Hi all,
I am fixing a computer for a friend that consistenly crashes. It used to just lose part of the registry on startup and I would go into the repair mode (via the windows XP Pro CD) and copy the appropriate file from C:\windows\repair into c:\windows\system32\config
Now though, after it did this again it started up ok but freezes completely without warning or screen errors. Just hangs, no mouse or Ctrl -alt - del.
So, I formatted it and began loading windows again. Now I find that it's freezing during while I'm trying to install windows. Not at any one point but anywhere, anytime. I am pretty sure it's a hardware problem from here on in as I have formatted the drive during hte first part of the reinstallation.
My question is, is there a preffered method for troubleshooting hardware issues. I can probably go about it using bits and pieces I've got around here to replace item after item inside the sys but where would the gurus start first?
Thanks,
Joe
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First make sure that the problem is not with the hard disk itself. It could well be that the hard disk has some bad sectors in which the installer is trying to write into. Take the hard disk to someother system and try installing windows there. If it fails, the problem is with the hard disk. Else, then we can take it from there on...
Vikkki
yeap... I would guess you have a h/w problem as well.
If you tried installing a few times and it freezes at random points.... my first guess would be bad ram.
test it, swap it out with a known good and try again.
Next guess would be the power supply..if it starts to fail... it could cause odd errors like this. Also check the PS power rating and make sure that it can easily handle the equpment installed in this computer. If it can't you could see symptoms like this.
When I am t/s a h/w issue.. I sometimes strip the machine to bare bones requirements to see how things work out.
Don't need USB, Firewire, sound card, nic, modem......etc. Remove or disable items that are not required like ram, MB, cpu, ps...
If that works fine... add a single piece and check again...continue til faulty device is found..
I hope this helps
good luck
KaBaaM
Use the process of elimination, remove all unneed devices, leave only psu, motherboard, cpu, ram, video card, keyboard, mouse. (think thats it, may have missed 1)
run it like that for awhile, see how it is.. If its lasting up to an hour, does it matter if your using it or not? does it crash under more intense computing? if so look at PSU or CPU /cpu overheat. if it crashes at random times during opening or running things its your HD, HD cable or RAM.
You can also start removing the devices you have connected, ie: remove HD, see if it runs for 2 hours setting at an A: prompt or bios
If there is more than 1 stick of ram, use only one at the time, do as in the above stated process of elimination.
I think you already looked for overheating? check the fans and cpu t°.
An Intel cpu cool block is normally hand warm, if you feel it's hotter you have the culprit (check for overclocking in the bios) An AMD CPUis a lot warmer
hope it helps you
I would recommend starting off with trying to replace your memory modules. Remove them, and replace them with different ones. If this resolves your issues, your memory modules are the one at fault. You power-supply may also be to blame. Try just replacing the power-supply and see if that works.
_Good_luCK_
techsupport101,
please be sure to read the previous posts thoroughly before making a post. As you will notice your comment is almost a copy of what I already posted. Some people may take offence to that and it just adds extra reading in the post but not extra comments to help etechs with the problem.
thanks
KaBaaM
Can almost guarantee you this is a RAM problem. REMOVE RAM and reseat. Make sure it is at least CAS 2.5 or 2.0, if not, it is too slow for the board. Only other likely problem is an incompatible video card. Change to a different one. Also remove all other cards and devices, just to get XP installed.
Hi all,
Well, I've changed the RAM, RAM slot, HD, VGA card, taken out the PCI modem, changed power supply, and reloaded the bios. Still crashing.
The motherboard is a Slot 1 type. At the moment it's got a slocket with a socket 370 P3 550. I tried changing it to a Slot 1 celeron 333 but it wouldn't boot??
From my decuctions so far it has to be the MB, CPU, or the BIOS config. I've defaulted the bios config and still no luck.
Any ideas on how to get it going with the other CPU? The MB is an EP-6VBA. Any suggestions/conclusions?
Thanks
Joe
If it's a slot board, I think it might be time to go to a newer socket A board, with a faster chip, and maybe start with a new hardware profile. Everything else you've tried seems to be good hardware, so maybe the board/and/or/bios is a problem. However, before you do this, try 2 things -- change the power supply, and replace the ribbon cables going to the hard disk. Things one doesn't think of often, but we will all be embarassed if it was this simple, wouldn't we?
Hi all,
Yes, the celeron is good. It's straight out of anothermachine?? I'll try the P3 CPU in another machine as nobus suggested and see what happens.
Sciwriter, ugrade is not an option for this person as money is an issue.
It doesn't matter whether the system is idle or working hard. The temp is ok according to bios before crashing.
I'll let you know what happens. Cheers for your help everyone.
Joe
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by: etechsPosted on 2004-06-19 at 09:36:36ID: 11351589
Ok, update.
I got through the install on the 4th attempt. I now have a basic Xp Pro machine that I can boot.
I installed hte latest bios a few months ago so am pretty certain that it's not that.
Question still stands though. It's pretty unstable. Before I formatted it could last anywhere from seconds to almost an hour before crashing. I don't know that I'll even bother putting the latest Windows updates on yet in case it's the HD.
Thanks
Joe