[Buttercuff]

Is that it?

HDD:PM-ST340016A
HDD:PS-SAMSUNG SP1

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I'm in BIOS SETUP UTILITY now: what to check there?

[Buttercuff]

I'm in BIOS SETUP UTILITY now: what to check there?

[dsenette]

http://download.seag...esktop?openform go here and download the seatools desktop software....they SHOULD have instructions on how to burn this to a bootable cd...use this tool to test the hard drive for errors since checkdisk isn't working

[dsenette]

http://www.seagate.c...atoold_reg.html that's a better link.....you can also make a floppy version if that works better

[Buttercuff]

I run that program at it stops at

STARTING SEATOOLS DESKTOP

80%

STARTING SEAGATE/DIASCIS INTERFACE ...


not moving beyond 80% for now!

[Buttercuff]

Running now!!!

Now i have to go but PLEASE, PLEASE COME BACK TOMORROW

i'll write potencial problems!!!!

Bye and thanks for all the help!!!

[The Skeptic]

The problem in your computer needs a systematic elimination of possibilities. Most are listed in my previous post. If you tested the memory and had no errors then the problem is not there. Check temps and voltages in the BIOS. Run a diagnostic software for the HD on which partition c: is located (I have got some links in my signature). If the problem is not there then try to replace the video card temporarily. Even a very old pci card will do for this test. Don't worry about drivers because we are not interested with performance at this point, we are only trying to make sure that the problem is not with the video card. If the problem is not found yet then try to replace the power supply unit. If possible, borrow one from a friend. It's very easy to do. If the problem is still there then it's either the motherboard or CPU.

This list looks awful but believe me, this is the only approach to really pinpoint the source of the problem. I am convinced that your problem is not a software one. It's either hardware or badly corrupted BIOS (for diagnostic purposes I regard BIOS as part of the motherboard)

[peterm]

Open your case and have a look at the capactiors.
May be blown like this pic or Just Bulged
Blown Capactiors

[Buttercuff]

I was trying to run SEATOOLS yesterday but i got frozen during the process!

When i tried to run it this morning it was going nowhere plus i have to reboot PC manually 5 or 6 times before it starts to run again! When i got it running there was some error and i got transfered to:

c:\

and all i have on that drive is SEATOOLS file! Where are WINXP and some other folders that were still on C drive???

I remember when i had to change motherboard similar things happened like freezing, several manual boots before PC could run, blue screen error messages ...

[dsenette]

ok i've got a question...what kind of xp cd is this? retail or upgrade or what?

from gerryf

I'm reluctant to jump in here with so many others, but I do have a question...what kind of Windows XP CD does this person have? A retail or upgrade CD will allow an installation to the second drive without wiping out the files that are there.

I don't have an OEM disk on me, but it seems to me (I'm feeling a little off this morning) even that will allow installation without format to the second drive.

So, pull the first drive, master the second drive, use the existing partition, and install without formatting--assuming there is room (1.5 gb on disk)

We can then rule out the drive all-together.

It sounds to me like a cascading harddrive failure with clusters giving up the ghost at a rapid pace.

the failing hard drive is what i'm thinking...but i wasn't aware of the fact that an install would leave your data...so basically what i would like for you to do is

take the c: drive completely out of your computer...make sure your d drive is jumpered as master and hook the IDE (flat ribbon) cable up to the drive on the end connector of the cable....now put your xp cd in and install windows on that drive WITHOUT FORMATTING...i repeat DO NOT FORMAT THE DRIVE AT ALL...just install windows on the available partition...

[Buttercuff]

I'll try that tomorrow when i will get someone to help me do it ...

i tried to install another version of WinXP on drive D (beside that one on drive c) and then you have the option which OS to use when your PC reboots and it didn't help either so i'm guessing it's motherboard problem again (i did have to change the motherboard a year ago).

I did formatted my C drive once before reinstalling WinXP (Sp1+Sp2) and same problems appeared. This means that my harddrive located on drive C is OK?

[gerryf]

No, it does not mean that.


