Computer Building Help

SDJason · July 2004

<div class="IPBDescription">Need expert advice</div> First off, i dont feel like posting all the specs, but i just bought all the parts for a top end computer from newegg.com... and assembled it..

Minus the vid card (Geforce 6800) which will be here july 7th its all assembled

I booted from my windows xp cd and installed windows without a hitch, did the full format for NTFS (took like an hour) and installed ok

Rebooted.... and now it gets to the logon screen for windows xp, and freezes..

Usually freezes after i type the 4th letter of my password... but sometimes before that... sometimes i can even get into windows before it freezes...

My question.... right now while i await my vid card, im using an old S3 Trio 64v plus vid card (pci) on a flatscreen monitor... this is an OLD card... could this be the problem...

OR could it be faulty install, bad mobo.... any suggestions...??

Also.. one other question.....

I have an 800mhz fsb processor... and my mobo supports it, and my ram is DDR 3200, but i cant get it to function

There are 4 slots (2 pair) and no matter what ocnfiguration i put em in, on bootup it says Dual channel ddr400 mode enabled.... then that the ram speed is 200mhz/200mhz... when it should be 400mhz/400mhz

I know i shouldnt worry about this until i get the comp to work... but... yea

Any help is appreciated... and if u do need the full system specs i can get em..

~Jason

SDJason · July 2004

bump

Shadowlinex · July 2004

I don't know if it was me but, i think i set off a chain off people upgrading/building computers.......

Jasp · July 2004

Pull a stick of your RAM out and just use 1, since its DDR it will work fine on its own. Try the install then, if you still get no further try formatting and starting from scratch.

I just have this funny feeling its the RAM.

Talesin · July 2004

Sorry to hear about the 6800... the x800 Pro still beats all of them excepting the Ultra Extreme. Which the XTPE beats with ease. <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

Short version, no. Unless the video card is hardware-damaged, it wouldn't be using a PCI card that'd be killing it. More likely would be the mobo or RAM. If you have a spare machine, download a RAM diagnostic that fits on a floppy (or a CD, if you have no floppy drive), make the disc, and test it.
Alternately, pull a stick and see if you can boot into windows. Then try the other if it still freezes.
<b>READ THE DAMN MANUAL AND FIND OUT HOW THE RAM IS SUPPOSED TO BE INSERTED.</b> Sheesh. You'd think that'd be a basic, understood concept for someone building their own machine. The RAM clock-up may be a BIOS option where it 'shotguns' the RAM, without actually clocking it to 400MHz.

If neither, it's more likely to be a mobo problem. I assume you're using an Intel board (another shame). See if you can take it back, citing 'system instability'.

Zel · July 2004

this could also be an overheating issue due to an incorrectly installed heatsink, try removing it and re-installing the big metal chunk on the processor.

download and make a bootable floppy of <a href='http://www.memtest86.com/' target='_blank'>Memtest86</a> and boot from it, and let the program run through two passes. this is the industry-standard memory diagnostic tool. if your ram is at fault this program will tell you.

Shadowlinex · July 2004

Well i have to agree wit "Tiny Bat," reading the books that come with is useful. and I did some searching and found that YES the ATI X800 XTPE will SUPPORT the new formats dispite the claims by other people on the forums. Just wanted to clear that up, and say that ATI beats 6800 ultra by a long shot.

SaltzBad · July 2004

Yeah, what people here said. Tear **** out, see if you can run it with either of the RAM sticks alone. Make sure its installed correctly, make sure the MB didn't require you to set any jumpers beforehand (shouldn't nowadays, but eh) and all make sure your BIOS is configured correctly.

Sounds like some sort of Mobo problem to me honestly, overheating isn't likely within seconds of boot. But you can check the heatsink too of course.

Talesin · July 2004

Oh! Just remembered. If you put the mobo in yourself, make sure there aren't any 'spare' spacers underneath. I made that mistake on an old machine, and it shorted a couple of solder-points. Thankfully it didn't burn anything up, but it did cause horrific stability problems.

Also, if you have a SoundBlaster Live (including Audigy/Audigy2, which are just relabelled SBLives with a higher price), try pulling the card. If your processor was detected as using ACPI, it may be having issues as the Creative Labs drivers aren't coded to handle race conditions. Mostly a problem on Ath64 machines, but apparently some P4s are detected as ACPI-required as well.

SDJason · July 2004

TY for all the support so far...

To clarify...

Ive removed the CD drive, soundcard, ect...

The processor is installed correctly, and nothing is overheating, as i went into bios and let it sit there forever, temp for the P4 3.2 was 57 degrees celsius after 10 minutes....

I will try the mem diagnostic tool..

I figured it might be a mobo problem... i dunno..

The only other thing it might be is the front usb cables which i had to install myself, i might disconnect them and see..

Ill try the mem diagnostic tool and keep you guys updated......

(FYI.. i read the whole 50 page manual for my mobo.... twice... and there was nothign regarding shotgunning, or any way to set up the ram... and i went through bios... ect...

My monitor DOES support overclocking, and even comes with an overclocking program that is supported by the warranty <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> so yaay if i ver get it booted up i ca n **** around with that )

Obst · July 2004

What RAM do you have? My friends had almost the same problem with... Corsair RAM or something like that... What's your's brand?

SDJason · July 2004

COrsair XMS PC-3200 400mhz

2x 1gb sticks...

uh oh......

Obst · July 2004

OK I'm getting into contact with my friend. What's your mobo's brand + exact name?

SDJason · July 2004

1Bit A17/A17-G

Ty for the help in advance

Obst · July 2004

Damn. He is offline for a while, but I will talk to him ASAP.
Sorry for the inconvenience <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' />

SDJason · July 2004

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

It was the crappy vid card i was using... it only has 4mb of mem.. and i guess it wasnt xp compliant...

I took the card out of this comp and stuck it in my new one just for kicks... it ran fine

Now i just gotta wait for my stupid Geforce 6800 to
get here.....

THANK YOU to all who helped me!!!!

~Jason

Epidemic · July 2004

</div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Shadowlinex @ Jul 3 2004, 11:00 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> Well i have to agree wit "Tiny Bat," reading the books that come with is useful. and I did some searching and found that YES the ATI X800 XTPE will SUPPORT the new formats dispite the claims by other people on the forums. Just wanted to clear that up, and say that ATI beats 6800 ultra by a long shot.  </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> 
Longshot? They are pratically equal in performace.. I didnt catch his board but if it has a nforce chipset the 6800 will run even better <img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /> Definitely no need to regret it, and isnt their something about you can bios flash the 6800 so all 16 pips gets used..

Computer Building Help

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