Help! Asus A7n8X-X, 2500 Barton, Win 2K - daily OS corruption, USB failures

[ashum]

<advance apologies if this is considered a cross-post - I figured I'd get more help through posting in two sections of the forum, before my chance to use return-satisfaction warranty expires!>

I picked up these somewhat-behind-the-curve components and installed Win 2000. Immediately updated to SP 4, and all the ASUS drivers, Direct X 9.1.

Well, the OS self-corrupts every couple of days, since I set it up (2-3 weeks) and re-installation and some parts swaps (Hard drive swapped with new, memory swapped with known good memory) don't help. Funky stuff will happen freuqently - zero-warning reboots, missing dlls, corrupt NTOSkernel.exe (WOW!) and require either the Win 2000 disk's recovery process or a full nuke and reinstallation to be run.

Almost every alternate 'normal' reboot will also fail tore cognize the USB keyboard (logitech) which works flawlessly with a second PC connected via a USB KVM switch.

Components in system that could be suspect:
AMD 2500+ Barton
ASUS A7N8X-X MoBo
Case and Power Supply (noname, but excellent construction)

Components that are known good:
Hard Disk (replaced with identical new one - Seagate 160GB 7200 8MB - unless both bad!)
Memory (replaced new twin 512MB generic with old, tested twin-256MB Samsung)
Video Card - tried, much-used ATI Radeon 8500DV All in Wonder
Keyboard, Mouse - wireless Logitech, hooked up through USB KVM switch - flawless when I switch to second system. Yes, I've tried switching ports on the KVM switch too - no use.

ANY ideas?

The MoBo and CPU are under 30-day replacement/satisfaction warranty from local dealer. Should I swap both? I'm getting sick of reinstallation and re-setup of drivers numerous times!

Any insight - stuff I could be missing - would be appreciated!

How do case shorts to MoBo, power supply, switches (power, reset) etc manifest themselves? Could that be it?

TIA - hopefully my first post makes me a believer in these fora
-ashu

 

[jlr69t]

When you say "somewhat-behind-the-curve components and installed Win 2000" do you mean from somewhere less then legal. Is the copy of Windows something that some one made? I don't think your M/B and cpu are the problem but it might be a good Idea to return it for another one. As for updating windows to new SPs and regular updates, I won't ever do it myself; I find more problems and conflicts with the new updates.

Its strange that you computer will lose support for your mouse and keyboard, windows should have generic drivers that automatically detect and install. For example; when I purchased my first optical mouse windows installed generic drivers before I could. Sooo, I would (like I said earlier) return the M/b and cpu... hope this helps in one way or another.

 

[ashum]

Originally posted by: jlr69t
When you say "somewhat-behind-the-curve components and installed Win 2000" do you mean from somewhere less then legal. Is the copy of Windows something that some one made?

(First - thanks for the quick reply)

No No No - the Win 2000 copy is the one that came witht he original Pentium 3 system this PC will replace entirely. The only thing "somewhat-behind-the-curve" is the hardware - a 2500 Barton and a non DDR nForce2 based chipset with no whizbang features like Firewire, SATA etc on the MoBo. That's all! Just getting myself a powerful-enouhg-for-my-needs budget system. hence behind the curve (reducde expense)

I don't think your M/B and cpu are the problem but it might be a good Idea to return it for another one. As for updating windows to new SPs and regular updates, I won't ever do it myself; I find more problems and conflicts with the new updates.

Well - maybe I should try iteration of running everything (all my apps etc) on a bare Win 2K install for a few days - but things like ATI drivers, Brother Network printer drivers tec complain about "required updates".

Its strange that you computer will lose support for your mouse and keyboard, windows should have generic drivers that automatically detect and install.

Umm - Upon bootup (caused by an unintentional system hiccup or a manual shutdown by me) the BIOS error message for "No Keyboard found" occurs. Doesn't work until I unplug the USB keyboard, hook it into the old PS2 adapter, into the PS2 port, and boot. After Windows boots, I can then plug it into the USB port again and it is detected just fine and continues to work. In the MoBo BIOS, I have already tried all possible USB modes (allow legacy USB KBD, Mouse, and V1.1 only, or V1.1 and 2.0 USB)

Sooo, I would (like I said earlier) return the M/b and cpu... hope this helps in one way or another.

Hmmm - I'm thinking that's my best bet now. Maybe its a fault Motehrboard. Hopefully my clarification, prompted by your response, will draw further responses from you and other - I amy be missing something obious

In any case, thanks!

 

[jlr69t]

What size power supply are you running? If it?s under powered it could be harming your sys and causing the restarts. Also restarts have the tendency to reek havoc with hard drive causing errors.

 

[ashum]

Hmmm - Power Supply, eh? My only other 'good' system (since this is replacing my ancient P2/P3 era system) has a 450W power supply - and this new system (with the problems) has a 300W. But the 12V linse is delivering good Amperage, IIRC.

Will check on this and try a PS swap temporarily from my "main" system, see how that works out.

Hopefully, meantime, others have more insights!

 

[jlr69t]

300...you're way underpowered for that sys. Go with a true 350w or 400w P/S.

 

[ashum]

Originally posted by: ashum
Hmmm - Power Supply, eh?

