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video card replaced, machine will only boot to safe mode
I was experiencing some video card issues earlier this week and posted a
question about a modern video card working on an older system. The basic problems were black vertical lines all over the screen and then windows 98 hangs during posting the bios text was alternating colors blue grey blue grey and shimmering pc would sometimes boot to normal mode but then the black lines and it hung. in safe mode it would get blue vertical lines about 1/2" apart but worked. Even the screen saver came on. The system is ALI Aladdin V is the chipset. MS6261 socket7 mainboard 100mhz made by Matsonic AMD K6III +3d 400mhz Asound sound card voodoo 3000 agp with tvout 17.5 gig WD 5200rpm ata33 10/100 nic (provided by my isp not sure what it is) So today I pulled out the voodoo thinking it was my problem and switched it with a gf2 pro that my friend gave me. I got it booted up into normal mode and downloaded and installed the gf drivers. Then rebooted and started to clean up my desk top by moving around some icons when the pc hung. I unpluged my monitor (referb sony 17in trinitron) and switched it for my mums 15in daytek just to see what would happen at which time the pc booted into normal mode and hung. So I was depressed and hooked up my sony again and went to boot up again but this time computer wouldn't boot. Its going through the posting process fine but when its about to load windows I get an error that says "Windows Protection Error" and something about needing to reboot press any key. So I did some research and found a MS page that explains alot of things to try in safe mode. http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;188867 i've tried about 3/4 of the page and frustration set in so i'm taking a break to post this huge long question. Earlier this month my HD was lagging after downloading larger files. Programs would lag and eventually things would freez up. After all that happened for a few weeks I started to get the video card issues. So now my question. Whats wrong with my mahcine... could it be the HD is finally gone ? I'm just about ready to replace it but before I send a few bucks on a new drive I wanted some opinions. I'm trying to salvage this pc until the spring when I can afford an upgrade. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated. thanks for reading -hh |
#2
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On Tue, 4 Nov 2003 17:40:38 -0500, "hiphop"
wrote: I was experiencing some video card issues earlier this week and posted a question about a modern video card working on an older system. The basic problems were black vertical lines all over the screen and then windows 98 hangs If it weren't for what you wrote below about the BIOS text, I would've suggested reinstalling the OS, or at least the video drivers, particularly since you had suspicions about the HDD, but that doesn't seem to be the problem based on further info... during posting the bios text was alternating colors blue grey blue grey and shimmering pc would sometimes boot to normal mode but then the black lines and it hung. in safe mode it would get blue vertical lines about 1/2" apart but worked. Even the screen saver came on. So to the best of your knowledge, there were no changes to the system between the time it worked properly, and started this problem behavior? Does it seem pretty consistent or progressively getting worse? Do you have a voltage meter (or at least a motherboard monitoring utility) you could use to check the power supply and motherboard voltages? The system is ALI Aladdin V is the chipset. MS6261 socket7 mainboard 100mhz made by Matsonic AMD K6III +3d 400mhz Asound sound card voodoo 3000 agp with tvout 17.5 gig WD 5200rpm ata33 10/100 nic (provided by my isp not sure what it is) You wouldn't have moved the system recently, right before the onset of these problems? I vaguely recall that Matsonic boards during this era had HORRIBLE memory slots, that the memory practically had to be hammered in, and/or it was necessary to put something behind the board to get the memory in, or keep from damaging the board while pushing hard enough to get memory fully inserted in the slots. MIght your memory not be fully seated in the slots? So today I pulled out the voodoo thinking it was my problem and switched it with a gf2 pro that my friend gave me. I got it booted up into normal mode and downloaded and installed the gf drivers. Then rebooted and started to clean up my desk top by moving around some icons when the pc hung. I unpluged my monitor (referb sony 17in trinitron) and switched it for my mums 15in daytek just to see what would happen at which time the pc booted into normal mode and hung. So I was depressed and hooked up my sony again and went to boot up again but this time computer wouldn't boot. Its going through the posting process fine but when its about to load windows I get an error that says "Windows Protection Error" and something about needing to reboot press any key. So I did some research and found a MS page that explains alot of things to try in safe mode. http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;188867 i've tried about 3/4 of the page and frustration set in so i'm taking a break to post this huge long question. Unlike while sitting at the desktop idling, while booting the system is under relatively heavier load. Considering also the BIOS oddities, I don't think Windows and/or it's booting is actually the problem, rather it's just when you SEE the problem surface. Failing loose components I think either your motherboard or power supply are dying, and considering the age of the system and relative quality level, you may be lucky that it lasted as long as it has. Earlier this month my HD was lagging after downloading larger files. Programs would lag and eventually things would freez up. After all that happened for a few weeks I started to get the video card issues. So now my question. That could be related or a completely different issue like a bad IDE cable, or if the HDD is as old as the rest of the system, it too could be failing, but that doesn't explain the video lines or BIOS issues. Does your system use an AT or ATX power supply? Maybe it doesn't matter, but I suspect you have a 5V issue, your 5V rail on the motherboard isn't sufficient, but whether the cause is the motherboard or power supply can't be determined without more testing, or perhaps only with replacement parts since they do still "somewhat" work. Whats wrong with my mahcine... could it be the HD is finally gone ? I'm just about ready to replace it but before I send a few bucks on a new drive I wanted some opinions. I'm trying to salvage this pc until the spring when I can afford an upgrade. