[Saddu]

My homebuilt system was working very well for 5 months till the CPU crapped out (Athlon XP 3000+). I initially thought it was a mobo problem but the manufacturer went through it and found it ok. To test, I replaced CPU with an Athlon 1000 in the same rig and it has been working fine since (1 month+). I was able to swap my Athon XP 3000+ (400 FSB) for a 2800+ (333FSB). I just installed the new CPU, mobo was able to identify it and Windows started up fine and recognized new chip in "System". However, now the computer has major instability issues - it crashes all the time (within 1-2 minutes) of startup or within seconds of using explorer or something else.

I haven't changed anything but the CPU from the very stable Athlon 1000 setup which was running at 100FSB so I tried dialing down FSB in bios to 100 with the new CPU (2800) but the problems persist.
The only solution I can think of is reinstalling Windows (as you can imagine a lot of work with the other software). Can you please explain the problem to me and provide a possible solution?

Thanks very much.

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Check the video adapter drivers and the temperatures, if you get HD Tune then you can set it to run at start up minimized, which will put the temperature in the taskbar

http://www.hdtune.com/

Use it to run a full scan

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

If no change, the next thing to do would be a repair install, this will leave data and settings intact

XP Repair

After running the repair it will be necessary to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[Retired Tech]

Check the video adapter drivers and the temperatures, if you get HD Tune then you can set it to run at start up minimized, which will put the temperature in the taskbar

http://www.hdtune.com/

Use it to run a full scan

Click start then run, type prefetch then press enter, click edit then select all, right click any file then click delete, confirm delete

Click start, all programmes, accessories, system tools to run disc clean up, then from system tools, run disc defragmenter.

Click start then run, type sfc /scannow then press enter, you need the XP CD and Windows File Protection will show a blue onscreen progress bar, when the bar goes, reboot

Click start then run, type chkdsk /f /r then press enter, type Y to confirm for next boot, press enter then reboot.

Windows will appear to load normally then either the monitor will show progress or the screen will go blank, do not disturb this. This will take an hour or so before it gets to the desktop.

Download and install Tune Up 2006 Trial

Run Tune Up Disc Clean Up

Run Tune Up Registry Clean Up

Click Optimize and Improve to run Reg Defrag, which will take a few minutes and need a reboot. You should disable the antivirus programme to run this and check it is running after the reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to optimize the computer, select computer with an internet connection from the drop down menu, this also requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to accelerate downloads, select the speed just above your actual connection speed, this requires a reboot

After the reboot, click optimize then system optimizer to run system advisor

If no change, the next thing to do would be a repair install, this will leave data and settings intact

XP Repair

After running the repair it will be necessary to install all Windows Updates

Microsoft Update

[Saddu]

I tried repairing my installation of Windows XP but the computer kept crashing in the middle of the install. Finally, I gave up and tried a clean install. It goes through the first step fine (in the dos style window) and proceeds to start XP where it needs to finish installation. Unfortunately, it still keeps crashing during the installation and hasn't managed to complete it yet. I always get the following error message:
"A problem has been detected and Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. If this is the first time....
Technical Information:
STOP:0x00000024 (0x001902F8, 0xF7C5ABB0, 0xF7C5A8B0, 0xF775C554)
Ntfs.sys - Address F77C554 base at F7716000, DateStamp 3b7dc5d0
Beginning dump of physical memory
Physical memory dump complete.
Contact your system admin..."

Is my hard drive busted or something else wrong? As I mentioned before the rig was working just fine till yesterday as long as I had my old CPU in so I am perpexled by this; would have thought a clean install would work beautifully. Please help. Thanks.

[Retired Tech]

Use either version of Boot and Nuke

http://dban.sourceforge.net/

Q: How do I make a bootable CD with the ISO file?

A: Download the ISO file to your desktop and double-click it.

If nothing happens when you double-click the ISO file, then you must obtain CD burning software, like one of these products:

CDBurnerXP (Gratis)
VSO Blindwrite (Shareware)
Nero Burning ROM (Shareware)
Roxio Easy Writer (Commercial)
If you burn DBAN to CD-R and see just one file when you open the CD-R afterwards, then you have burned DBAN incorrectly.

Use the cdrecord command if you have a Linux computer.

DBAN may not boot if you modify the ISO file or filesystem layout in any way, like by injecting files.

When you do the XP Format, use the default NTFS, not quick, check it is creating partition 1 RAW on C, if it is different, press the reset button

[Saddu]

I tried the Boot+Nuke and a fresh reinstall of XP. Things were going just fine and XP had moved from "installing windows" to "finishing installation" (had setup date/time, network, etc.) when I suddenly got a blue screen: "An error has been encountered...windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer". This happened at around "setup will complete in approx. 2 minutes". I turned the computer off for a couple of minutes and restarted - now it is reinstalling windows on its own. Suggestions? Thanks - really appreciate the help.

Update: while trying to reinstall windows got another blue screen: "A problem has been detected...IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"...if problems continue, disarble or remove any newly installed hardware or software, disable BIOS memory...dumping physical memory..."

Edited by Saddu, 26 March 2006 - 05:35 PM.

[Retired Tech]

What type, how much and how many sticks of RAM Memory are installed?

[Saddu]

PC3200: 2 DIMMs of 512MB each (dual-channel setup). One is an Ultra and the other Samsung. CL = 2.5-3.0 non-parity. Both have worked in this configuration stably for 5 months (with my previous CPU - Athlon XP 3000+ 400FSB).

[Retired Tech]

If you are OK with opening the case, it could be worth trying the install with one stick

Boot and Nuke would have said about errors with the drive, and XP Format would have picked something up

If you do open the case, check all the wiring is in place, and also all the cards are seated

[Saddu]

Pretty comfy with opening case (built this system). Will try with 1 stick. Would you recommend XP reinstall or fresh boot+nuke and then reinstall everything? Also, this has something to do with mismatched FSBs you reckon or just bad stick? Thanks.

[Retired Tech]

If XP picks up on the install, let it carry on, if not, format with the XP CD using NTFS Long option

If you need to start the install from scratch, maybe you can also set BIOS defaults for it

[The Skeptic]

It seems that the crashes relate directly to the cpu replacement. I would do the following:

1: Set bios to default values.
2: Check compatability of the motherboard to the replacment cpu. Check at the manufacturer's site or approach it's technical support.
3: Check in the bios for cpu temperatures. Maybe the heatsink is not sitting properly. Make sure that the top of the cpu and the bottom of the heatsink are perfectly clean and Apply a very thin layer of thermal paste.