Quake3World

Basically ive got a total pain in the arse PC here. 1 in evey 25 times or so it loads XP and gets a blue screen. Ive changed the Ram PSU & graphics card, also done 2 format & reinstalls (low level formats too). Unfortunately ive not got a replacement CPU or board here to try. Still happens.

So what im looking for is some type of bootable utility to scan ALL the hardware and hopefully say theres something wrong. Ive Googled but theres so many out there. What would you guys say? Its doing my head in

I'd say software isn't going to help you.

-I'm a moran- It's not suprising you've overlooked the power supply as a possible cause, especially if it only happens during bootup (which is what I gathered from your limited description). -/I'm a moran-

Yeando wrote:Ive changed the PSU

creep wrote: It's not suprising you've overlooked the power supply as a possible cause,

Anyway, lets some some makes/models going here.. list out all of your components and etc..

Also, have you tried to run prime95, memtest(+), or folding@home for a duration of time ( 12-24 hours )?

list some spec's, and i can tell a good regime to put the computer though and see if it does anything other then put up with it

Oops... missed that.

Well then... that's one less thing it could be =)

What motherboard? I had similar symptoms with an Asus SLI board about 6 months ago until it finally stopped posting altogether. Mobo was the last thing I tried and it turned out to be the culprit.

prince1000 wrote:What motherboard? I had similar symptoms with an Asus SLI board about 6 months ago until it finally stopped posting altogether. Mobo was the last thing I tried and it turned out to be the culprit.

Why would the motherboard be the last thing you would check? On a new system, if you get the BSOD, it's either Ram, motherboard, or CPU in almost all cases.

Ram is first to check, then motherboard.

zolborg wrote:

prince1000 wrote:What motherboard? I had similar symptoms with an Asus SLI board about 6 months ago until it finally stopped posting altogether. Mobo was the last thing I tried and it turned out to be the culprit.

Why would the motherboard be the last thing you would check? On a new system, if you get the BSOD, it's either Ram, motherboard, or CPU in almost all cases.

Ram is first to check, then motherboard.

Easier to switch out and test the others first. Leaving mb and cpu last.

That's like changing your oil filter because your car won't start.

But this crap is off the subject.

No it's not, and not really. Checking the mb first would be more like tearing the engine apart to look at the crank shaft if it won't turn over. Start with the little things and work your way to the bigger stuff. Everyone knows that.

try those burn-in software programs .. once the system crashes it may pinpoint the problem.
-get system temperature monitoring software "or check bios Temperature Tab"
-Agressive bios ram setting or overclocking
-Bios Upgrade?
-Gunk or dirt on Fans
-Overheating ?

Scourge wrote:No it's not, and not really. Checking the mb first would be more like tearing the engine apart to look at the crank shaft if it won't turn over. Start with the little things and work your way to the bigger stuff. Everyone knows that.

How many computers have you built?.....or worked on in a professional situation?

I have built hundreds of computers and have worked on thousands. Not bragging, just stating facts.

We are talking about a new system here.......so Windows is not involved.

If you read my earlier post, Ram is first because it's easy. I have never seen a psu cause a blue screen on a new system. You can unplug the drives just to be sure, but very unlikely. If a drive is bad on a new system, it won't post.

Motherboard is the next step becuase that is what it is.....99% of the time at this stage, if Ram is not the culprit.
And, if Ram is bad, usually when you get to the point of installing Windows where it says installing files.....[this is close to the beginning] you will see a message saying "cannot read "X" file" or cannot copy certain file.

Axbaby has a good point in checking for a heat issue. Go into bios and check hardware monitor if it has one and most motherboards these days do. Or download PC Wizard or some such program to check this.

I have once or twice forgotton to take the f*&king plastic protector off of the heatsink....blush.

Misread post at first. Windows is installed. OK, right click on My Computer, select manage, and look in event viewer. Check in the system tab. This will show you any errors and you can click on link to Microsoft site that will explain error.

I'd like to know where he said it was a new pc? Btw, I've built a few dozen. And yeah, I've seen the bsd from a psu a few times. Not to mention mb, ram, and a few other devices as well. Just because you've worked on thousands of pc's doesn't mean you've seen everything. I'm not going to play bigger penis with you, but it's common sense to start small and work up in anything you're doing whether it's pc repair or car repair.

these issues always end up costing me a shitload of money .. i always inevitably end up with a new computer because i don't have spare parts to swap out or freinds

axbaby wrote: because i don't have spare parts to swap out or freinds

I"LL BE YOUR FRIEND

for $100

Just to be clear, you check all the hardware first? The one time I got the bsod, it turned out to be a corrupted file. Can't remember if it was a dll or cfg, and I'm NOT a computer savy guy. A friend of mine told me to pull the hd and put it third string on another comp with a healthy hd as second. Booted up the primary and copied the cfg's or dll's from the secondary to the third string. When I put the 3hd back in my comp, it booted right up. Never had a problem with it after that.

I ask, because my friend never even suggested a hardware issue.

I dunno.

zolborg wrote:

prince1000 wrote:What motherboard? I had similar symptoms with an Asus SLI board about 6 months ago until it finally stopped posting altogether. Mobo was the last thing I tried and it turned out to be the culprit.

Why would the motherboard be the last thing you would check? On a new system, if you get the BSOD, it's either Ram, motherboard, or CPU in almost all cases.

Ram is first to check, then motherboard.

Because it's a socket 939 board and finding a decent one locally after AM2 came out was near impossible. I actually got quite lucky to find an open box solution. I think I actually tried PSU, CPU, then motherboard.

shadd_ wrote:

axbaby wrote: because i don't have spare parts to swap out or freinds

I"LL BE YOUR FRIEND

for $100

i was already freindly with you , NOW YOU NEVER CALL !

50 and you got yaself a deal