Satan's machine!

[Guest]

HI
Sorry this is a bit of a long one…I’m working on a stinker of a machine at
the moment…it came to me with boot problems…basically it wouldn’t, boot that
is, except in safe mode and then it was still unstable…particularly when
trying to access either of the cd-roms, it would just restart.

So I messed around with the services and such…replaced files and still
nothing. Installed xp pro on another drive and had the same problems…so I
wiped the original drive and re installed…or tried to…after copying install
files to new partition it won’t boot…gets to the xp logo and restarts…pretty
much the same as the original problem, Stripped the machine down to bare
bones with no luck…tested the HD, all ok…updated the BIOS…checked out the
power supply, ram and video…no problems.

The one thing I’ve noticed is on boot up…just after the machine accesses the
boot sector on the HD…the CPU fan slows then picks up speed just before the
logo appears…does this mean anything to anyone?

Thanks in advance.

DFI CM33-TC Main board…don’t ask!
256 Ram
Maxtor 20G HD
XP Pro

 

[Al Smith]

The one thing I’ve noticed is on boot up…just after the machine accesses the

boot sector on the HD…the CPU fan slows then picks up speed just before the
logo appears…does this mean anything to anyone?

Probably means your power supply is inadequate. The power supply
could be insufficient even if it is rated high enough for your
setup, since cheap power supplies are often over-rated, and power
supplies sometimes deteriorate over time, and stop handling the
tasks they used to be able to handle.

 

[David Candy]

We need error messages in full. If Write an event to the system log is on then look in Event Viewer (type it in help). Most people have it display the screen and write (you know a pen) down the message. See if they are all the same number and details.
If Write an event to the system log is on then look in Event Viewer (type it in help).

From Help

To specify what Windows does if the system stops unexpectedly.

You must be logged on as an administrator or a member of the Administrators group in order to complete this procedure. If your computer is connected to a network, network policy settings might also prevent you from completing this procedure.

1.. Open System in Control Panel.
2.. On the Advanced tab, under Startup and Recovery, click Settings.
3.. Under System Failure, select the check boxes that correspond to the actions you want Windows to perform if a Stop error occurs:
a.. Write an event to the system log specifies that event information will be recorded in the system log.
b.. Send an administrative alert specifies that your system administrator will be notified.
c.. Automatically reboot specifies that Windows will automatically restart your computer.
4.. Under Write Debugging Information, choose the type of information you want Windows to record when the system stops unexpectedly:
a.. Small Memory Dump records the smallest amount of information that will help identify the problem. This option requires a paging file of at least 2 MB on the boot volume of your computer and specifies that Windows will create a new file each time the system stops unexpectedly. A history of these files is stored in the directory listed under Small Dump Directory.
b.. Kernel Memory Dump records only kernel memory, which speeds up the process of recording information in a log when the system stops unexpectedly. Depending on the amount of RAM in your computer, you must have 50 MB to 800 MB available for the paging file on the boot volume. The file is stored in the directory listed under Dump File.
c.. Complete Memory Dump records the entire contents of system memory when the system stops unexpectedly. If you choose this option you must have a paging file on the boot volume large enough to hold all of the physical RAM plus one megabyte (MB). The file is stored in the directory listed under Dump File.
Notes

a.. To open System, click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
b.. You must have at least a 2-MB paging file on the computer's boot volume if you select Write an event to the system log or Send an administrative alert.
c.. If you choose either Kernel Memory Dump or Complete Memory Dump and select the Overwrite any existing file check box, Windows always writes to the same file name. To save individual dump files, clear the Overwrite any existing file check box and change the file name after each Stop error.
d.. You can save some memory if you clear the Write an event to the system log and Send an administrative alert check boxes. The memory saved depends on the computer, but typically about 60 KB to 70 KB are required by these features.
e.. If you contact Microsoft Product Support Services about a Stop error, they might ask for the system-memory dump file generated by the Write Debugging Information option.
Related Topics

 

[Guest]

obtaining event log's would be a little difficult... considering I dont have
an operating system running!!!

…so I
wiped the original drive and re installed…or tried to…after copying install
files to new partition it won’t boot...

 

[David Candy]

You said you still have the error?

 

[Guest]

as I said in the original post...I've formatted and reinstalled the SETUP
files...and when rebooting to continue setup it shutsdown at the same point
as when the original OS was installed.

I've since done further testing and come to the conclusion that the MB is
junk...also signs of bulging on the caps and electrolite leakage and I've
read that XP is very susceptible to the slightest difference in voltages.