The COMPUTER action group-help save Elsa's PC!

[Desperate Daniella]

Are you sure that's not an alien inside singing Daisy? Mind you, I would have thought it would be singing, "These Boots are made for Walking."

[payback68]

Hi Elsa,

 

Go to a website called majorgeeks.com, on the left there is a header titled "Files", scroll down to "Diagnostics". They have loads of programs which may pinpoint your problem. If you cant access the site using your lappy, use a different pc and download the programs to a USB Pen Drive, then just plug it in to your lappy. If you still have no joy, use the websites "Support Forum" and start a new thread, the guys on their are very good.

 

Best of luck

 

Regards

 

PB68.

[locutus]

How is it now Undercover-Elsa? Did the reformat work?

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi again,

Just a quick update. Still getting the error on cold boot (system32/config corrupt-run XP rescue etc)

 

Here's what HASN'T worked:

New RAM

New mobo

New HDD

New PSU (x2!)

New Graphics card

New DVD RW

New Sata cables

New CMOS battery (plus cleared CMOS)

Flashed BIOS

Changed power cable

changed electricity socket

Updated all drivers

Checked drives with manufacturers utilities

Did a drive zero with Killdisk to overwrite MBR

Numerous formats/repartition/reinstalls of XP-from various disks

Numerous antivirus/antispyware scans on all drives/external/usb etc

 

It's taken me ages to get a decent stable-ish install of XP with all updates/AV etc...several installs failed, kept losing the XP style option etc

(I must be the world's expert on installing bleddy XP by now-I know every flicker and timing to the minute!

I'm using it now on my original drive-working so long as I let it warm up in BIOS first.

 

Am getting a new stick of (Kingston) RAM today as specifically recommended for mobo as I noticed that my existing RAM is 677 and Asus recommend 533 "to prevent system instability".

I'm also experimenting with bios settings...

 

Obviously then the only thing left then is the CPU

 

Thanks for checking back, and for all the excellent suggestions!

Elsa x

[payback68]

Hi Elsa,

 

I have a few links here for you to have a read through and a download for a bootable disk which may assist you in diagnosing your problem:-

 

How to recover from a corrupted registry that prevents Windows XP from starting

 

The next link is for the bootable disk which is probably the most comprehensive disk available, as it covers almost everything:-

 

UBCD for Windows

 

This is a list of the programs contained in the bootable disk:-

 

UBCD for Windows

 

I have passed one of the links by cerberusalert for appraisal but he has gone offline, so have a look as they may get cagbotted:-|

 

Regards

 

PB68

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi,

Thanks Payback68 I'll check those links out. (Grabbed them before Cagbot has chance to )

Elsa x

[PRBrown]

All these errors point to a hard disk problem or a memory error. Since you've replaced all those (several times from what I can see) then that should rule them out.

 

If you've effectively replaced every bit of hardware then it has to be an external influence that causes the corruption or a dodgy installation disk - it's not a knocked-off one from a market stall is it . It's extremely unusual that after replacing the hardware several times and re-installing XP you are still getting the same error continually re-appearing.

 

Cheap PSUs are nasty - I've had servers where disks have actually gone on fire during testing, all due to cheap or faulty PSUs...but you've replaced that too.

 

The only thing left that might be the cause of the errors is either

 

1. Your case. A short somewhere, faulty switch..unlikely.

 

2. The power supply in your house or the plug you use. Do you have a UPS that has a line conditioner in it that will deal with brown-outs and spikes? If you don't you might want to try to borrow one and see if that stops the problem.

 

If it doesn't work drop me a PM. I have a pile of Supermicro server-boards with P4 processors installed. You would need to replace the heatsinks as the ones that are installed are designed for 1U servers (no fans on them but they just unscrew) and I'd be happy to send you one with server-quality SATA cables and the appropriate back-plane.

 

Although the boards I have are for servers they are fine in a PC too. They are just made of higher-quality components as they are designed to operate 24/7 and are super-stable. They are ATX boards and will fit into a midi-sized case and larger.

 

The boards I have are these ones - dabs.com - SuperMicro S775 Intel E7221 ATX LAN (P8SCT) - with a 3.0Ghz CPU installed.

 

You can have it for free as I have several of them that I'm not longer using - just send me a refund for the postage if you want.

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi folks,

An update - RIP my old PC (Rest in Pieces)

As the CPU was the only thing unchanged, pretty sure it had to be that-had probably got overheated when the old PSU fried.

Last few days have been a nightmare - drive needed defragging after only 2 days.. Windows XP Style kept disappearing leaving me only with Classic.. Or network connection ability lost on restart.. Windows Help and Support disappeared..Outlook Express settings wiped...Over and over on new installs, different XP disks, different drives, different RAM.

