Software or Hardware Issue?

[Woohah]

I recently built a:
P3 933,
ASUS TUSL2 with intel 815E chipset (ata100 support)
128MB RAM, (133mhz)
Integrated video/audio,
IBM Deskstar 60GXP 20GB (Ata100 capable)
Phillips 8x4x32x CDR
Linksys 10/100 ethernet
300W intel/amd approved power supply
Win98SE and later Win2000 Pro

It ran great for about 2 weeks, but then it claimed "Setup is updating your configuration" when no new hardware/software was added. Soon thereafter, Win98 said HIMEM.SYS was corrupted and failed to boot. A few times I got it started by booting safe mode, then restarting, but soon that too led to bad startups.

After reformatting, the same thing happened, but only after a few days.

I tried updating to Win2000, and this was good for a week or so, but then it gave a bsod STOP pointing to the Software hive. Microsoft Knowledge base claims this is next to irreperable. I tried an emergency disk but still no boot. A few times, it worked to revert to a Last Known Good Configuration.

In win98: I tried the fast shutdown fix from Microsoft. No help (even when applied before shutting down for the first time

I also ran IBM's disk fitness test, and it reports no errors.

ANY ideas what is causing such frustration???

--Woohah

 

[LS20]

its always hard to pinpoint these types of problem but i would recommend turning down the video acceleration, and also pull back on the memory timing a bit. see how that works for ya

 

[Woohah]

How do you mean "turn down the memory timing"? The Bios is configuring that automatically as far as I can tell....

I was guessing it was something to do with how Windows was shutting down. Do the symptoms not match?

--Woohah

 

[tm37]

Run Some tests to Insure that Your memory is good.

It sounds like some system files are getting lost or corrupted.

 

[Woohah]

I've never had to test Memory before. Any suggestions on how to do this? What to look for? Use some software or just swap with known-good RAM?
--woohah

 

[tm37]

Check download.com

I had a small program but it's on the laptop, Which isn't connected to the net here at home.

You COULD test it with Known good but seeing as it takes atleast a few days this would be very time consuming!

 

[tm37]

Try This!

 

[Woohah]

Thanks for the download link. I'll give it a shot; much rather find it to be bad RAM than mobo.

--Woohah