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated. thanks for reading -hh The hard drive should have no effect on the BIOS problem, either you have two problems, it's not the HDD, or the HDD is shorting and dragging the power down to where the rest of the system is instable. If you haven't done anything to the system prior to the problem it would seem to be merely a progressive aging to the point where it's time for replacement. If you're looking for the absolute lowest cost to get the PC going again, I may have some old super 7 boards and low-end power supplies lying around, will never be used, if you're willing to pay postage I'll send you one of each, providing I have something that'll fit in your case, I don't remember if I have only ATX-form factor super 7 boards or an AT or two. Dave |
#3
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So to the best of your knowledge, there were no changes to the system between the time it worked properly, and started this problem behavior? Does it seem pretty consistent or progressively getting worse? There have been no system changes. It was progressively getting worse and now it won't boot up to normal mode at all. Do you have a voltage meter (or at least a motherboard monitoring utility) you could use to check the power supply and motherboard voltages? No voltage meters at all, although my monitor does support readout the motherboard does not. You wouldn't have moved the system recently, right before the onset of these problems? I vaguely recall that Matsonic boards during this era had HORRIBLE memory slots, that the memory practically had to be hammered in, and/or it was necessary to put something behind the board to get the memory in, or keep from damaging the board while pushing hard enough to get memory fully inserted in the slots. MIght your memory not be fully seated in the slots? I never move the system and dust around it. I checked the RAM its in all the way and locked in. Unlike while sitting at the desktop idling, while booting the system is under relatively heavier load. Considering also the BIOS oddities, I don't think Windows and/or it's booting is actually the problem, rather it's just when you SEE the problem surface. Failing loose components I think either your motherboard or power supply are dying, and considering the age of the system and relative quality level, you may be lucky that it lasted as long as it has. I had a psu go about a year and a half ago and it caused some hard drive damage. I had to get some help with the format because normal ways weren't working. I'm not really sure what the guy did but he got it recognized as a MS_DOS boot partition once again and I was able to get windows back on. Since then i've replace the psu with a cheepie compUSA brand because I have no good computer stores in my area except for the chains and at the time compUSA was the only one that had any type of psu in stock. I was in the middle of college work and needed the pc back up as soon as possible. I could replace it, but i'm not really sure its causing the problem and the money spent replacing it might better be spent upgrading to a new system. I just wish I could keep two running. That could be related or a completely different issue like a bad IDE cable, or if the HDD is as old as the rest of the system, it too could be failing, but that doesn't explain the video lines or BIOS issues. Again lots of starange HDD issues over the past 2years. Does your system use an AT or ATX power supply? Maybe it doesn't matter, but I suspect you have a 5V issue, your 5V rail on the motherboard isn't sufficient, but whether the cause is the motherboard or power supply can't be determined without more testing, or perhaps only with replacement parts since they do still "somewhat" work. ATX The hard drive should have no effect on the BIOS problem, either you have two problems, it's not the HDD, or the HDD is shorting and dragging the power down to where the rest of the system is instable. If you haven't done anything to the system prior to the problem it would seem to be merely a progressive aging to the point where it's time for replacement. I figured that since I got the new (older) gf2 pro installed and got the drivers intalled that the problem might have been dual related. Both the vid card was going and the HDD. Since the boot up shimmering is now gone, but now the hang has turned into a no boot situation. The system as been under alot of stress, power going out, short in some speakers that caused the surge protector to kick in...the psu that failed. I have been holding onto an extra WD HD thats brand new in anticipation for a new pc but I might put it in this pc to see if thats the problem. Again I would love to have a second pc around to do some audio recording away from the normal pc room. If you're looking for the absolute lowest cost to get the PC going again, I may have some old super 7 boards and low-end power supplies lying around, will never be used, if you're willing to pay postage I'll send you one of each, providing I have something that'll fit in your case, I don't remember if I have only ATX-form factor super 7 boards or an AT or two. Dave I would love to take you up on that Dave but I want to exhaust all posibilities on my end first. I'm considering a format of the current drive, as everything is backed up so I have nothing to lose. If that doesn't fix my problem and get me through until the spring then I would be interested in trying a different board and psu. The case is a mid atx tower. you can email me at if you come up with any old parts that your interested in dumping towards my cause =) thanks. -hiphop |
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