[RESOLVED] Pc hang, HD led remain"on"

[HORIA]

my problem appeared when I updated my hardware components(HD, CD-ROM, memory) and I changed Win95 to Win98.After this, during games or programs,my PC hang, HD is activated and led lit.Ctrl-Alt-Del is not function, so I have to reboot the PC.I suposed that the problem occur from the incompatibility of my mobo chipsets(VIA) and AMD K6.So, I upgraded the mobo, having now Intel BX40 chipsets and Celeron 466 MHz.The problem occur again, so i removed the video card, memory, I tested the HD with IBM utility, but everything seems to be O.K.
I run the games on my Office PC, and they work, so the problem is with my home computer.If someone have any idea, please help. Thanks in advance

[AlienDyne]

It sounds like a faulty Windows installation.
I'd format the drive and install Win98 again, if I were you.

If the problem persists, then you have to check your VGA. What VGA do you have?
Maybe the games you play need a 3D card. If so, is your card compatible?
Have you installed DirectX 7?

You should also check your HDD for Bad Clusters. Boot into Command Prompt and type:
scandisk c: /autofix /surface

Finally, check your CPU's temperature. Maybe all these are due to overheat.

Hope these helped...
Good luck.




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Always try to do the best.
If it's too difficult, just forget the whole idea!!!

[HORIA]

Thanks,AlienDyne for your support.
I've install Win98 or Win98SE many times, the same result.First I used a Voodoo banshee video card, and then I changed it with NVidia Vanta, without any results.I downloaded the last drivers, so it seems to be o.k. with video card.I have installed DirectX7a, but the problem occur also in programs9Excel, Word).For hard-disk I used an utilitary from IMB which says that it's o.k.

[AlienDyne]

Then I suppose the problem is caused by the memory.
Can you try another memory DIMM?
Just to be sure...

------------------
Always try to do the best.
If it's too difficult, just forget the whole idea!!!

[HORIA]

I've tried.I replace my 64 Mb RAM PC100, with another one, but 128 Mb.The problem remain.Last evening, when I tried to install something, I accessed the CD-ROm, nothing happend, but the HD remains"on", so I have to reboot the PC.

[RGK01]

Is your CD Drive connected to the same cable as your Hard Drive? A lot of systems have problems (ATAPI compatability problem) with this configuration. Put the CDROM Drive on a seperate cable connected to the secondary IDE interface.

[AlienDyne]

Lets do over.

Disconnect everything useless from the system. For example, printer, sound card, tv-tuner, CD-R etc.
Leave the floppy the HDD and the VGA on.
Bootup and see if the problem occurs.
If not, then probably the problem is related to a device not present.

If the problem still occurs, you have to check your power supply. Check if there're some bad clusters on your HDD, using Microsoft Scandisk. Leave IBM's utility and try Scandisk. Just to be sure....




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Always try to do the best.
If it's too difficult, just forget the whole idea!!!

[HORIA]

I use two separate cables for HD and CD-ROM, each of them as master on primary and secondary IDE controller.I have a At case with P/S of 200W, which seems to be not enought, but how should I know if this is the problem? Only changing the P/S?I have installed on slots the followings:AGP video Card, PCI Sound Card, PCI modem, PCI Tv Tuner.There is any software to know that my resources are limitem?To disable from BIOS ACPI and APM functions?

[AlienDyne]

You can check your resources using Device Manager. Just double-click the Computer icon and see what's going on with all those IRQs. Probably the problem is related to them.
Or, you can pull everything out and see if the system works properly. Then adding one device per time, you can find out which one causes the problem.

That power supply isn't probably enough for a decent machine, nowadays. Try another one. This is the only way to see what's going on.

Good luck...

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Always try to do the best.
If it's too difficult, just forget the whole idea!!!

[HORIA]

Device Manager shows 90% resource free!no problems, with IRQ's, all the devices are installed properly, so everything seems o.k.
I'll try to change the P/S with a 235 W one, if I can find something like this on the Market.

[HORIA]

I take off from my PC sound card, TV tuner and modem, and play a game that I know that hangs on.Surprise, it runs.I insert the sound card(CREATIVE PCI128) and the problem appear again.I replace the sound card with another one, C-MEdia 8330 Plug and Play ISA slot, and the problem remain.I replaced the P/S with one of 230 W, without any result.I replaced the operating system with Win95, but also hangs.I don't know what to do:just to think that two sound cards have the same problems, or it was a coincidence?What can be the follow step?

