HELP! Random BSODs!

[Cares]

Okay after all my problems with installing, I finally got it install. What my problem is now? I get random blue screens when booting. Sometimes I get one, other times I don't. I'd say 50/50. Sometimes its after the Win XP boot screen, other times its after I login to Windows. Also it takes 1-2 minutes to shutdown or reset without any HDD activity. Sometimes when I restart I get an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL bsod. AHHHH! Is it possibly a hardware conflict? I've tested EVERYTHING except my video card since I don't have another PCI-E card.

 

[Cares]

Anyone have any ideas? I've tried removing unecessary things like Front USB, floppy, etc etc. Still not working.

 

[Sniper82]

Try running memtest on your memory. Also whats your specs?

 

[threats]

same thing happend to me , but since i got no time i just got GEEKSQUAD to do it .

 

[Woody419]

Why didn't you Google it???

"Sadly enough, every time I've run into it it's been a hardware error. Most commonly it is the CPU overheating. A close second would be bad RAM. The first thing I would do if you have this issue is to run the machine till it gives you that error, then immediately reboot it, go into the BIOS and check the CPU temperature. 3/5 times it will be way too hot."

 

[compusaguy]

You should be the poster boy tor why companies like Dell and Gateway exist.

 

[Cares]

Hmmm, I've tried swapping out every part. I have the system running on my desk right now and I still don't know what's going on. Now the WinXP cd won't even boot to install. It hangs at "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration..." I installed Fedora perfectly fine with no problems on this setup. I don't understand!

 

[mechBgon]

What would be helpful is some, like, spec info. How about hit Quote and fill this hypothetical template in with your system's info. The PSU and memory brand, model and details are important, provide details on them for sure:

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply Antec TruePower 430
  • Motherboard Asus K8N-E Deluxe
    • Revision 1.03
    • BIOS 1005
  • CPU Athlon64 3000+
    • Core 130nm Clawhammer
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200C2 modules
    • Voltage Manually set to 2.7 volts
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card ATI Radeon 9800Pro AGP 8x
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 LeadTek Winfast TV/FM tuner card
  • PCI slot #4 Creative Audigy 2 ZS
  • PCI slot #5 LSI Logic Ultra160 SCSI
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has five PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 160GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Serial ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 SATA controller
    • Jumper setting not applicable (SATA)
  • Additional hard drive 40GB Seagate 7200.7
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, primary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Additional hard drive 18GB Seagate Cheetah 15k.3
    • Interface SCSI
    • Controller hosting this drive LSI Logic U160 card
    • Jumper setting SCSI ID 01
  • Optical drive #1 NEC 3500A DVD burner
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Master
  • Optical drive #2 Lite-On combo DVD-ROM/CD-RW
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive nForce3 standard ATA controller, secondary channel
    • Jumper setting Slave
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Netgear RP614 router
  • Software firewall WindowsXP firewall
  • Antivirus Norton Antivirus 2004

 

[Cares]

• CORE HARDWARE
  • Power supply OCZ ModStream 450W ATX 2.0
  • Motherboard DFI Lanparty UT NF4 Ultra-D
    • Revision Initial Release
    • BIOS 1/25/2005
  • CPU Athlon64 3500+
    • Core 90nm Winchester
  • Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200LL modules
    • Voltage AUTO
    • Timings AUTO, results in 2-3-2-6 @ 200MHz
• CARDS
  • Primary video card XFX GeForce4 6600GT PCI-E
  • PCI slot #1 (top) empty
  • PCI slot #2 empty
  • PCI slot #3 (board only has two PCI slots)
  • PCI slot #4 (board only has two PCI slots)
  • PCI slot #5 (board only has two PCI slots)
  • PCI slot #6 (board only has two PCI slots)
• DRIVES
  • Boot drive 200GB WD 7200
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive ???
    • Jumper setting Master (No jumpers)
  • Optical drive #1 Lite-On (JLMS) DVD-ROM
    • Interface Parallel ATA
    • Controller hosting this drive ???
    • Jumper setting Master
• OS AND SECURITY
  • Operating System WindowsXP Professional
  • Service Pack SP2
  • Internet connection Cable
  • Hardware firewall Linksys WRT54G
  • Software firewall None
  • Antivirus None

[/quote]

 

[Cares]

Do you think my motherboard/processor is just faulty? I have doubts simply because Linux could install on it. Arg!

