Looking for old-school BIOS--help needed

[merlinsghost]

I'm not quite sure how to run diagnostic tools in Windows XP, aside from HDD utilities.

Which utilites did you have in mind, and how do I run them? I'm an XP newbie, and I haven' t had problems with Windows 2000, so I've never had to run them in that OS, consequently, I'm in the dark. =(

[Garak]

Something like PC Check, or a memory tester, as I'm kinda leaning towards that..

Also, did you start with a full clean install of XP or an over the top install?

[merlinsghost]

Just got ANOTHER BSOD.

Any particular memory tester you recommend? I've gotten several errors that I searched the knowledge base for, and they suggested bad RAM.

This may seem like an odd question, but if you only have one stick of RAM, which slot should you put it in to? Is there a specific slot you should start in (i.e. the one closest to the CPU)? I seem to remember something about that a long time ago, but maybe that isn't the case anymore.

There is only one stick of RAM in this computer, so I can't pull one out and test that theory. =( I guess I'll have to stick with the memory testing program that you recommend.


Clean installation.

[Garak]

Check your PM's

[merlinsghost]

Well, I have finally completed every test in that program.

The Motherboard, CPU, and Memory all passed all of their tests--basically so did everything else EXCEPT three (out of the five on the motherboard) USB Root Hub Controllers. When I tested them, they failed miserably.

I just rebooted from yet another BSOD--0x00000050 Page Fault in non paged area--this one naming win32.sys as the culprit.

Ideas?

That program is GREAT, Garak. Thank you very much for letting me utilize it! =)

[Garak]

Try disabling the USB completely, maybe the memory being allocated for the USB devices, or where the drivers are being loaded to are causing the issue if the device is failing on random access?

I know it sounds daft, but if it works, take the board back if its still under warrenty..

Good Luck..

[merlinsghost]

This is very interesting.

Your program says there are five VIA USB Universal Host Controllers, but the Windows Device Manager says there are only four.

[Garak]

Hmmm,

Personally I would say "mobo" issue, did you try disabling your onboard USB?????????

[merlinsghost]

No, not yet.

I'm going back to California for a month and a half (or so), and I won't be here to experiement with it...I can show my girlfriend how to do it though, and she (and I) can keep you abreast of the situation.

It might be a little bit between posts. I'll see if I can find time now to do it (I might not be able to though).

Thanks again. =)

(edit)I've disable ALL USB on the motherboard. I'm going to screw around for a bit and see if it crashes. I'll post the results right before I leave. (/edit)

(edit2) Well, here I am, fifteen minutes or so later, and it crashed again. No BSOD, but still a crash that required hitting the reset button. I'm not sure it was disabling the USB that caused it to not give me a BSOD or not, since before I did that I was getting those sorts of crashes as well. For now I'm going to re-enable USB, and let my girlfriend fiddle with it since she'll need USB to print. She won't be able to try anything until Monday (we're going to her house for Thanksgiving), but if you have any more suggestions, I'll pass them on to her. =)(/edit2)

[Garak]

what exactly are you doing when it crashes? the more detail the better.

[merlinsghost]

When playing Half-Life, most of the time I'm either saving or loading a game. But crashes have also occured while scrolling through the weapons menus, cd music access, during fire fights (usually with Marines), and while simply walking forward.

In Windows itself, it has crashed while I've been typing replies here in the forum, while browsing pictures on the hard drive, while searching Image Bank.com, while browsing the hard drive, while listening to MP3's, loading up Internet Explorer 6 (with SP1 now too), while opening mail programs such as Eudora, MSN Messenger, even Microsoft Outlook, Winword, Editpad (Lite), and after Service Pack 1 installed (I got that 0x00000050 error, page_fault_in_non_paged_area).

If you need spefic program versions, I think I can supply most of them from memory.

(edit)The RAM seems to be okay physically, but I talked to a friend of mine about the problem (he's running a RAEDON 9000), and he suggested that the RAM's BIOS settings may be set too high (he was having a similar problem--though he was overclocking--and he fixed it by adjusting his RAM settings). Sooo, we'll try that on Monday night or sometime Tuesday...(/edit)

[Garak]

yeah, try resetting the BIOS to defaults, maybe you are clocking the memory too high like your friend without realising it?

I hope you get it sorted.

[merlinsghost]

We're trying it now. =)

I'll keep you posted.

[merlinsghost]

Well, it's been two days and no crashes, but the computer is sitll running a bit choppily. Sometimes IE browser windows load right away, sometimes it takes five to ten seconds...

[Garak]

one down, one to go.