[rna]

Check you'r IRQ settings. Sounds like IRQ conflict.

[HORIA]

Everything is O.K in Device Manager.No conflicts, 90% resource free

[jayhawk88]

Originally posted by HORIA:
I insert the sound card(CREATIVE PCI128) and the problem appear again.I replace the sound card with another one, C-MEdia 8330 Plug and Play ISA slot, and the problem remain.

Go into your BIOS, and check the setting for Plug-and-Play OS if there is one. It should probably be set to ON, but you may want to turn that off since your having such problems. You might also want to make sure that BIOS virus scanning is turned off, and that internal and external caching is both on. Also make sure that all resource configuration in Intergrated Peripherals (if you have that section) is turned to auto.

These are things I generally check when confronted with problems similar to yours. If your still having problems getting any add-on cards to work with the system, you might want to consider replacing the motherboard.

[HORIA]

No, I think that apparently the sound cards are installed properly.The sounds is O.K. till the moment the PC hang.I can not find any connection between PC hang and sound card.DirectX7 Diagnostic Tool says that everything is o.k.

[jonlussier]

When a Windows 9x system is shut down correctly, the system may get stuck at a splash screen with the message:

"Windows is Now Shutting Down"


This often happens when the system is on a network, but these problems can manifest in any system. The root cause of this is usually a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program, which are programs that remain in memory at all times once they are loaded. Calendars, calculators, spell checkers, thesauruses, and notepads are frequently TSR programs. This is so they can be instantly accessed from within another program. The problem is that when you attempt to shut down, these TSR programs will often stay in memory and interfere with Windows shutting down correctly.

Solution

There are some alternatives that can be tried on Win9x machines that may allow Windows to shut down more reliably:

In Windows 98 only:

Click Start | Run.
In the OPEN box, type msconfig and click OK.
This will bring up the System Configuration Utility.
Click the Advanced button. This will bring up the Advanced Troubleshooting Settings window.
Find the checkbox labeled Disable Fast Shutdown. On certain systems this will be checked at the factory, and others it will be blank.
If it checked, click on the box to remove the checkmark.
If it is not checked, click on the box to add a checkmark.

Click Ok on Advanced Troubleshooting Settings window.
Click OK in System Configuration Utility. The system will ask to restart.
Click Yes to restart system.
In Windows 95 or 98:

CAUTION: The following procedure contains information about editing the Windows registry. Dell does not guarantee success or support these actions. Any use of the information provided herein, is performed at your own risk. You should make a backup copy of the registry files prior to executing any of the following steps. Incorrect use of the registry editor and editing the registry files can cause serious problems that may require a complete reinstall of your operating system. Dell assumes no responsibility, expressed or implied, regarding the consequences of any action taken as a result of the information provided herein.

Click Start | Run.
In the OPEN box, type regedit and click OK.
This will bring up the Registry Editor.
Find the folder in left panel called HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and click the plus sign next to it. This will expand another list of folders.
Find the sub-folder Software and click the plus sign next to it.
Find the sub-folder Microsoft and click the plus sign next to it.
Find the sub-folder Windows and click the plus sign next to it.
Find the sub-folder CurrentVersion and click the plus sign next to it.
Find the sub-folder Winlogon and click on it to highlight it.
Click on Edit on the menu
Click New
Click String Value. You will notice "New Value #1" appear in right panel, waiting for you to type a name.
Overwrite "New Value #1" with PowerDownAfterShutdown and press [Enter].
Right-click on PowerDownAfterShutdown
Click on Modify. An Edit String window will appear.
Type 1 and then click OK.
Close Registry Editor
These changes may allow Windows to shut down TSRs more reliably, and will provide easier shutdowns.

[HORIA]

Thanks, Jonlussier for your support, but I don't have any problem with Windows shutdown.I disable Scandisk at Windows bad Shutdown, so the boot process after hang is faster.I verified the IRQ sharings, and I find that video card share IRQ with sound card, but there is no conflicts.Maybe I must use another PCI slot, but I don't have any free one, as i have installed modem and TV-tuner.A solution is to change between them, but I'm not sure that this will solve the problem.

[jonlussier]

http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/driver.htm

[RedBeard]

As I stated in the e-mail I sent you, I beleive that you need to diable your IRQ Steering in windows, though you are not showing a conflick in the device manager, and you have already stated that the sound card and video card share the same IRQ, the conflick, because of the requirements of the video, and sound for the games that you are playing, are causeing confusion within windows!