New PC problems; bad motherboard or hard drive?

[Pocketfactory]

I built a brand new system last month, and have experience various issues since. The number one problem I'm noticing occurs when downloading large files from the web, especially large files like game demos and such; the files are almost always corrupted. In addition to that, I notice my PC loses its connection to the web after waking up from suspend/sleep mode. And there are times when the system doesn't seem to save or cache windows settings after rebooting (like remembering window sizes, program prefs, etc.).

But wait, there's more. Possibly in connection with this, I also notice really odd behavior during gameplay in just about any game I load up. For example, in Call of Duty 2, after completeing an objective, the next event fails to trigger. Which means you are left wandering around a level with nothing to do. And there is a lot of goofy AI issues as well, like enemy soldiers who just stand around waiting to be shot.

I suspect that all of these issues are somehow connected. My initial thought was that I had bad RAM. But download two RAM diagnostic programs, and both report no errors whatsoever. So that means it has to be either the motherboard, processor, or HD.

Thoughts..suggestions...suicide pills?

 

[Pocketfactory]

Oh..and it may help if I mentioned the components I have in this rig, so here goes;

AMD 64x2 4200+
2GB Corsair ValueSelect RAM
320GB Western Digital HD
ASUS A8N Sli Premium
eVGA GeForce 7800GT graphics

 

[montag451]

What is the voltage of your RAM in BIOS?
What psu?
Is hdd sata/ide? ncq?
what shows in event viewer?

 

[Pocketfactory]

I'll take a look at the BIOS RAM voltage.

I'm using an Enermax 600watt PSU

HD is Sata/IDE

What event viewer?

 

[Pocketfactory]

Hmm. What should I be looking for in the BIOS that would tell me the RAM voltage? I see the Vcore is set @ 1.36v.

 

[Slammy1]

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&sd=tech

 

[Pocketfactory]

Thanks for the link. There are quite a few errors and warnings in the event viewer, but just records of various known events, like an application locking up. There doesn't seem to be anything (that I can see) which shows a pattern.

 

[Pocketfactory]

Is there a test or diagnostic software to see if the motherboar or processor is bad?

 

[biostud]

run memtest86 to check bad memory (sounds like the problem)
run prime95 to test CPU.
run everest home to check voltages.

 

[Slammy1]

Try to Google the errors, see if there's some prior history. It seems to me, as montag mentioned, it's most likely a RAM issue. Download the program memtest as seen here:
http://www.memtest.org/

in order to test your current settings. Perform all tests (an option in the program) and let it run a couple of full passes. If you get error messages at any time, try increasing VDIMM (a BIOS setting) and repeat. If there is no setting of VDIMM that will give you no errors in memtest, try removing one module at a time and see if one or the other is bad.

There are other things to do, but that's something you should do whenever you install new RAM modules.

 

[Pocketfactory]

I already did that earlier this week, it checks out fine..no errors.

 

[Pocketfactory]

The Memtest86 test I mean, as well as Microsoft's freely downloadable RAM checker. Both tests came back clean. I'll try the Prime95 app you mentioned.

 

[Mogadon]

Run chkdsk on your hard disk, see if there are any errors. Do this by going to the DOS prompt and type "chkdsk /f" without the "", it will probably say it's not possible to run now but will prompt to see if you want to run on the next reboot, choose yes.

You may have a screwed up windows install, you can run a repair install of windows to 'possibly' fix this. Insert the windows CD, choose CD drive as boot, select repair install and then use the "chkdsk /f" command at the prompt. I think this is correct, been a while since i last did it maybe someone else can give more details.

edit - if it's a hardware issue as opposed to a software issue the whole corruption thing and settings not being remembered would lead me to believe it's an issue with your hard disk.

 

[xgsound]

I believe I've read reports specific to large files corrupting during download, but I can't recall all the details. There where reports of occasional large file disk corruption for some people with the Nforce ide drivers, so they used MS instead.

It wouldn't hurt to disable Cool n quiet, fan controls, and the NV firewall while you're troubleshooting just to cut down the unknowns.


Jim

 

[sandeep108]

I also read in some forums that apparently the nVidia Active Armour / firewall / NAM tends to cause corruption on downloads for some systems. Disabling something to do with checksum offloading fixes the problem. The nForce IDE driver has reports of causing problems / data corruption and switching to the default MS drivers or disabling ncq in the IDE driver properties fixes it.