When you install windows xp on a second drive, there are some files that are installed in the first drive, in addition to the master boot record.

So, the first drive is still used. If that drive is failing, it can cause the OS on the second drive not to load.

I am not saying that it is not the motherboard....it very well could be, but it sounds more like a failing drive.

Before you start, please post back the type of Windows XP CD you have--retail, upgrade, or OEM.

I do installs all the time with retail and upgrades and simply install to a second drive/partition/even directory without ever losing data....i just cannot recall if an OEM disk requires a format....

It WILL not install if it finds a Windows directory, but it seems to me that renaming the windows directory will allow it to install --just don't have one laying around at the moment

[Buttercuff]

I put out both harddrives located on drives C and D and tried to install WinXP on my new portable harddrive and same problems occured.

So what does that mean now?

[The Skeptic]

You made so many experiments, tests and installations with your drives and nothing improved. The reason is that your problem is not there. You also tested the memory and found no errors because the problem is also not there. I am almost convinced that your problem is either with the motherboard or cpu but that's a guess work and not a logical diagnosis of a problem. I repeat for the second time: to find the problem you must follow a logical series of steps, all mentioned in my previous posts. No shortcuts here. They all ment to take you from the easy and cheap to the more complicated and costly. I re-repeat what is left for you to do before getting to the conclusion that it is either the motherboard or cpu:

1: disconnect all nonessential hardware pieces . Leave the computer with only the HD, video card and motherboard connected.

2: Enter BIOS and report temperatures of cpu, motherboard and HD. Report voltages. This is crucial because all your problems can be derived from a faulty power supply unit which destabilize the entire system and shows inconsistent error messages. (Regarding the psu: you mentioned that you already had a faulty motherboard on this computer. A possible cause that you may need a third motherboard on this computer is a bad psu. If at that time you didn't replace the psu then it is even more important to doublecheck it. I don't say that this is what failed the first motherboard but you surely don't want to take the risk of destroying another one)

3: Unplug the computer from the wall socket, open the box and carefully remove the round battery that keeps BIOS user's parameters. Leave the battery out for 15 minutes (not less), install in the reverse order and reboot. You may get a checksum error which will disappear when you set time and date. If the computer is still unstable:

4: If voltages reported (paragraph 2) are not to specs then you must try to replace the power supply unit. Borrow one (if possible) from another computer. It is quite easy to do. If still no good:

5: Try to replace the video card. I mentioned before that even an old pci card will do and you don't have to worry about drivers. I don't know if your card is part of the motherboard or an AGP one. If you have both (as is very often the case) then you most probably use the AGP. If this is the case then remove the AGP video card, connect the monitor to the video connector on the motherboard and reboot.

If the computer still shows the problems then your problem is either in the motherboard or cpu.

[Kurtz61]

Alright i am having the same problem as the guy listed before.... I was playing BF2 when the game crashed i figured ok it is going to take me back out to my desktop... nope not the case my computer shuts down and then starts to restart.... on the first try i simply get a quick blue screen and another restart then after several trys i get the error message as stated before "Windows could not start because of an error in the software... Please Report this problem as:
load needed DLLs for Hal
Please contact your support person to report this problem....
so i am like What the... after several trys of restarting and powering down i try to repair my windows installation hoping it will fix any missing or corrupted files... negative i cannot get that option because my hd isnt showing up... i should mention that i am running raid 0 on 250 SATA seagate drives... and yes i am pressing the f6 and loading my raid drivers....
i built this computer not a month ago and all was working fine until now....
my specs are as follows:
Asus A8N-SLI
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core Processor
EVGA Ge-Force 7800GT (just one... didnt have the money to go SLI yet)
Antec 550w
2GB Corsair dual channel

my Voltage and Temperatures are as follows:
Vcore Voltage 1.36
3.3V Voltage 3.39
5v Voltage 5.13
12V Voltage 12.22V
Cpu Temp = 44c
M/B Temp = 34C

I the guy hasnt posted back and was wondering if he ever figured out what was wrong.... Thanks and i would appreciate the help