Win XP problem I cannot fix

[Irene]

It looks as if your driver for this mouse may require an update, depending on the version you are using.

Microsoft includes a link to the Logitech website, where you can obtain an update

.....SCROLL DOWN IN THIS LINK.

[Dencandy]

Hello vertical, I'm now back from the mountains. Unless you've solved your problems already, as you'll see from this thread it looks like we are all running out of ideas about dealing with them. The results you've obtained from PC Wizard & HDD Health seem to indicate no serious hardware problems, (except for the 3rd hard disk with only 67% reliability about it's future life). The results from TrendMicro show no serious virus or malware infection. To me this all seems to indicate a multiple software foul-up with Windows itself. Unless anyone else has any further suggestions this means a re-installation of Windows. Since I have never done this would some other member kindly indicate to vertical how he can re-install Windows. But first let us know what the latest situation is.

However, before you try the re-installation there is one other option and that's a Windows Repair. You can find out how to do that on this Forum here.

[vertical]

Hello Dencandy,

No, the problem is still there. Due to the lack of time I could not do much.

I reduced the activities to e-mailing (Outlook); Word processing and use of Adobe Acrobat. Those work fine and, I cross my fingers, do not cause problems.

I took out one RAM stick to check the RAM but it did not affect anything: when I tried to burn a DVD, the result was the same: it burnt it to slightly over 50% and then – BSOD.

I also noticed that it is hard to copy files from a DVD or CD. It takes either too much time or does not go at all, it just freezes. Does this suggest problems with the optical drive?

Anyway, I am planning to reinstall Windows on weekend. Thank you but I know how to do this. I will report the results.

[Dencandy]

Hope it works out OK for you. Yes, please let the Forum know as feedback is very useful.

[vertical]

HI,

I am writing from my laptop. My PC is experiencing new problems.

As I wrote ealier I removed one RAM stick but to-day I decided to install it back. I could not turn on PC after that for a long time. I was pressing the Power button but it did not work. I checked the memory stick install and all connections, it was fine. Finally I pressed it again just for luck and it started working.

But the temperature of a component was high. The processor is fine - it is within 40 C but another component's temperature is getting higher and higher. After 4 years I do not remeber what component it is (I mean what the sensor is connected to, I could not determine where it leads so far) but I believe it is the power block.

I turn on PC but once it gets closer to 60, I turn it off. Once I turned it on and get BSOD. The BSOD included mostly instructions:

Rus a system diagnostic untilty supplied by your hardware manufacturer. Run a memory check and check for faulty or mismatched memory. Try changing video adapters.

Diable or remove any newly installed hardware and drivers. Disable or remove any newly installed software. If you need use Safe Mode to remove or disable components, restart your PC, press

***STOP: 0x00000007F (0x000000D, 0x0000000, 0x0000000, 0x00000000)

I do not remeber installing anything for lately.

When I tried to turn it on after the BSOD, I've got the following:

Windows cannot start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys

You can attempt to repair the file by starting Windows Setup using the original Setp CD-Rom.

Select "r" at the first screento start repair.

[vertical]

I tried to turn on PC after that and was getting the same error message again and again but once Windows started but it turned into a new BSOD.

DRIVER-IRQL-NOT-LESS-OR-EQUAL

Then regular bla-bla "If this is the first time...'. Again the same instructions about checking and removing.

New technical info:

STOP: 0x0000000D1 (0x00000080, 0x00000002, 0x00000000, 0x6ABBC7)

cmudax.sys - Addres6ABBC7 based at 61F000, date Stamp 410759b

[vertical]

I do not know why but the "edit" function does not work for me here.

I tried to remove the RAM stick that I installed this morning. It started once to full Windows but very quickly got frozen and after that I again cannot start it and get the error message about Ntfs. sys

I badly need to start it one more time to copy the important files. Any ideas how to achieve this would be appreciated.

[Dencandy]

vertical, I think you have too many hardware and software problems for any hope of saving your present computer. But that doesn't mean you've lost your valuable data on the hard disks. There are ways of recovering that data using a properly functioning computer so long as the data and disks are not too badly damaged. (But I've no expertise on that and wouldn't know how to do it myself).

Therefore I'm wondering whether your attempts to get the old set-up running again may be further damaging the HDDs and data. So maybe it would be wiser to stop all that and remove the HDDs until you've got the resources to attempt recovering the data from them using another or a new computer.

What do others think?

[vertical]

Hello everybody,

Here is the story in brief.

The fan on video card was broken. It stuck and did not work at all for some time. As a result the power unit started overheating (the condensers were found broken when the unit was opened). Three condensers on the motherboard were blown. One RAM stick of the two (512 each, 4200) did not work properly.

The condensers on the motherboard have been replaced. The fan has been fixed. A new power unit installed.

I’ve bought two new RAM sticks - Corsair Value Select PC2-5300 2X1GB DDR2-667 240PIN Dual Channel Memory Kit.

When I installed the two RAM sticks this morning, it was initially fine. I tried to open a program (Laval Everest) to scan the computer and to have a look at the new RAM. Once the program started scanning the PC, it crashed. I tried again and again once it started scanning, the PC crashed.

There was a BSOD – sorry, I did not write it down but it was something like: page_not_in_page_area.

I removed one RAM stick and so far everything is fine and I cam run the program.

Could it be that I was trying to install too much RAM for my PC? Could something be a bottleneck for 2GB RAM? For example, the video card. Or is it another problem?

