RAM: 1x Crucial 512MB PC3200
GPU: Sapphire Radeon Atlantis 9800 Pro (128MB)
PSU: Chieftec 360W
HD: Western Digital 160GB 7200rpm HD
After installing Windows, the critical hardware drivers, virus protection
(Norton AntiVirus 2005) and the recommended Windows updates, the system was
running fine (as it
always has done). I then decided I should update the BIOS on my motherboard.
As I have done so many times before, I downloaded the appropriate file from
Abit and followed
their instructions to the letter. After clearing the CMOS for a full minute
I restarted the PC. This is when the problems began.
The computer seemed to freeze at random points during the boot stages -
before Windows even starts to load. Sometimes it would only get as far as
determining the speed of
the CPU before freezing. I figured that I had incorrectly set one or more of
the parameters in the BIOS and tried to enter it. However, the system
continued to freeze
whilst in the BIOS, despite all the parameters appearing correct. I checked
the temperatures - they were all within acceptable limits (40C CPU and 30C
case).
To my astonishment, after leaving the system switched off for a day or two I
was able to boot into windows and run all my applications as normal.
Unfortunately this was
shortlived as it soon became apparent that the problem had manifested itself
as apparently random rebooting. The system would boot up fine but simply
reset itself within a
few hours. I disabled the 'automatic restart' feature in Windows and, low
and behold, at each crash I was confronted with the blue screen of death
with details about the
crash. The technical info generally consisted of:
Stop 0x0000008E (0xC0000005 0xEF85037E 0xED2B87C4 0x00000000)
tcpip.sys Address EF85037E base at EF84D000 datestamp 41107ecf
After rebooting I checked the event log, which sure enough, was populated
with 'Save Dump' events (corresponding to each crash) which pointed to a
dump file. The contents
of the dump file simply confirmed the above info, which seemed to indicate a
memory problem. However, running memtest86 for several hours did not yield a
single error, so I
have now dismissed the memory from the potential causes.
After bearing with the random reboots for several weeks, I have recently
attempted to return the BIOS to the former revision. Bizarrely enough the
problem seems to have
cycled: continual failure to boot into Windows followed by random
blue-screen crashes when Windows finally boots. Also, whenever I attempt to
de-clock the CPU back to stock
speeds it freezes during startup (and in the BIOS) again.
I've dismissed any software/driver/virus problems because the system freezes
in the BIOS, before any of those things have a chance to affect the system.
What with all the
wierd freezing during start-up and in the BIOS after updating it, I'm
inclined to believe that the details of the random rebooting are not really
indicative of the problem
- just merely another manifestation.
I've also dismissed the PSU as the problem as there would be no way that
Windows could write a memory dump to the hard-drive if the power was cut
(correct?) Does it sound
like these symptoms are indicative of power fluctuations? The voltages
applied to the system appear ok.
So I believe I'm left with either the CPU or the motherboard as the source
of this problem. Is it possible that my CPU was affected during the BIOS
update (I don't think
it's possible), or perhaps the CPU started failing at that point by pure
coincidence (very unlikely)?
So my best guess is that it's the motherboard. Has the flash rom been
corrupted during the BIOS update? (Is there a way to reset my motherboard
back to 'factory settings'?)
Could it be a capacitor failure (or some other difficult-to-determine
component)? Or is it as simple as a faulty CMOS battery? I have absolutely
no idea. What about the GPU
- have I dismissed it prematurely? Could a faulty GPU cause such problems in
the BIOS?
One thing that bothers me is the 'settle time' that my PC seems to require
before it successfully boots into Windows after updating the BIOS. What
could possibly cause
this?
I would be very grateful to anyone who can provide me with advice as to the
likely cause of this problem. Any suggestions for fixes or potential faulty
components are most
welcome. Ultimately, I don't mind if I need to replace a burnt-out
component, but without knowing which component is at fault I'm stuck.
Many thanks in advance,
Andrew.