Are you using the latest 6.70 nForce drivers and bios for your motherboard? The 6.70 alongwith 81.95 really seem to work well for me. While I had no issues with either the firewall or IDE drivers, I uninstalled the firewall (since I prefer Sygate).

 

[Pocketfactory]

Thanks for all your help, guys. I think the problem is solved now. It appears this culprit was definitely with the nForce drivers and onboard NIC. I popped a PCI-based NetGear NIC inside the system and now everything is working smooth as butter.

 

[zerk16]

wow this is crazy, i have the same issue with corrupt files. My system specs are


320GB Western Digital HDD
Win XP Pro SP2
Dual 6800GS PNY graphic cards, SLI Enabled
Rosewill 1024MB RAM
ASUS A8N-SLI motherboard

I have constant problems with large installs and downloads... actually anything that installs or downloads. Windows is extremely choppy, and slow. When i ran the visual demos that came on the nVidia CD of Nula i was gettting about 10 fps... I cant run any program because i get a corrupt files error. Im thinking of sending the WD HDD back because ive seen a lot of bad reviews for it. Ive also seen good reviews on it which makes me think that you have a 50% to get a good hard drive. Thats just my observation.

Please any help me?

One more thing, i have graphic distortions on the left side of my screen that resembles a type of monitering program when i play any game. There are 2 white lines to the left side of my screen that are about 1/2 an inch apart vertically, and in the middle of it is a green bar (also vertical) that gets taller and shorter pretty randomly. I wish i had a screen shot but i have to be creative... the following is a wallpaper of Nula with my attempt to recreate the problem:
http://img423.imageshack.us/my.php?image=nula8qs.jpg

This is very frustrating, please someone help me!!!!

(turning off Triple Buffering in WoW seemed to take off the annoying white and green bars. i was able to run wow after many re-installs.. im sad)

 

[Harvey]

You may want to test your RAM. Try DocMem. Use the alternate download site, ZD.net because they don't require registration to get the prog.

 

[zerk16]

what does RAM have to do with corrupted files? Besides if i tried to download it, it would become corrupted =(. Also, i think windows is sluggish because it wasnt installed correctly because of the bad HDD

and also i ran chkdsk and nothing happened. i think i missed the screen that told me the condition of my HDD. or is that even possible

*edit* i talked to PNY and apparently other people are having this graphic issue and they expect there to be fixes for it soon. =(

 

[Harvey]

Originally posted by: zerk16
what does RAM have to do with corrupted files?

Almost every bit of active data goes through your RAM. If your RAM is intermittant, or a particular RAM address or range is faulty, it could easily corrupt data being transferred to your drive.

Besides if i tried to download it, it would become corrupted =D

It would be a good idea to download it on a friend's machine. The program creates a bootable floppy and runs from the floppy disk.

The program is free. All it costs is the time to run it. If you want to do a deeper test, you can run it overnight in "Burn In" mode.

 

[zerk16]

sigh, i dont have a floppy drive =(

 

[zerk16]

i guess i need to go buy one now! darn

 

[bob4432]

and when testing the ram with memtest, just dn't do 1 or 2 test, let that baby run all night. the same with prime 95. if after, 12+hours each they both come back ok, then you can usually rule out ram/cpu issues. run the prime95 in torture test that creates max heat, uses max power.

 

[zerk16]

i decided to open up my computer and check the RAM first just to make sure i didnt make any mistakes in my hurry to build it. Well, i did. Since i have 4 dimm slots and 2 RAM sticks, i put them in the wrong place. you know how its color coded to match. Mine goes blue black blue black on my mobo, and instead of putting my RAM in the correct blue to blue slots, i went blue to black. So now everything works and Harvey was right about there something wrong with my RAM. It was stupid me! My hard drive works like a charm and i dont have anymore graphic isses which was obviosuly the cause of the way my RAM was installed.

And im going to un-install the nVidia forceware ethernet drivers since i have this feeling me and pocketfactory are having the same issues. anyways, merry christmas eveeyone! and thanks for all your help!

 

[zerk16]

*UPDATE* After fixing the RAM, certain games no logner have that green sidebar issue, BUT any source game i play still has that problem. Im still guessing that if install BF2 and play it, i will have that same issue, im about to find out. Im currently on hold for PNY support so im going to talk to them about this.