very odd problem, getting CRC error on multiple disks and they all work just fine on my other machine

[ZL1]

Hi

guys I have an extreemly odd problem, its a friends machine that has xp2400, gigabyte 7vac, 512mb pc2100, wd hdd, pny ti4200, local sound and a net card

ok the problem is that I keep getting the "bad cab" error from good cds, I mean I couldnt even install aquanox the other day, which doest make any sense since the cd will install just fine on my machine (and he has a better dvd - pioneer)

what could this be ?


please let me know if you have any ideas


Thank you
Dan

 

[ZL1]

ok now Im getting CRC errors on everything + they are random, I mean this is stupid, it will give it on lets say file4 and if I stop and then do something else and then try again it will give it at file 2 and so on
what could this be ??



Thanks
Dan

 

[IBDoomed]

Usually a memory problem.

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: IBDoomed
Usually a memory problem.

really ? applications run ok
plus I ran memtest a couple times when I got the ram (purchased used to I thought Id check) and it was all good


Thanks
Dan

 

[mooojojojo]

Try changing the IDE cable for his DVD-ROM.
Try hooking up his DVD-ROM on your PC, or your CD reader on his PC etc.

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: mooojojojo
Try changing the IDE cable for his DVD-ROM.
Try hooking up his DVD-ROM on your PC, or your CD reader on his PC etc.

actually did that, its something deeper, like the chipset or something


D

 

[marmasatt]

Dan,

I'm no expert at all so I don't really feel to0 qualified to comment. But having said that, the only time I get cab errors are when my CD Rom seems to be on the fritz (like its not spinning fast enough anymore) or the CD's are old or haven't been used in awhile. If you spray windex or fantastic on the Cd's in question (I'm serious) and give them a good cleaning (inside to out) you may be able to get them read. For instance, your Rom may be a little tempremental and may need the disks cleaner to be read, etc....

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: marmasatt
Dan,

I'm no expert at all so I don't really feel to0 qualified to comment. But having said that, the only time I get cab errors are when my CD Rom seems to be on the fritz (like its not spinning fast enough anymore) or the CD's are old or haven't been used in awhile. If you spray windex or fantastic on the Cd's in question (I'm serious) and give them a good cleaning (inside to out) you may be able to get them read. For instance, your Rom may be a little tempremental and may need the disks cleaner to be read, etc....

Hi

Thanks for the tip man, but its not a mechanical problem, its something with the IDE controller or something deep in the dark forest


D

 

[Murphq]

I had a similair problem on my Mobo. I updated the bios. It fixed the problem. Although I do sometimes get errors on installing files that are downloaded. I think it has to do with my IDE cable.

So I would first update the bios, then I would switch all or at least some of the IDE cables.

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: Murphq
I had a similair problem on my Mobo. I updated the bios. It fixed the problem. Although I do sometimes get errors on installing files that are downloaded. I think it has to do with my IDE cable.

So I would first update the bios, then I would switch all or at least some of the IDE cables.

done the cables and I just downloaded the bios and was about to flash it


Thanks
Dan

 

[thorin]

What are your temps?

Thorin

 

[Trianon]

Originally posted by: thorin
What are your temps?

Thorin

Yeah, that was my question as well. I had this problem when AS dried out and CPU was running hot.

 

[mooojojojo]

Originally posted by: ZL1

Originally posted by: mooojojojo
Try changing the IDE cable for his DVD-ROM.
Try hooking up his DVD-ROM on your PC, or your CD reader on his PC etc.

actually did that, its something deeper, like the chipset or something

I get from that that his DVD-ROM worked fine in your rig, and yours didn't work in his?
If so you can try the already mentioned BIOS update, perhaps reinstalling the mobo drivers (maybe replacing with a different version?) in Windows? Also if you have lying around a spare IDE controller card you can try that too. Hope you fix it.

Edit: also maybe you can hook up the DVD-ROM to the HDD IDE channel as Slave? This is of course if the temps and the rest is okay as Thorin already suggested.

