Corrupt & Missing Files in Windows Installation..

[angry hampster]

My computer started locking up and BSoD'ing frequently last night, so I backed up and tried to reformat. I first tried Windows7 64-bit. It installed correctly, but crashed at the desktop every few minutes, resulting in a BSoD, memory dumb, and hard shutdown. I could not even install the Intel .inf drivers for my chipset without it crashing.

I figured maybe it was just a problem with 7, even though I'd used it before. I tried re-installing Vista Ultimate 32-bit, which was what I was running initially. It would not install succesflully. It would get about 5% into the install, then say I had corrupt or missing files. If I tried to repair it with the install disc, it said those same files were corrupt/missing and gave me a generic hardware failure message.


I did get XP Pro SP2 to install correctly, but did not have time to try to install drivers or software before work this morning.



What could my hardware failure be? I have four sticks of RAM (2x1GB about 1.5yr old, 2x2GB about 2months old), and tried installing the OS's with various sticks in various slots, and I kept getting the same message. Is this a hard drive problem? I pulled my media/backup drive out just in case -- I can't afford to have 5 years of photos go corrupt.



System specs:
Gigabyte P35-DS3L board, Bios F8b (I think?)
E6420 engineering sample processor @ 2.8GHz
6GB G.Skill 800MHz DDR2 @ 840 5-5-5-15
CoolerMaster RPP-650w PSU
BFG 8800GT
WD 320GB system drive



I backed my overclock down (it was initially at 3.16GHz) to see if that was the culprit, but it made no difference. Help before I miss deadlines/go insane!


Steve

 

[bruceb]

Start out with Memtest86 and test each stick of RAM one by one .. If they are all good, then check what voltage your RAM wants per the spec sheet and see what it is set to in the BIOS .. It may only need to go up by .1V or so to become stable. If memtest runs clean, then maybe the hard drive has decided to go bad.

http://www.memtest86.com/

 

[angry hampster]

Bought a new hard drive to see if that was the problem. Did the same thing, so I got pissed off any took it into the shop. Should know tomorrow what happened.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Sorry to hear about the waste of money. Both on the HDD and having to take it into the shop.

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: mpilchfamily
Sorry to hear about the waste of money. Both on the HDD and having to take it into the shop.

I bought the HDD from wal-mart, so returning it for full $$$ should be fine. The $60 at the shop just about made me crap my pants, but I've got a project on my secondary hard drive that I *have* to finish tomorrow. I need a second computer.

 

[bruceb]

Don't worry about the new hard drive. If they don't take it back and if the cost / storage capacity was worth it, just keep and use it.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Wow $60. Thats actually pretty reasonable for basic diagnostics. Some places charge anywhere from $80 to $120. Some will even charge you $60 an hour then take 4 hours to figure out whats going on then charge you another $80 fee to fix the problem.

 

[angry hampster]

Originally posted by: bruceb
Don't worry about the new hard drive. If they don't take it back and if the cost / storage capacity was worth it, just keep and use it.

$100 for a 500GB seagate. Totally overpriced, but their leaniant return policy sold me.

 

[angry hampster]

Well I returned the HDD and got my computer back today. One of the guys at the shop said it was faulty RAM. ...I swear I tried installing various operating systems using different RAM sticks. I'll try running memtest86 on each of my four sticks tonight and see where it gets me. Pain in the ass.

 

[RebateMonger]

Your symptoms certainly sound like failing memory. Or it could be a lot of things over-clock related.

 

[angry hampster]

It was most certainly memory. I tried booting up into Vista with the old sticks (that the tech said oen is probably dead) and it was hanging right and left, programs crashing yada yada yada. I pulled those out and put my 2x2GB kit in and it runs like a charm. Just tested it with Prime95 blend for 2.5 hours and it seems very solid.