- New PC build instability... looking for help!
- Posted by cJ on October 8th, 2007
Hello,
I recently built a new PC based on the hardware below. I have had
instability issues with this system. I have contacted the motherboard
supplier for support (thinking that may be a likely cause) but wanted
to open it up to the group in case someone has had similar issues.
Any help is appreciated! Thanks.......
Computer configuration
Case: Antec Sonata II with 450W power supply
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
Motherboard: Asus P5N-E SLI
BIOS: Version 0703 (latest available)
Memory: 2Gb (2 x 1Gb) Kingston PC5300 DDR2 667Mhz RAM
Video: EVGA GeForce 7100GS PCI-E
Hard Drives: Western Digital 80Gb (SATA channel 1)
Western Digital 300Gb (SATA channel 2)
External USB 120Gb drive
OS: Windows XP Pro (32 bit)
Issues:
Frequent corrupt files (mainly JPGs on WD300 but has occurred on
various file types on all 3 drives)
Spontaneous reboots with errors like "NTFS.SYS -
page_fault_in_non_paged_area" and "irql_not_less_or_equal"
Programs failing to launch and needing to be reinstalled
QFAN control in BIOS resetting itself to "disabled"
Instability
Intermittent noise / interference coming through onboard audio output
Tests performed:
SMART check on hard drives, no issues found
MEMTEST86+ run with no issues found
This copy of Windows XP Pro tested on other PC with no issues
I have reformatted and reinstalled Windows 3 times and the problems
all return
What tests or checks would be the next to perform? What is the best
way to diagnose issues like this? Any help is appreciated.
Thank you
- Posted by old man on October 9th, 2007
Anything shown in Event Viewer?
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191886482.045879.324340@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
- Posted by old man on October 9th, 2007
Anything shown in Event Viewer?
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191886482.045879.324340@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
- Posted by Pennywise@DerryMaine.Gov on October 9th, 2007
cJ <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote:
SATA ports shot or misconfigured.
--
Food Fight
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8040355&size=l
- Posted by Pennywise@DerryMaine.Gov on October 9th, 2007
cJ <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote:
SATA ports shot or misconfigured.
--
Food Fight
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8040355&size=l
- Posted by cJ on October 9th, 2007
On Oct 8, 8:14 pm, "old man" <d...@spoofmail.notme> wrote:
Thanks for your reply.
The most common errors shown in the event viewer are;
"The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Harddisk3\D."
"The device, \Device\Harddisk5\D, has a bad block."
"The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please
run the chkdsk utility on the volume Z:."
The 2 internal hard drives are new and seem to test ok. I had the
same corrupt file issue with a 3rd new hard drive I tried.
Thanks again for the help
- Posted by cJ on October 9th, 2007
On Oct 8, 8:14 pm, "old man" <d...@spoofmail.notme> wrote:
Thanks for your reply.
The most common errors shown in the event viewer are;
"The driver detected a controller error on \Device\Harddisk3\D."
"The device, \Device\Harddisk5\D, has a bad block."
"The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please
run the chkdsk utility on the volume Z:."
The 2 internal hard drives are new and seem to test ok. I had the
same corrupt file issue with a 3rd new hard drive I tried.
Thanks again for the help
- Posted by old man on October 9th, 2007
In edition to Pennywise;
Ensure you are using correct drivers supplied by hw manufacturers
I didnt check but does your chipset impliment the Nvidea firewall? if so
this caused file corruption issues in some cases, but I thought that this
had been fixed.
I assume you used the hd manufacturers disk checking utility
I slightly iffy pwr supply can cause file corruption issues
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191896404.986222.21230@d55g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
- Posted by old man on October 9th, 2007
In edition to Pennywise;
Ensure you are using correct drivers supplied by hw manufacturers
I didnt check but does your chipset impliment the Nvidea firewall? if so
this caused file corruption issues in some cases, but I thought that this
had been fixed.
I assume you used the hd manufacturers disk checking utility
I slightly iffy pwr supply can cause file corruption issues
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191896404.986222.21230@d55g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
- Posted by PeeCee on October 9th, 2007
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191886482.045879.324340@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
cJ
I had 3 new systems 2 years ago that didn't work well with 80GB SATA drives.