My OH said enough's enough, so my Christmas present came early..

A Barebones system with a quad core processor ready set up on a Foxconn Nvidia motherboard with 4 Gb RAM, all in a nice shiny black case

I've installed all my bits I bought while troubleshooting-new HDD, DVDRW, graphics card etc and it's wonderful and very very fast. More to the point, it started first time this morning from cold. Sheer luxury!

 

My son's getting the old one as a project...

Thanks to all for your help.

 

PR - that's a really kind offer and most appreciated.

Thankfully not needed now though

 

Elsa xx

Edited November 12, 2009 by Undercover-Elsa

[PRBrown]

Hi folks,

 

PR - that's a really kind offer and most appreciated.

Thankfully not needed now though

 

 

No problem. Glad you got it sorted.

 

Now you'll be multi-tasking with multiple applications opening in a couple of seconds and everything seeming to happen instantaneously. You'll wondering how you ever coped without it in a couple of days.

[Desperate Daniella]

Well your son won't be able to say he's bored. Do you think the project will last him until next Spring?

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hehe, aye PR- the old one was pretty fast when it was good, that was a Pentium dual core but Ive moved to Athlon this time and although its less Mhz its got more RAM and the quad core so its brilliant! I do a lot of graphic/video editing etc so It'll get put through it's paces soon enough

 

DD- my son has so many spare bits lying around he'll probably get it sorted in a few days, but I think he'll need to replace the processor to fix it. He's ace with PC's - builds his own systems for music production etc but he's been as stumped as I have. However as he was only able to get over occasionally, he couldn't sort it. Once he has it at home he'll fettle it!

Elsa xx

[rebel11]

Just bought Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (3 User Licence) (PC) for £59.99. My PC has only got the Trial versions loaded.

I need EXCEL for the spreadsheets and WORD to open my scans.

[locutus]

Hi folks,

An update - RIP my old PC (Rest in Pieces)

As the CPU was the only thing unchanged, pretty sure it had to be that-had probably got overheated when the old PSU fried.

Last few days have been a nightmare - drive needed defragging after only 2 days.. Windows XP Style kept disappearing leaving me only with Classic.. Or network connection ability lost on restart.. Windows Help and Support disappeared..Outlook Express settings wiped...Over and over on new installs, different XP disks, different drives, different RAM.

My OH said enough's enough, so my Christmas present came early..

A Barebones system with a quad core processor ready set up on a Foxconn Nvidia motherboard with 4 Gb RAM, all in a nice shiny black case

I've installed all my bits I bought while troubleshooting-new HDD, DVDRW, graphics card etc and it's wonderful and very very fast. More to the point, it started first time this morning from cold. Sheer luxury!

 

My son's getting the old one as a project...

Thanks to all for your help.

 

PR - that's a really kind offer and most appreciated.

Thankfully not needed now though

 

Elsa xx

 

 

Next thing to upgrade will probably be the OS. 4 gig of RAM needs a 64 bit OS to utilise it all. (right click My Computer and select properties to see how much memory your windows XP has found)

[Undercover-Elsa]

Hi Locutus..Yeah I know - it's only showing 2.87!

I'm very fond of XP though and some of my software is outdated too, like me, LOL, so probably wouldn't work on 64 bit/ Windows 7.

I've got Vista on the laptop and visually it's lovely, but very fizzy and fussy with all the prompts. I'd have to learn a whole new set of tweaks to stop it interrupting!

I was persuaded to get an Imac once, gorgeous machine but I ended up running XP on it in Boot Camp!

 

Anyway, good point - If I find it's struggling I might take the plunge, but I'd do it on the spare drive first so I could test it.

 

Elsa

PS We were just in PC World looking (in vain) for a 10cm rear case fan and my OH saw a notice about windows 7 - he said "Why don't you get that, it's only £24.99?" LOL

(that was just for one of their tech guys to install it!!!)

[locutus]

Any students in the household? Use the search box above for "windows 7 student ultimate steal"

[locutus]

Also any nurses in the house can get Office 2007 for £8.95 providing they download it!

[Undercover-Elsa]

[Undercover-Elsa]

Update:

Well my new PC is purring along nicely while the old one has sat sad dusty and neglected, in bits for the last few months.

In a frenzy of decluttering last week, I sent it packing to my son's, complete with a box full of all the bits I'd replaced needlessly.

It's taken him a day to get it up and running, currently bench testing it but no sign of the original problem!

Makes me think my power supply here was dodgy. (It's weird, fluctuates, lights dim and the house has a neurotic circuit breaker installed by an alcoholic retired electrician )

So, I now owe my son a huge chicken pie.

He can keep the PC.