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Strange Problem with computer! Please Help!

Diablo2K

Diablo2K

Supreme [H]ardness
2FA
Joined
Aug 10, 2000
Messages
6,844
New Update, Please see below!


My system is below, Yesterday while downloading a file, my computer crashed. After the crash the computer would crash about 10-15 minutes after restart and then it would freeze for a bit then BSOD would flash then the computer would shut down. Now all the computer does is where it gets wierd:
When equiped as listed below the computer will start up really slowly, the first couple screens take forever to get thru then it gets to a point and asks for boot disk.

I removed the 40gig Hard Drive and had the same really slow boot and then it of course asked for the boot disk.

I then swapped out the video card with a GF2MX and left the Hard Drive out and it booted at normal speed till it again asked for boot disk.

I then put in the 40gig Drive and the computer Booted really slowly again and again asked for boot disk, The 40gig drive was formatted, sometimes in the bios screen the drive shows up, other times it does not, but if it shows up or not it still wont boot.

I put in an old 30gig IBM Deathstar with the GF2MX and the computer seems to be working normally.

What could be Wrong? I am thinking maybe a power supply problem sense both the Video card and Hard Drive are hooked up directly to the power supply but if so why would it work ok with a differant drive and card. The 12 Volt line is at 12.6 to 12.67 volts and the 5 volt is also a little high at 5.5 all other rails are within 10% The Power supply is one that came wth the case and is a 350 watt L&C (renamed DEER :( ) and is not running hot.

Like I said everything else is running fine however I noticed the CD Burner is making alot of little noises I never noticed before. Infact I installed windows on the 30gig Deathstar and am posting this on the buggy machine!
 
sounds to me like you have a rather nasty virus on that 40GB...

get a low level format utility from the company that made your 40GB drive and boot with that drive in... make sure the read only tab on thefloppy disk is on read only

and low level that sucker. sometimes its the only way to get rid of boot sector virii.
 
Update:

I replaced the Video Card with the original and it now seems to be working normal.

I kinda agree with jaqie at least in the fact it is the Hard Drive. I was thinking of getting a New Hard Drive anyway as the 40 gigs just isn't enough space anymore, however I have alot of data on it I would like to save if at all possible. Is there a way to get the data off without transfering the Virus? What if I get a USB Enclosure and put the drive in it and Scan it and then transfer the stuff I want to save??? Is there any way of Saving the Porn....errr I mean Data ;)
 
just get a good antivi program, install it on that drive, and then start your system with your 40GB where your CDROM drive usually is hooked up. and then scan the whole drive with it. before you hook it up download all the newest updates for thee antivi software. I hear avast and nod32 are good and free...
 
I have never done a Low Level Format before. The Drive I have is a Western Digital WD400BB 40 gig 7200 RPM. How do I do this and where can I get the files needed, I did a search and really couldn't find anything of help, and the files at Western Digital are mostly for Data Safegaurding, didn't see anything there for Low Level Format.

I ran a full virus scan useing latest version/update of AVG and it did not find anything, however I aint sure if anything in the boot sector would show up anyway, Would it?

I am experencing Lock Ups when useing the ATI 9500 Pro video card still so I am still considering that the power Supply might be causing some problems.
 
www.westerndigital.com look for their drive tools in downloads. get the newest one. what you want to do when you make the boot floppy is a 'write zeros to drive'. this will DESTROY ALL DATA ON THE DRIVE

if you still have lockups then it isnt a virus
try swapping the psu with another...
 
Ok, I have been playing around for a couple days trying to figure this out. I Zeroed the Hard Drive then reinstalled Windows on it. It ran great with the older GF2MX however when I installed the 9500Pro It ran for about 10-15 minutes just fine, Then it would lock up and restart tha computer, on restart the boot was really slow and the drive was not recognized. I then put the GF2MX back in set the 30gig drive as master and copied the Problematic 40gig drive over to the 30 and now everything seems to be working fine.

I dont understand how a Video card can cause a Hard Drive to act this way. I would really like some more input before I go buying parts please, As I live out in the middle of nowhere and I will have to Mail Order them and I cant aford to buy stuff I dont need.

Also what would be a good Power Supply to get for about $50???
 
if the psu isnt good enough then it can cause this, vid cards take a lot of juice. new ones especially.

check out the enlight ones on newegg, they have a great 400+ watt one for $40, im actually considering getting it... linkie.

P.S. if you want more info on how this can be caused by a shoddy psu (deere is shoddy as they come) go into the psu forum and read the faq threads there.
 
jaqie said:
if the psu isnt good enough then it can cause this, vid cards take a lot of juice. new ones especially.

check out the enlight ones on newegg, they have a great 400+ watt one for $40, im actually considering getting it... linkie.

P.S. if you want more info on how this can be caused by a shoddy psu (deere is shoddy as they come) go into the psu forum and read the faq threads there.
Click to expand...


Thanks alot for your help, I was looking at one of the Rosewill 500w PSU's (RE502-BLK http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=17-182-002&depa=0 ) they have a special on it and a Lite On DVD Burner $5 off and I been wanting a burner. The specs on the PSU seem good and other than it being a little loud the reviews are good also, Has anyone used one of these or heard anything on them?

I know that Deere are really crappy, and that my L&C is just a rebadged Deere, I have been wanting to replace it for a while. I have heard stories of the PSU going and taking alot with it also, that is why I want to replace it anyway.
 
could be either, and since he's considering replacing the psu anyway, and its a wild card and you can't troubleshoot with wildcards its best to replace it and be sure in this case, in my opinion, and then go from there.
 
