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is my motherboard on the way out?


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#1
landa321

landa321

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My PC has been pretty reliable for a while, but in the last few days, everything is going wrong.

The only change to the system was that I installed an internal SATA . I had never had a SATA HD until this one. When I tried to boot up to PC, I got the missing hal.dll error.

I physically uninstalled the HDD and tried to boot again. same missing =hal.dll error.

I tried to install the hal.dll file by going into system repair and using the "expand" command. I got a "path not vaild" error. I looked on the disc in windows explorer and i see the hal.dll file on the disc. I also see it in my system. I thought maybe both files are corrupt, but I used the same XP disc to install XP on the laptop that i am on now and everything works fine on the laptop.

So... i tried to boot up from the disc. I was able to do that, although I was getting lots of errors when trying to do so. The errors were files that weren't loading. I would eject the disc and put it back in and that seemed to work.

Then... I finally tried to re-install XP on the PC. mad mistake. Now, all my drivers aren't working on several things. The PC still won't boot up on its own... only boots up from the disc. Can't connect to internet on PC because my ethernet controller won't work.


I did try system restore several times during all of this... wouldn't work.

Now... the system is VERY slow in just getting through the memory check and checking IDE drives when I turn it on.

This leads me to believe that maybe all of this was due to my MB dying slowly.

I don't know if this matters, but the MB is a Gigabyte 865PE

PLEASE HELP.
thanks
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#2
98springer

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Are you using a full blown Windows CD or are you trying to use the Recovery CD that came with the laptop?
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#3
landa321

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full blown windows cd
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#4
lurky

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When you installed the drive, was it as a replacement or as an additional hard drive? Your motherboard is most likely fine, you just need to reinstall the OS properly along with supported drivers. When you reinstall the OS, be sure to format both drives (Unless you're aiming to get information off the original).

To find the drivers you need, you'll need to know what exactly is in the PC. Start with the gimmies like the video adapter and audio if yours isn't integrated.

Also, you mentioned your motherboard is an 865PE. Might need a little more information than that to find what you need. I took a quick look over gigabyte's site and noticed the model names and revisions don't match up for the 865. They do however, support an Intel865PE chipset. Look to see if you see other information labeled on the actual board or possibly on the box if you still have it.
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#5
landa321

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ok... i am going to install XP on the new hard drive. when i do try to boot up the pc now, the memory check takes a VERY long time. IDE check also takes a very long time.

the mother board is a Gigabyte model # GA-8IPE1000-G (P4 Titan series)
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#6
landa321

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in case anyone finds this by googling, searching, etc....

i removed everything from the system, except for the video card/monitor and one RAM stick.

It fixed the problem of the BIOS page hanging. Memory testing ran very quickly and I was able to go into BIOS super quick.

I then tried every PCI card one by one and everything still worked fine. I now put everything back in and am installing XP on my new hard drive. I don't know what was causing the problem, since everything is back in now and the problem is gone, but that is what I did.

I guess the problem is resolved now. Once I install XP on the new hard drive, I will have to reinstall programs and it's going to be a lot of work, but for now, I suppose my MB is alright.

Problem resolved I guess.
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