funkpunk Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 The short version:Hi all. After installing a replacement mobo, XP freezes up or my screen goes black. I don't think it's a hardware problem, though, because everything seems to be fine in Safe Mode with Networking, and BurnInTest finds no hardware errors. Questions1) any ideas how I can make XP stable again?2) I'd been thinking about formatting and re-installing XP for a while, anyway. I managed to recover my activation key with the jellybean keyfinder, but don't think I have the same XP disk I originally installed with. Am I correct in believing the activation key will work with any random WinXP disk? (It is a legit activation key.)The longer, detailed version:About two months ago my system stopped working. In the evening it was fine, in the morning it was totally inert -- not even the system beep when I pressed power. Initially this was accompanied by "no video signal" on my monitor, but after a couple more tries to power up, even that disappeared. The problem was diagnosed as the mobo. Two days ago I finally got my system back with a new P5B. The system now works for short periods but will eventually freeze in one of the following ways: 1) the screen will simply stop updating. Everything becomes completely unresponsive. 2) the screen will go black and cycle through its "no video input" routine.Again, in normal mode I can't even finish a run of BurnInTest, but in Safe Mode, it's fine, and registers no hardware errors. I haven't yet been able to get my system to boot memtest -- for some reason the bootable CDs aren't working (I have set the cd drive as the primary boot device -- no joy.) At this point I'm fairly confidant that it's a software problem, though.Edited System specs generated by BIT:Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 build 2600 (32-bit),1 x Intel® Core2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHz [1540.4 MHz],2.0GB RAM,Sapphire RADEON X1600 PRO, Sapphire RADEON X1600 PRO Secondary, 233GB HDD, DVD, DVD, DVD,Motherboard Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.Motherboard Name: P5BMotherboard Version: Rev 1.xxBIOS Manufacturer: American Megatrends Inc.BIOS Version: 1803 BIOS Release Date: 11/26/2007CPU manufacturer: GenuineIntelCPU Type: Intel® Core2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHzCPUID: Family 6, Model F, Stepping 6Physical CPU's: 1Cores per CPU: 2Total Physical Memory: 2047MBAvailable Physical Memory: 1416MBMemory devices:DIMM0: - 1024MB, 800MHz, DIMM1: - Not populated DIMM2: - 1024MB, 800MHz, DIMM3: - Not populated Virtual memory: C:\pagefile.sys (allocated base size 4046MB)Sapphire RADEON X1600 PROChip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x71C2)DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)Memory: 256MBBIOS: 11x-2C84S5SA-002Driver provider: ATI Technologies Inc.Driver version: 8.573.0.0Driver date: 1-13-2009Monitor 1: 1440x900x32 60Hz (Primary monitor) Sapphire RADEON X1600 PRO SecondaryChip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x71E2)DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)Memory: 256MBBIOS: 11x-2C84S5SA-002Driver provider: ATI Technologies Inc.Driver version: 8.573.0.0Driver date: 1-13-2009Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkpunk Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 Bah! Even safe mode isn't completely stable. The system just crashed to black screen again. I wasn't even using it at the time -- I was drawing. It definitely takes significantly longer to crash in safe mode, however.FP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 ........for some reason the bootable CDs aren't working (I have set the cd drive as the primary boot device -- no joy.)Does this not suggest the BIOS is not just as it should be. My simple mind thinks that if the primary boot drive is set as the CD drive, then the biosshould start to install the contents of the disc in the CD drive without any recourse to software on the HD apart from asking if you want to destroy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkpunk Posted April 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 ........for some reason the bootable CDs aren't working (I have set the cd drive as the primary boot device -- no joy.)Does this not suggest the BIOS is not just as it should be. My simple mind thinks that if the primary boot drive is set as the On closer inspection, I'm fairly sure I was creating the CDs incorrectly. I was just copying to disk. Memtest86+ states (sort of hidden away from obvious view):"To build a boot-able CD-ROM use your CD burning software to create an image from the un-zipped ISO file. Be sure to use a create from image option. DO not simply copy the file to a CD."I'll have to see about finding some image burning software after lunch.FP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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