(ECS mb's, 2 with VIA SATA chipset, 1 with STLab SATA PCI card, Segate & WD
drives)
Symptoms similar to yours.
One I eventually traced to overheating (buried in a cupboard and covered
with paper, mouse cable so hot it drooped like a bit of wet string) even so
I replaced the SATA with an IDE. (this one was the one with a STLab
chipset.)
The other two I also replaced the SATA drives with IDE and the problems went
away.
The STLab card and SATA drive went into a test PC of mine and has not
stopped, the other two drives were RMA'd, but came back as not faulty.
I put one of these into a USB enclosure and so far it hasn't given any
trouble, the other I gave to a mate with the same motherboard chipset as the
two problem PC's.
He stopped using it within a month complaining of the same symptoms as you.
Conclusion, something odd with early VIA SATA chipsets and or 80GB SATA
drives or a combination of the two.
Possible solutions, make the 300GB the OS (C
drive, swap out the 80 SATA
for an 80 IDE, try a PCI SATA card with a different chipset.
Best
Paul.
- Posted by PeeCee on October 9th, 2007
"cJ" <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191886482.045879.324340@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com...
cJ
I had 3 new systems 2 years ago that didn't work well with 80GB SATA drives.
(ECS mb's, 2 with VIA SATA chipset, 1 with STLab SATA PCI card, Segate & WD
drives)
Symptoms similar to yours.
One I eventually traced to overheating (buried in a cupboard and covered
with paper, mouse cable so hot it drooped like a bit of wet string) even so
I replaced the SATA with an IDE. (this one was the one with a STLab
chipset.)
The other two I also replaced the SATA drives with IDE and the problems went
away.
The STLab card and SATA drive went into a test PC of mine and has not
stopped, the other two drives were RMA'd, but came back as not faulty.
I put one of these into a USB enclosure and so far it hasn't given any
trouble, the other I gave to a mate with the same motherboard chipset as the
two problem PC's.
He stopped using it within a month complaining of the same symptoms as you.
Conclusion, something odd with early VIA SATA chipsets and or 80GB SATA
drives or a combination of the two.
Possible solutions, make the 300GB the OS (C drive, swap out the 80 SATA
for an 80 IDE, try a PCI SATA card with a different chipset.
Best
Paul.
- Posted by Geoff Realname on October 9th, 2007
Pennywise@DerryMaine.Gov wrote:
<snip>
Food Fight
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8040355&size=l
Love this pic!
- Posted by Geoff Realname on October 9th, 2007
Pennywise@DerryMaine.Gov wrote:
<snip>
Food Fight
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne...8040355&size=l
Love this pic!
- Posted by chuckcar on October 9th, 2007
cJ <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:1191886482.045879.324340@57g2000hsv.googlegro ups.com:
Just to get it out of the way as it is the most likely cause: does the
owner *always* shut down the computer normally, or do they frequently
use the power switch?
--
(setq (chuck nil) car(chuck) )
- Posted by sandy58 on October 9th, 2007
On Oct 9, 12:26 pm, Geoff Realname <realn...@no.spam.ntlworld.com>
wrote:
Terrific, Geoff. Thanks. :-)
- Posted by sandy58 on October 9th, 2007
On Oct 9, 12:26 pm, Geoff Realname <realn...@no.spam.ntlworld.com>
wrote:
Terrific, Geoff. Thanks. :-)
- Posted by Geoff Realname on October 9th, 2007
sandy58 wrote:
- Posted by Geoff Realname on October 9th, 2007
sandy58 wrote:
- Posted by cJ on October 9th, 2007
On Oct 9, 3:20 pm, chuckcar <ch...@nil.car> wrote:
Hello...... thanks for the reply. I typically let the PC go into
sleep mode (after preset inactivity limit set under power options). I
rarely fully shut the PC down. Good point though. I could see where
improper shutdowns could corrupt some files.
- Posted by chuckcar on October 10th, 2007
cJ <jedcrocker@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:1191967514.018779.242970@o3g2000hsb.googlegro ups.com:
dynamic memory allocation well (not if a *lot* isn't done), so memory
drains happen, and then lockups and then hard shutdowns. Sleep is good
for an hour or two, but not for a day or more.
--
(setq (chuck nil) car(chuck) )
