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#1
Laughter

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Hi Everyone,

Ok. I have a gaming computer that is dead. I must have killed it (LOL---guilty, your honor!). With that said, here is a bit of background.

A couple of months ago, I started to randomly get kicked out of screens while on-line. Ex: I'd be in my Hotmail typing an email, and *blink*, the screen would close itself. It got worse as time went on and then started to come up with different warnings and notices. Ex: memory dump beginning and stuff like that....I tried to repair WIN2000, and a number of other things......including reinstalling WIN200 altogether. However, it wasn't able to complete the install due to 45 different reasons.

To make a long story short, a friend mentioned that I needed a new hard drive (which sounded about right since there was a grinding noise prior to the screens blinking out). I bought a new hard drive and installed it exactly where the old one was located and connected it with the same connections, etc...(Because I didn't want to screw anything up on top of everything else).

I did fine.....the new hard drive worked, it accepted a complete download of WIN2000, I was able to access the web---life was good!! :tazz:

Then it started to do the same stuff again----on a screen on the web, and *blink*, there it goes..... :) Same stuff, different day.

I went thru and tried different stuff that I mentioned above during the first set of problems, but nothing. Now, when I power up, I get to a black screen that prompts me for the WIN CD to find some missing file and when I put in the CD, it shuts itself down!!!!! Quit laughing, it isn't funny. ;) ON TOP OF all this, I am now unable to get my CD-ROM tray to open at all!!! Don't know what made it decide not to open---never had the problem before.

So, I have the unit sitting off to the side and I am bummed. Bummed because I don't know where to begin to fix it....and bummed that it might cost big $$$ to have someone possibly "undo" what I have done.

Any suggestions? ;) Thanks to everyone!!! ~Laughter
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#2
Doby

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Hi,

When you say "blink the screen would close itsef" do you mean the program would close or do you get a bsod (blue screen of death)?

Can you boot into bios? If so post the temps and voltages

Try this download memtest86 follow the instuctions and create a bootable floppy, then boot from the floppy and let memtest run for 3 passes and report back how many errors you get.

If none of this works or you can't access bios I would first try a different psu (power supply)

Rick
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#3
nixx

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try the hd you are using now in a different comp. if the same stuff happens, its a VIRUS!, if its all good, its the hardware. then check compatability between all the parts. if you can, post all your system info for us.

Nixx
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#4
Laughter

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Hi,

When you say "blink the screen would close itsef" do you mean the program would close or do you get a bsod (blue screen of death)?

Can you boot into bios? If so post the temps and voltages

Try this download memtest86 follow the instuctions and create a bootable floppy, then boot from the floppy and let memtest run for 3 passes and report back how many errors you get.

If none of this works or you can't access bios I would first try a different psu (power supply)

Rick

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Hi Rick,

THANK YOU for taking the time to respond!!!

To answer your questions----when it went *blink* it would just close the program I was in and go back to the desktop. No blue screen of death (although I am a bit too familiar with that sucker! lol).

Booting into BIOS is impossible. It just gets stuck in that "loop" of requesting the WIN2000 CD to extract the missing or corrupt file that it says it needs (which varies), but once the CD is inserted, it acts as if it's extracting data----and then reboots indefinitely.

I will give the suggestions you mentioned a try and will get back to you with the results and details. THANKS again!!!

~Laughter
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#5
Laughter

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try the hd you are using now in a different comp. if the same stuff happens, its a VIRUS!, if its all good, its the hardware. then check compatability between all the parts. if you can, post all your system info for us.

Nixx

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Hi Nixx,

I appreciate your post!!! Thank you!

I'll do what you suggested and get back with the information you asked about (if I can access it). Someone mentioned that a virus may have gotten into the motherboard...I didn't realize that that was a possibility???

Thanks again!!!!

~Laughter
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#6
nixx

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errr, by that i assume you mean a bios virus...never heard of it, but i suppose its possable however unlikely. if you can get Everest home which will give you the hardware info.
another thing you can try would be to take everything out except one ram, the hd, and graphics card. everything else set to the side. one by one, put them all back in untill you find the problem...this would be a last resort.

