[Retired Tech]

Did you repair install or format the drive and install?

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It was a brand new install... format/install. ALL previous partiitions were removed. I have noted, though, that when it boots up, it gives me two XP Professional options to select then it counts down until it loads the first XP that is listed.

Just for the heck of it, I clicked on the second XP option to see what happened but it gave an error message. I then rebooted and let it go into the default.

Edited by Ramkzoo, 13 October 2006 - 11:49 AM.

[Ramkzoo]

It was a brand new install... format/install. ALL previous partiitions were removed. I have noted, though, that when it boots up, it gives me two XP Professional options to select then it counts down until it loads the first XP that is listed.

Just for the heck of it, I clicked on the second XP option to see what happened but it gave an error message. I then rebooted and let it go into the default.

Edited by Ramkzoo, 13 October 2006 - 11:49 AM.

[Retired Tech]

The format didn't run properly if there are two

If you can stand it

If it were me, I would use boot and nuke to clear the drive, it uses a more comprehensive system than the XP format and will usually clear problems with a drive. It will take an hour per 25 GB of drive size, if you start it to run overnight, you only need to replace the boot and nuke disc with the XP CD when you are ready as it will run and then wait for you to remove the disc.

You could run memtest first just to check as a memory error could also give an incomplete install

To completely erase all data on the drive(s)

Click this to download Boot and Nuke

Click this for a guide to using Boot and Nuke

Use the autonuke option, which could take 8 hours or so, then when you run Windows set up, check it is creating a RAW1 partition on C, if the drive letter is different, restart the PC and it should default to C

http://www.winsupers...xp_sg_clean.asp

[Ramkzoo]

Thanks for the advice. I will have to stand it. Due to one of my personality quirks, I can't stand not doing something right. This is why I was so stubborn hoping to find the issue in the first place. And, since this effort is on behalf of a very good friend of mine, I also would not wish to return the machine not right.

Anyway, I will have to follow your advice on Monday, as I am pretty much done in for today.

I'll post feed back once I've completed the Boot and Nuke, the second reinstall of Xp Prof, the updates, and retested for crash using the handy dandy Virus Scan.

Is it a problem if I run the Memtest over the weekend? (I won't be here to stop it.)

[Ramkzoo]

The question is moot; I started Memtest and the system crashed about 10 minutes into start.

I will follow up on Monday to see if you have any suggestions on what to do with this information (Memtest).

[Retired Tech]

It should run a complete set of passes in about an hour, if there is a drastic error it would show up then

I would be reluctant to leave a PC which has been crashing running unattended

[Retired Tech]

For post 20

Can you remove the soundcard, graphics card, leave a single memory stick in slot one, remove the USB leads for printers etc and run the PC with only the keyboard, mouse and monitor connected

[Ramkzoo]

Thank you, Keith, for the diligent responses. I am not able to physically remove the sound card, or the graphics; all are on board the system. Would it help to disable them, or remove the drivers? I have only the mouse and keyboard attached; the printer is a network printer; I can remove the network cable, and I can remove one memory module. (There are two 256 MB sticks.)

Edited by Ramkzoo, 16 October 2006 - 07:42 AM.

[Retired Tech]

I would start with disabling them

You can remove the network cable

You could either run Memtest for an hour to see if it shows anything, or remove a stick of RAM

[Ramkzoo]

Thanks, Keith. I removed the network cable and a stick of RAM. I did not disable either onboard item as yet. Memtest has been running about 12 minutes now w/o crashing the system.

Question: I noticed that they (Dell) had the memory sticks loaded in every other slot, rather than side by side. Is this normal? When I add RAM on my own, I place them side by side.

[Ramkzoo]

I ran Memtest for 2.5 hours with the first RAM stick; there were no crashes and no errors found in 20 passes. I am beginning the testing on the second stick of RAM.

Edited by Ramkzoo, 16 October 2006 - 10:17 AM.

[Retired Tech]

Maye Dell Techs have big hands, bad eyesight?

Place them next to each other, see if it runs without disabling the onboards

[Ramkzoo]

Good one; I'll do that as soon as I finish the testing on this second stick alone. Thanks.

[Ramkzoo]

Good morning, Keith:

Memtest ran without any issues or errors on both sticks independently. I replaced both sticks of RAM (slot 1 and 2, since I have small hands and good eyesight) and it ran trouble free for over an hour yesterday and 2.5 hours this morning. (0 errors both times) I am going to shut it down, perform the Boot and Nuke as you had instructed, reload XP and all its updates, and then I shall re-try the VirusScan. Cross your fingers that it all works!

[Retired Tech]

Hope it goes well