• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Presumed hardware issue. Need diagnosis help.

C

cpotter638

n00b
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
Messages
24
Self built desktop (approximately 8 yrs old) with Windows XP Pro. Has been working without problem. No recent hardware / driver changes.

Computer now with boot problem. BIOS will POST. But computer abruptly turns off during driver loading. Happens every time after cold / warm reboot. Have tried standard mode, safe mode, safe mode with command prompt, and last known good configuration. Same result. When trying "safe mode with command prompt" can see drivers quickly loading one by one and then immediate shut off. Never makes it to the "Windows XP" logo.

Got out the windows XP disc. Able to get to c:\Windows with disk via Recovery Console.

Also used Windows XP disc and tried to "Repair Windows". This progressed normally. At end of "repair", Windows rebooted. Same above immediate shut down occurred.

Given above, I thought Bart's PE could help. Created Bart's bootable disc. Ran on system. Computer does same shut down while attempting to load Bart's PE.

Next, tried booting with "Ultimate Boot CD". Same result / shut down.

I was able to load SeaTools for DOS. Short and long hard drive tests passed.

Swapped out PSU with a different verified working PSU. Same result.

I assume problem is either MOBO or CPU? Any other possible options at this point?

And if MOBO is problem - could dead / near-dead battery give this result? What abour corrupt bios? MOBO is a Soltek which is now out of business. Not sure if I could flash MOBO if I wanted to.

Any further diagnosis or potential solutions?

Thanks for the help. Chad
 
can you list out all of your hardware?

how does your CPU's heatsink look? is it full of dust/dirt? it might be all clogged and overheating your processor, especially if it is a P4 prescott. could also be failing hard drive, or failing motherboard. do you have a different hard drive to test?
 
I'd say desending order of likelyhood:

1. dead RAM (swap out RAM or just remove one at a time if you have more than one stick)
2. dying Graphics Card, swap out of a spare if possible.
3. dying PSU, not supplying enough power. try swapping
4. dying motherboard, try a reset
and most unlikely is overheating CPU, normally blue screens first with different messages.

Dead mobo battery won't cause what you are seeing.
 
Also BartPE and UBCD will boot with no drives attached so unlikely to be HD related.
 
Antec case with Antec PSU
Soltek SL-K8AN2E-GR
AMD Athlon 2800+
Kingston 400 DDR 2 Gig
Seagate Barracuda - don't have spec with me.
Generic video card / CD drive. Can't remember manufacture / specs. But can post later tonight.

I have not pulled off heatsink. Visually, not terribly dirty. I certainly can remove and reset CPU and heatsink if it might be helpful.

Don't have a spare HD. But have been trying to load UBCD with HD disconnected. Same result. As such, I was assuming HD was not the problem.
 
Swapped out PSU with verified working PSU. No change.

Don't have a spare video card. Did remove video card. Made sure contacts were clean. Re-seated. No change.
 
Try GFX card next, I've got spares but chances are we live 1000's mile apart.

You could test this by booting with no gfx card in and waiting a few minutes, you can see if it loaded windows by plugging in a usb drive and it'll try to auto play contents so the drive will flash loads after plugging in
 
wouldn't worry about reseating CPU if it doesn't look dirty
 
I used to love the fact that the soltec boards were bright yellow.. now I think about it I saw a few die of northbridge issues, which would also explain yours, but again you'd get BSOD's first.
 
CPU is not likely as it dies in the same spot each time, CPU death manfests with very random system failure, which this isn't
 
Just another quick thought on that mobo you can slow the RAM down, could you do this so it runs at 333 or 266 and give it a go?
 
acra2 said:
Try GFX card next, I've got spares but chances are we live 1000's mile apart.

You could test this by booting with no gfx card in and waiting a few minutes, you can see if it loaded windows by plugging in a usb drive and it'll try to auto play contents so the drive will flash loads after plugging in
Click to expand...

Hadn't thought of this. Currently, I've got HD connect to MOBO, but no power run to it. Have just been trying to load UBCD via CD-rom. Won't load this. Computer completely powers down / turns off.

When I get home, I'll pull video card, attempt to boot UBCD via CD-rom, and see if computer powers down.
 
acra2 said:
Just another quick thought on that mobo you can slow the RAM down, could you do this so it runs at 333 or 266 and give it a go?
Click to expand...

I can try this as well. Haven't underclocked / overclocked previously, but I assume should be relatively easy via BIOS
 
MOBO has 20 pin connecter. And a separate 4 pin connector. Reconnected original PSU (was testing a different one last night). Connected both 20 pin and 4 pin. With power connected, got red LED light glowing on MOBO. Presume this just means MOBO is powered. Anyway, tried to turn on computer. CPU fan spins and then immediate shut off (much earlier than previously described shut down).

Above happened last night briefly with alternate PSU. Last night, after several attempts at restarting / unplugging, computer booted enough to get to BIOS and then subsquent failed boot of UBCD.

However, tonight, could not get computer to boot at all. Removed video card and memory. Still absolutely no boot.

Out of curiosity, I unplugged power cord. Then unplugged 4 pin power connecter. Plugged back in and computer boot lasted much longer. Then turned off computer and replugged 4 pin connector. At this point video card and memory were out of computer. Turned on again, and it seemed to boot.

So, once again I unplugged. Put video card and memory back. Wanted to get back to a baseline non-boot (like I was getting before) with both video and memory in computer. After doing such there is now:

No attempt to boot what-so-ever. CPU fan doesn't spin at all. Previous MOBO LED doesn't light. At one point there was a burnt smell.

Now with both 20 pin and 4 pin connectors attached to MOBO and power cord plugged in, there is a barely audible whinning from computer.

I assume failing component finally bit the dust. Given above, I assume this would have to be the MOBO?

Sorry for long post. Hope I was clear enough. Thanks again.
 
That's bad, sounds like the capicitors on the mobo have bitten the dust.
Unless you have a spare mobo it's time to wave the white flag as it might start breaking other things trying further.

Sorry man
=0(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top