Below follow my PC specs:

CPU Type Intel Pentium 4 540, 3200 MHz (16 x 200)

Motherboard Name Asus P5AD2 Deluxe (3 PCI, 2 PCI-E x1, 1 PCI-E x16, 4 DDR2 DIMM, Audio, Gigabit LAN, IEEE-1394)

Motherboard Chipset Intel Alderwood i925X

System Memory 1024 MB (DDR2-667 DDR2 SDRAM)

BIOS Type AMI (02/03/05)

Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)

Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Video Adapter: Sapphire RADEON X600 PRO Secondary (128 MB)

Video Adapter: Sapphire RADEON X600 PRO (128 MB)

3D Accelerator: ATI Radeon X600 (RV370)

Thanks!

[Boris]

If this is your motherboard - it should cope with 2GB of DDR2 533 RAM with absolutely no problems :)

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?l1=3&amp...amp;modelmenu=1

But as for "the condensers on the motherboard have been replaced"

[Dencandy]

You say everything is now fine & you can run your computer. Good. I hope the first thing you did was save all your data before all this starts all over again. If not, best to do it now.

[vertical]

Guys,

Thanks a lot! But you deal with a non-technical person.

"it should cope with 2GB of DDR2 533 RAM with absolutely no problems" - Then what or where the problem is? Why it crashes with 2GB and does not crash with 1 GB?

"I hope the first thing you did was save all your data before all this starts all over again" - As I mentioned before, I have three hard drives and everything has been copied.

So, the question is, could it be too much RAM or it could not?

Thanks! a lot

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

No, there is no such thing as too much RAM. However, there is always the possibility of a faulty RAM stick. Check Google for a RAM tester program.

[Boris]

Re. my comment on "the condensers on the motherboard have been replaced"

Who "repaired" this motherboard for you ?

[vertical]

Re. my comment on "the condensers on the motherboard have been replaced"

Who "repaired" this motherboard for you ?

Thanks. A professional technician. He has found all the problems and he has fixed all the stuff. I asked him about the motherboard after the crashes but he said the motherboard is just fine.

Shouls I make any changes in the BIOS setttings as my previous RAM was 4200 while this one is 5300?

[Boris]

Re. my comment on "the condensers on the motherboard have been replaced"

Who "repaired" this motherboard for you ?

Thanks. A professional technician.

He has found all the problems and he has fixed all the stuff.

I asked him about the motherboard after the crashes but he said the motherboard is just fine.

Have you asked him why you are still getting problems after he has "fixed" everything ?

[vertical]

Yes, I did. He advised me to remove one RAM. He told me it could be too much RAM for my PC as it is 4 years old. I removed one and now it works fine.

But I'd like to get the second one installed too.

[Boris]

His reply does not make any sense ! On what facts does he base this "professional" opinion ?

This is the detailed specification of your board :-

http://www.asus.com/products.aspx?modelmen...l3=144&l4=0

Which states quite clearly that the board supports up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM

Memory

4 x240-pin DIMM, Max. 4 GB, DDR2 1066/800/533/ Non-ECC, Memory

Dual Channel memory architecture

Intel Performance Acceleration Technology (Intel PAT)

[Boris]

Have you been installing the 2 sticks of RAM on the same channel - to make use of the board's dual channel capability ?

[vertical]

Have you been installing the 2 sticks of RAM on the same channel - to make use of the board's dual channel capability ?

Yes, I tried to install them on the same channel.

I believe it does not make much sense to critisize the technician. I just need to find the problem and fix it.

[Boris]

I am not criticizing, but IMHO if you have paid a professional to sort out your hardware problems and they still occur after the hardware has been "fixed", then the onus on remedying faults still rests with this person.

I am in no way a "professional" and do not charge friends/colleagues when I sort out their machines

(only reimbursement of the actual cost of any replacement parts they need :))

However in spite of this I would still expect to ascertain the reasons for and resolve any subsequent related problems that they experienced.

[vertical]

I am not criticizing, but IMHO if you have paid a professional to sort out your hardware problems and they still occur after the hardware has been "fixed", then the onus on remedying faults still rests with this person.

I am in no way a "professional" and do not charge friends/colleagues when I sort out their machines

(only reimbursement of the actual cost of any replacement parts they need :))

However in spite of this I would still expect to ascertain the reasons for and resolve any subsequent related problems that they experienced.

He returned me the PC up and running after all those problems. The memory that was initially inside the PC worked fine (one stick, the second one as I told did not work porperly).

What does he have to do with the new RAM that I bought?

I called him to-day and he gave me a couple of advices how to install the second new one and try it out. I had no time to do it yet.

[Irene]

I am not criticizing, but IMHO if you have paid a professional to sort out your hardware problems and they still occur after the hardware has been "fixed", then the onus on remedying faults still rests with this person.

I am in no way a "professional" and do not charge friends/colleagues when I sort out their machines

(only reimbursement of the actual cost of any replacement parts they need :))

However in spite of this I would still expect to ascertain the reasons for and resolve any subsequent related problems that they experienced.

He returned me the PC up and running after all those problems. The memory that was initially inside the PC worked fine (one stick, the second one as I told did not work porperly).

What does he have to do with the new RAM that I bought?

I called him to-day and he gave me a couple of advices how to install the second new one and try it out. I had no time to do it yet.

I would say that you need to check that you have been sold the correct additional RAM.

TRY THIS SCAN TO CHECK

If you touch, "Scan My System", you will get an accurate assessment of what you should install.

[vertical]

Hello everybody,

Probably the end of the ordeal could be of help to somebody.

Eventually (it took some time due to my busy schedule) I have changed RAM 5300 back to 4200 (1GB x 2) as the technician advised.

He explained me that it is not motherboard but the RAM chips feel uncomfortable in the surroundings, which causes crashes. He compared it to Ferrari drivng on the busy city streets. The car can drive there but its engine was designed for something different.

The bottomline: not a single crash has happend since the day (about two weeks) I swapped the chips.

Thank you everybody!