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All i want to know.. is why me? oh, and HELP!

Oot

Member
Ok.. this is getting really REALLY annoying.. here are my specs first.. then i'll name off any/all problems that i've known/seen..


Tyan s1854 (trinity 400)
Asus gf3 ti200 DELUXE.
PIII 866 coppermine FCPGA
512 generic ram (2x256)
Quantom 30 gig 66 hd.. (master)
Maxtor 60 gig 133 hd.. (slave, dont have 133 ide anyways)
M$ intellemouse
soundblaster LIVE! x-gamer 5.1
diamond modem's, one ISA (2720) and the new v.92 PCI one.
Netgear PCI NIC

Thats all of it i think.. besides fan and PSU.

I've been running win98SE on it, cuz neither XP or 2k will install.. i get blue screens while "saving configuration" in setup.. They get a page_fault in nonpaged area error..
All my problems seem to be video related.. but i've tried several video cards that work in other computers.. so i'm completly lost.

Half life, a game i play constantly, has never been so problem ridden.. It used to work perfectly, no problems whatsoever.... but lately it crashes out, BSOD's mid game, and gets illegal actions.. I dont even know what to do at this point.. I've tried to install xp/2k by removing all my pci cars, but.. no avail. I cant even get 2k to ever finish setup, even IF it gets all the files saves and reboots the first time.. Is there certain settings in the bios i should change? I have no clue what to do.. tried fresh installs, format's.. blah.. HELP ME

Thanks..

So, the problems.. I dont even know how to start.. its like my computers health has been inclining as if it has aids or something..


 
If you also have problems trying to install 98, it's most likely a failing HD. If this is the case, download the following utility from Maxtor: PowerMax. Run the DOS diagnostics on the HD, write down the error code, get with Maxtor, RMA the HD.
(They can send you one and then you just send back the other in the same box within 30days.)
 
Win98 works semi-ok.

Win2k. wont load.. i've tried to get this thing to work.. forever, not working.. Says "config_initialization_failed" .. it wont save.. could i have an irq conflict?
 
Have you tried using a different stick(s) of RAM? Also, you're using legit copies of Win2k and WinXP, right? 🙂 It doesn't make sense to me that Win98 would install correctly when neither XP or 2k does..
 


<< Win98 works semi-ok.

Win2k. wont load.. i've tried to get this thing to work.. forever, not working.. Says "config_initialization_failed" .. it wont save.. could i have an irq conflict?
>>

It works semi-ok? What is that, it fails every hour?

Get a utility to check the harddrive (swap one with another for primary master), ensure each is on a separate channel.

An IRQ conflict won't result unless you have manually set an ISA or a PCI card (very few can do this) to a specific IRQ via jumper. Even then a conflict shouldn't occur between ISA and PCI devices. Maybe you enabled serial ports and some other manual setting on your ISA card. This could cause problems, but I don't think it would prevent installation/boot.

It seems more likely you have some hardware device that is incompatible with 2000/XP. Take out the ISA card and reinstall the OS. If problems continue, take out the NIC and soundcard and modems then reinstall the OS. If problems continue, it's most likely a hardware problem, like the RAM or HD, but could also be BIOS, chipset or driver support.

 
Yes, they are legit copies, thats why it bothers me so much.

And i have removed the ISA card, and I'm begining to think its my bios. I've updated to the newest version, but it seem that it STILL doesnt support my gfx card. However.. I could atleast get win2k and xp to boot when I had the older version, which sadly, i dont even remember which it was. (there are like 7 revisions, SIGH) My hd's are both brand new, but the stupid thing is, win2k worked on my OLD seagate just as it was on the verge of dying.. i rma'd it to maxtor, and they gave me the 30 gig drive i have now. The BSOD's in win98 are pretty frequent, which they never were before, i'm thinking i may trade this gfx card to a friend with an athlon xp + abit board, and see if anything weird happens there..

My old voodoo4, with old bios, and POS HD had zero BSOD's.. But when i upgraded my gfx and bios.. it went to poo. Seems like the older bios was maybe more.. tolerant? cuz i dont know what to do..

When i initaially installed win2k it worked sweet til i changed out hardware, and the bios..

and by "semi-ok" i mean it works fine for the most part, til i force it to load Halflife 3 or so times, ( i have to close it alot during matches, to go talk in irc) so it messes up hard then.. gets illegal action crap in HL and then when i goto shut it down, about half the time it hangs, BSOD's and i have to hard boot it..
 
Codegen 300watt max.. it doesnt get TOO hot so i dont think its working all that hard.. i could be mistaken though..
 
Like MazerRackham suggested, try different sticks of RAM. I used to get that "page fault in nonpaged area" not while installing XP, but at random times while running it. I tried different RAM and it never happened again. I took the suspected bad RAM back to the store, where they tested it and found it WAS in fact bad. So try different RAM and post the results.
 
My vote is bad ram too. That's the trouble with generic ram ( I know, cause I've had many problems with generic ram on "higher" performance systems) the faster machines (and os's) don't get along well with it.
 
I've changed the ram out, now i have only 128 megs 😉 but it seems to be running much more smoothly regardless, havent had a bsod, and have been running half life pretty hard, (maps that knock down fps, and big servers, GO 56k!)I have however had mirc kicking me out of hl, lol, the new version of MIRC sux.. just so you all know, and i'll try to install 2k later today. Hopefully this is the problem..
 
I tried installing win2k, and its still not working, although its for a different reason, instead of getting that weird "configuration failed" or "page fault in non-paged area" its freezing at "saving configuration" and just sitting there, could that be due to my small 128 meg dimm? or hd? Anybody know where i can get some good diagnostic software for ram? Thanks..

I'm begining to think its the ram, and now there's a good dimm, but not enough of it to save win2k.. maybe?
 
Try here for a memory tester. Win2K only "needs" 64mb ram to work, 128 should be fine. I'd also try using your faster drive to install to. Maybe even remove the nic and modems till you have the os installed, then install each device one at a time. Have you tried printing off a copy of the HCL that win2k came up with when inspecting your comp? It may give you some clues to what might be holding you back.
 
Can you explain where i can find that to print it? My computer is having a helluva time lately.. Its started to BSOD again.. And i still cannot get win2k or xp to install. Configuration save errors, page fault in nonpaged area, all the same errors, and thats on the fast hd with nothing installed except the video card cd rom, and hd.
 
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