 

[ZL1]

well Ive been working on this thing day and night, I did the bios, I reinstalled the whole OS, switched all the cables, tried the drive in my pc, my drive in his and still no luck
plus the damn thing also hangs durring 3dmark2001se, random by the way, I mean it will work once but the next time it might not and so on

temps are good, well in spec, the cpu is 40ish idle, 55-60 load, spec is 85 max
the board temps are under 40 at all time

all drives are actually on a promise 133, because he has a 200g hdd and the mobos controller doesnt support these large disks, might be the controller but I dont have another one to check if its the controller


I did notice one odd thing - the 3.3v rail is at 2.94 at idle, this is pretty low and Im suspecting thats why the 3dmark hangs, but that doesnt explain why Im getting CRCs or could that be the reason for CRCs too ?
what do you guys think ?


Thanks
Dan

 

[ZL1]

another thing, MBM shows 2 core voltages, why 2 ? core 0 @ 1.66v and core1 @ 1.28v
this is a bit confusing, because core1 looks very bad, but I dont even get why it shows 2 cores



Thanks
Dan

 

[thorin]

IMHO run MemTest again. Especially when you sys is a little on the hot side.

Thorin

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: thorin
IMHO run MemTest again. Especially when you sys is a little on the hot side.

Thorin

ok let me try


Thanks
Dan

 

[allthismoney]

Your mobo is faulty, chipset or bios corrupt.

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: allthismoney
Your mobo is faulty, chipset or bios corrupt.

you dont say, wanna bet I'll get it to work ?

sorry, but Im a poor student and I will never give up (especially since I got no warranty on it anymore )


D

 

[thorin]

So what happened when you retested the RAM?

Thorin

 

[ZL1]

Originally posted by: thorin
So what happened when you retested the RAM?

Thorin

AOK on ram, but Im actually having some serious problems with the v-card locking me into a loop so I didnt even have time to work on it much lately

+ Im also building a p4 2.4 for another friend, taking care of classes and going to work a bit crazy lately


Thanks
Dan

 

[PrinceXizor]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that your PSU is going bad. Your slightly high system temps could be snuffing out the life of a sensitive component in your PSU.

Fluctuations in your voltage rail could cause your optical drives motors to hiccup in speed which could cause the problems described.
Voltage fluctuations in your vid card are the surest way to get it to random freeze.
General fluctuations in voltage to your CPU can cause all kinds of totally wierd, intermittent errors.

As far as MBM...I believe one core reading is what's reported in your CPU BIOS PC Health reading (which seems to be unreliable) and another is taken from somewhere else (honestly I don't know...does the CPU or VRM self rerport?). My Epox 8RDA+ shows 1.79v in the BIOS and in one of the Core readings in MBM. In the other core, it shows 1.62v under load, which seems reasonable (set at 1.75v).

Do I have anything to back up my statement besides the above? Nope. Just my gut feeling (seeing all that you've done already too).

P-X

 

[thorin]

Going along with PrinceXizor's suggestion if you're in the middle of building another sys just set them side by side, disconnect your PSU and connect his (no need to transplant them or anything).

Thorin

 

[ZL1]

actually guys thats what I thought too, but I went through 3 PSUs, from cheap to antec and still the same
(yes I did the whole transplant, on sunday I was so pissed off my head almost blew up )

the hesitation with reading the drives seems to be something else, not mechanical, why I say that is that the drive doesnt even start to spin yet, it will get it a while until it decides to start spinning, very annoying really (meanwhile nothing works, what I mean is I click this here application and the machine will stop for 5-10 seconds before something will happen, can move mouse durring this time, but cant actually use it to click on nothing else )

the v-card is generally uppsetting, I think its just simply fried or something


Thanks
Dan

 

[aka1nas]

Is this a VIA chipset? If so, get new Chipset drivers, especially for that IDE controller. I had an onboard Promise controller that would give me all kinds of data corruption and instability becuase its default drivers sucked.

Is your computer hooked up to a UPS? I went through a PSU, mobo, and 5 hard drives before I realized my room had rather crappy wiring and a UPS(must also be able to be used as a line conditioner!) has fixed everything right up and I haven't lost a piece of hardware since.