This MAY solve my problem, of course I'll respond to the the thread tomorrow - but the ONLY time it ran flawless for over a couple of days was when I tried disconnecting stuff and had the case open. So my 2 rear case fans and one front fan, as well as DVD burner drive, were all disconnected! And the problems DID start up again after I reclosed the case (and repowered all the fans and DVD Writer). Perhaps the Ath XP 2500 and ATI AIW 8500 are really big power guzzlers, or the PS is just faulty?

 

[ashum]

Originally posted by: jlr69t
300...you're way underpowered for that sys. Go with a true 350w or 400w P/S.

Figures huh - can't go with the cheap power supply even in an attempt to make a "cheap" second system. The case with PS (all looking snazzy and well-built and whatnot) cost me under 50. Shoulda been an early-warning flag!

I'll post results tomorrow - thanks for the super-prompt responses

 

[mechBgon]

Good advice up there Also, what speed is your RAM rated for? For the 2500+, the RAM should operate at PC2700 speeds. If it's rated for more (such as PC3200), manually force it to run at PC2700 speeds. I would also set the DIMM voltage to 2.6V minimum and consider 2.7V a justifiable bump if it won't behave.

 

[ashum]

Hmmm - the 1GB RAM I bought WAS 3200, but I tried NUMEROUS speed settings - all failed.

The working 512MB I now replaced it with IS 333, and is runnin at 333.

Keep the ideas flowing ... I'm going to be offline now as I switch the PS from THIS system into that, and hope for the best

thanks ...

 

[ashum]

[OT] Woah - fabulous 3D renderings

 

[lobadobadingdong]

have you checked the hare drive for file system errors?
i.e. gone to the command prompt and run a full chkdsk /r to repair any filing errors?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: ashum
[OT] Woah - fabulous 3D renderings

Uh oh, someone's been Googling for "mechBgon" again

 

[ashum]

Hello all - here's an update ...

Took the 400W PS (yes it was a 400-er but weighed, like 0.007 ounces - that cheap!) from the case and threw it into a friend's P4-ready case, which is running only a Celeron 1.3GHz (yes - PIII core) - and that system turned flaky - with multiple reboots (didn't try it more than twice - didn't want to corrupt HIS disk)! So the PS is definitely an issue. I used the 300W PS from that case (P4-ready as well, and about twice as heavy as the 400 - go figure!) and it didn't help much on the new system/case. It would power up, but twice I got the same No keyboard found error. And I didn't want to wrestle with installing the OS using another sub-par Power Suplpy. I'm wondering if the low wattage is the reason, or the case has further issues. Or the MoBo and CPU - but those two seem fine now.

But, for sure, the PS is bad - so thanks for the diagnoses there, folks. New PS goes in this evening, pre-emptively - perhaps an Antec Tru-Power 400. Wish it were cheaper locally - online prices rock! Anyway - I have to do this (confirm that a better Power Supply eliminates all issues) before the weekend, beause the case/PS came from the weekend computer show! I wonder if he'll take just the PS back and give me some $$$ - don't want to disassemble the entire case now! I'll keep you good folks posted.

mechBgon - profiles have links too - I don't go around googling people, but when I see, like, a million gazillion posts, my interest IS piqued

lobadobadingdong (nice name!) - the disk doesn't have issues per se - and its been swapped once already (good old CompUSA) with no change in symptoms. I have, in the interim, plugged it into another W2K system and lots of NTFS/node errors have had to be corrected after every system failure. I never realized a bad PS could wreak such havoc on the disk/OS etc! If that is the only issue at play here.

 

[Fern]

Here's a link to a PSU wattage calculator to help determine how much you need link

 

[ashum]

Update ... picked up a nice Antec 350W SmartPower PS, and removed the DVD Burner (goes in another system) and left one of the fans disconnected. Definitely not a stretch for this PS.

Last night, I started to install Madrake 9.0 (Linux) and it failed about halfway through and rebooted. Upon bootup, I saw the now-familiar "No keyboard found" BIOS error. So the Antec Power Supply (while 3.47 tons heavier than the original 400 W one in the case) did NOT help.

So, back goes the motherboard! Dang it! I've swapped everything but the MoBO and CPU so far - fortunately they're from the same seller. NOT like my last ASUS experience at all

 

[jlr69t]

Are you making sure you are grounding yourself before you work inside your sys.?

 

[ashum]

Originally posted by: jlr69t
Are you making sure you are grounding yourself before you work inside your sys.?

Umm, really - isn't that over-rated? Seriously?

I've set up at least 7-8 systems over the years (own, friends', family etc) and never bothered with that grounding stuff. I'm just cautious, don't touch anything while its powered on, and don't scrape my butt all over the flow, minimizing static sources/pickup.

ANyway - an update - the system is running smoothly - has all day (while I was out). Haven't run into the "keyboard no detected" error while rebooting (and did that lotsa times - fresh install = driver reinstalls, and I'm doing each install/reboot after reasonable pause and a couple of Seti or Prime runs to ensure it stays stable. Maybe this time I'll know what causes the instability, IF it recurs.

I called the guy who sold me the MoBo, and his solution for the occasional "No keybd found" mesage - stop using a SUB keyboard, just use PS2. D'Uh!

Oh yeah - a Mandrake Linux install failed as well, but I may have messed that up myself. I'll be trying it again - lets see. Yes, I have too much patience But after this weekend, if I don't find a stable combination, I'm quitting and all the returnable parts go back!