Nixx
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#7
Doby

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Booting into BIOS is impossible. It just gets stuck in that "loop" of requesting the WIN2000 CD



To accsess bios you should not be getting to the OS (operating system) loading screen at all. We need to see if you can get into bios that will tell us if its a problem with the OS or hardware related.

List your system specs
Do you know how to get into bios?
Try hitting the delete key as you boot up, if you get in look for the temps and voltages and list them, let the computer idle in bios for 30 minutes or so to see if it shutsdown.

Don't change anything to exit just highlite exit without safeing changes
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#8
Laughter

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To accsess bios you should not be getting to the OS (operating system) loading screen at all. We need to see if you can get into bios that will tell us if its a problem with the OS or hardware related.

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Hi Doby,

Well, I finally had the chance to power up the system and here is exactly what I am getting now: :tazz:


When I power up, the monitor's light turns green, the system sounds like everything is firing up just fine, etc...
On the tower itself, the red and green lights on the top right remain lit solid the whole time.
The ONLY thing that now appears on the monitor's screen is a black screen and then a rectangular blue screen in the middle that just says "OFF MODE IN 5 SECONDS."
The off mode in 5 seconds appears on the screen whether I try to boot up in BIOS (via the delete key) or without hitting a key whatsoever.
Also-----------the ONLY way for me to power the sucker off is to do it manually on the back of the tower. The buttons on the front aren't being recognized.

I wanted to mention that the monitor works just fine on another system we have at the house (an old Pentium 2 Gateway!).

Do you suggest that I toss it out a 3rd or 4th floor window? ;)

Ok, thanks for listening and I look forward to any replies!!!!!!!!

Thanks again, Laughter
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#9
nixx

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lol, you mus be in good spirits! i did some minor research and found this:

Power Button / Soft-Off by PWRBTN
This field defines the power off mode when using an ATX power supply.

Instant Off: Allows power off immediately upon pressing the power button.
Delay 4 sec: the system powers off when the power button is pressed for more than four seconds or enters the suspend mode when pressed for less than four seconds.

and

It is a message from
the monitor's processor saying that it has stopped getting regular video
data from the computer's graphics card and it is about to shut off the
monitor's power.  It is part of the energy saving features of newer
monitors.


I would guess that the graphics is not setup right or something. but you are having alot of problems i would guess are comming from the same place-psu. maybe try one from the other comp or try teh hd in the other comp.

Nixx
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#10
Laughter

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lol, you mus be  in good spirits!

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Hi Nixx,

LOL.......good spirits sound about right........any hard liquor will do! LOL

Thanks for the post. I think I will try to buy a power supply----because I am SO freaking paranoid at trying the one on the old Gateway, which is at least getting me into my email....and it powers up, for crying out loud! LOL

Have a great weekend. Thanks again, Laughter
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#11
nixx

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Try this one, works great fore me!

Nixx
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#12
Doby

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You will have to try another video card because the card is not sending a signal to the monitor but nix is right with all the problems you should try another psu that could have caused the problem with the vido card to begin with.

Rick
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#13
Laughter

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Hello again! :tazz:

Ok, a quick question.....the existing power supply in the computer is a 350WATT. Do I need to replace it with a 350 or can I go to a 420, etc.?

Thanks! ~Laughter
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#14
Doby

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I always recommend at least a 400w name brand psu for any modern system Antec, thermaltake, enermax all make good psu's

Rick
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#15
Rockster2U

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Laughter ....

You've gotten some very good advice and I'd encourage you to stick with what has already been recommended. At the same time, this one tickles my curiousity a bit, and while I don't throw this out as an alternative to what has already been suggested, If you get a chance - let us know something re: the following.

Next time you have the case open, do you see any capacitors that look discolored or are bulging and/or do you see any signs of burn marks or a dust-like appearance on the motherboard itself where a capacitor is mounted?

What happens if you continually tap the CTRL key when trying to boot?

What happens if you hold the INSERT key down while trying to boot?

Again - This is not an alternative to the direction you've already been given - consider it as a couple of curiousity questions only. Thanks.

Regards,
:tazz:
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