I am leaning heavily towards jaqie's opinion sense the problem only shows itself shortly after I install the 9500 Pro, It requirs the aditional power adapter and is alot more power hungry than the GF2MX I am useing in its place.

I just wish I had the money to replace both, 40gigs just isn't enough these days.
 
Update!


Ok, I went out and bought a new PSU A Sparkle 350watt, and when playing games the computer would freeze and reboot. I downloaded the Hardware Monitor for my motherboard and I noticed that sometimes the AGP Voltage was reading 3.31volts It was giving me the same reading in Bios, It should be 1.5volts.

I now know the problem is not the PSU, so what I need to know now is this a problem with the video card or the motherboard?
 
Guys and Gals, I really need some help with this. I am on disability and I can't aford to take my computer in to get fixed and I dont have the parts to swap things in and out. I do have enough to get either a new Video card or a new motherboard but not enough to get both!

This computer runs fine with the Gf2MX in it, The only time I have problems is when I put the 9500pro in it. When I put the 9500 Pro in the AGP voltage reads 3.31volts when it should be 1.5 . I am thinking it could be the motherboard or the Video card. But not sure which. My thinking in that it could be the motherboard is that the older video card draws alot less power and doesn't stress the componts nearly as much. However the Video card could be causing the problem as I only have it with it in the computer.

What should I do!
 
just a suggesstion, you might want to find the spec on the vidcards, and also your motherboard, make sure the mobo can handle the card, also make sure that the card is supposed to be able to run in the type of agp slot / voltage / etc that the manufacturer says the agp on your mobo is capable of running in...

I know how it goes as per disability too, as I am on it myself. I feel guilty about leading you wrong, ive spent money on things only to find out they werent bad in the first place myself...
 
you may want to check out, if you end up looking for a mobo, the chaintech 7JN L6 or whatever, its the nforce2 ultra 400 mobo. Im going to get one I think, soon, myself... and chaintech is very good, fast, reliable. best: $42ish.
 
I did some searching and found out the AGP 1.0 used 3.3volts, and was AGP 1x and 2x, AGP2.0 uses 1.5 volts and is AGP4x. my motherboard doesn't support AGP 8x so I aint worried about those specs (altho the 9500pro does suport AGP8x).

Why would the 9500pro be useing voltage for a AGP1.0 card when it is a AGP2.0 card. The GF2MX should also be a AGP2.0 card so why does it work fine and not the 9500pro.
 
Diablo2K said:
Why would the 9500pro be useing voltage for a AGP1.0 card
Click to expand...
How did you check to see the voltage it is using? with a voltmeter on the card itself?

Because the system my girlfriend is using says the processor is running at 99 celcius, but it cant be because its being cooled too well, we powered it down and removed the HSF, and it was barely warm to the touch (the proc itself)... this was the BIOS itself reporting this temperature mind you...

Also my system, the ati utility says that its running in 4x mode but it's not...

don't ever trust software or BIOS to tell you what it's running in...

find the manufactuerer site of both comp[onents, find out what their specs are, find out the max supported, and then match them up and see what it will prolly be running in. also find known issues on both manufacturer's websites.... while you are at it update your mobo's BIOS. then do a google for some things about your problem with that vidcard and board... I really am clueless as to your problem, if you are running newest BIOS, drivers, and all patches in your OS, and there arent documented errata with those two parts being paired on the internet...
 
LadyJaqie said:
How did you check to see the voltage it is using? with a voltmeter on the card itself?

Because the system my girlfriend is using says the processor is running at 99 celcius, but it cant be because its being cooled too well, we powered it down and removed the HSF, and it was barely warm to the touch (the proc itself)... this was the BIOS itself reporting this temperature mind you...

Also my system, the ati utility says that its running in 4x mode but it's not...

don't ever trust software or BIOS to tell you what it's running in...

find the manufactuerer site of both comp[onents, find out what their specs are, find out the max supported, and then match them up and see what it will prolly be running in. also find known issues on both manufacturer's websites.... while you are at it update your mobo's BIOS. then do a google for some things about your problem with that vidcard and board... I really am clueless as to your problem, if you are running newest BIOS, drivers, and all patches in your OS, and there arent documented errata with those two parts being paired on the internet...
Click to expand...


I found out the voltage the card was useing with the SOYO Hardware monitor software.

Also I have been running the setup for well over a year, and have only had the problem in the last week or so, so I am sure that everything is compatible.

I looking at replacement parts I was considering
Abit NF7-S2
for the motherboard as it is only $60
and for Video card
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9600XT Video Card, 256MB DDR
It is $155, Like I said I can aford one of them but not both, this is why I need ot find the problem. I am haveing a friend bring over his 9800pro to try it out, but it will be a couple days before he can get it here. I guess I might just have to wait till then to find out but I really would like to get it figured out asap.

LadyJaqie Dont worry about leading me in the wrong direction, I can take the PSU back where I bought it and I have lost nothing but time which means nothing to me, Thanks alot for your help! also did you change your name, I thought it was just Jaqie, did you add the lady so people wouldn't get confused :confused:
 
If the voltage reading are wrong why would it read within spec with the GF2MX and be so far off with the 9500pro. I am really leaning heavily towards this being a video card problem, however I dont see how the video card got damaged! I am still waiting for my friend to bring over his 9800pro but I would still like some other comments on what I should do.

Thanks for everyones help and patients!
 
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