 

[fuzzynavel]

Have you ever used that win xp disk before?

Do yu have another CD/DVD drive that you could use for the install.....some can be temperamental!

 

[Cares]

I switched CD drives and DVD drives (tried 4 total) and still didn't work. This CD has installed on other systems before too. It isn't my PSU, memory, HDD, optical drive, BIOS settings. The only thing I didn't change was my video card since it was PCI-E and I only had 1. I doubt that's the problem though. I have a feeling the motherboard or processor was DOA from MonarchComputer. It shouldn't be though since it was a "pre-tested" mobo/processor combo.

Should I return the motherboard/processor and exchange it for a new one? I'm almost positive this was DOA.

 

[Cares]

Okay, sorry for the spamming but I'm pretty pissed off for spending over $1000 on a system that doesn't even install Windows. I tried my drives and PSU and everything with a different mobo/chip and it installs perfectly. This leads me to believe that the processor/chip I just ordered is DOA? Or am I overlooking something?

 

[walkure]

Originally posted by: AlphaQ have a feeling the motherboard or processor was DOA from MonarchComputer. It shouldn't be though since it was a "pre-tested" mobo/processor combo.

Should I return the motherboard/processor and exchange it for a new one? I'm almost positive this was DOA.

Sorry if I missed something, but didn't you say you were able to install a Linux distro w/o any problems? How could your hardware be DOA if you were able to install another OS?

 

[Cares]

That's what I'm completely confused about though. But I've swapped out EVERYTHING but the motherboard/processor and Windows still won't work. I take any parts and try it on another system and it works just fine. I'm clueless.

 

[wallsfd949]

Is it possible the CD is bad? You said you've used the CD on other systems before, is it possible that something happened to the CD between installs?

 

[Cares]

I tried friend's CDs and different service packs. They all fail me! I even tried Win98!!!!

 

[stevty2889]

Try running memtest, also try loosening your memory timings, try manualy setting them to 3-3-3-8, or try setting the memory to run at ddr333.

 

[airfoil]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned but you could try 3 things:

1. Reset your BIOS to setup defaults
2. Disable boot virus protection & any other such BIOS addons that may exist
3. Check power/IDE cables to the HDD & ODD and replace them if you think that could be an issue

 

[Cares]

I reset the BIOS already. I don't have boot virus protection or anything enabled. I tried rounded, high density, low density IDE cables. I tried several different HDDs. I tried my friend's SATA Raptor. All don't work. I try the HDDs on other computers and they work like a charm. In almost 10 years of building computers, I can't figure out what is wrong and have never had a problem close to this before. My electrical engineering friends can't even figure it out and they're UBER nerds. I've ran memtest86 and the ram was fine. No idea what's wrong!

 

[airfoil]

Assuming you're going to install the OS on the SATA drive, I'd disconnect all the others - both the SCSI and IDE and try again. I dont know if the nforce4 chip has has native SATA support - but I would try going the F6 route anyway to see if that makes a difference. Something tells me the SCSI drive/controller may be the culprit - are you setting up drivers for it during the initial boot-> install process?

When you go about this, keep only the SATA drive and one of your ODDs connected, take all other drives except the FDD (if you have one) off.

 

[Bozo]

If you are using the IDE hard drive, try putting the jumpers on 'cable select'.

Also check your boot order in BIOS.

Bozo

 

[Bozo]

I noticed that you have the CD and hard drive selected for Master. They are on different cables aren't they?

Bozo

 

[Sniper82]

I see you have a DFI Ultra-D. If your trying to install with both 512mb sticks in, theres a good chance thats the problem. Here is how I did it and installed windows no problem.

Take 1 stick out and leave 1 stick in slot 2(orange slot),go into BIOS and load optimal settings save then exit. Then after bootup go back in there and disable your sound and anything else you don't need to install WinXP. I disable sound a the onboard Lan. After redoing WinXP I shutdown and added my other stick of memory to slot 4(other orange slot) went back into BIOS and enabled my LAN and sound.

I am betting doing the above might fix your problem. If you get WinXP installed and still have some issues theres a newer official BIOS release from DFI.

 

[mechBgon]

[*]Memory (2) 512MB Corsair XMS 3200LL modules

• Voltage AUTO

• There's one likely cause right there. Raise your memory voltage manually to 2.8 volts.
  
  edit: Also, your Western Digital, if it is on a cable by itself, should be jumpered for Single Drive, not Master.