PC troubles, I miss my Mac :(

[sikkinixx]

This has been driving me insane!! I miss my Apple in a bad way....

A few months ago I bought the components for a computer. Ever since I bought it I have gotten blue screens. I took it into the store because of boot errors and it turned out the BIOS needed to be flashed. It worked on and off for a while but never 100%.


Lately it's a lot more it seems. I have tried XP and Vista multiple times with different hard drives. I bought some new DDR2 Ram (it's an ASUS P5k-E/WIFI-AP mobo) but when installed with the new ram the system would not even post.

After tech support with ASUS they figure it's the motherboard having issues. Before sending it in for repair (which costs ~$40 shipping + min. 5 week wait) I decided to buy a new motherboard to make sure it was the problem and just pay the restock if it wasn't. HOWEVER, the damn thing STILL gives me the blue screen errors!!!! ARGH!

I get: fltmgr.sys error, page_fault_in_nonpaged_area.

The only thing left is either the CPU or the Graphics card. I don't know why the replacement RAM i bought (and have since returned) didn't allow my system to boot. Should I buy different RAM and try it again? I have been told several times it sounds like a RAM issue...

 

[yellow]

It does sound like a RAM error.

 

[egor]

Download memtest (Google it) and boot into it to get a conclusive analysis.

It does sound like a RAM issue, the error message seems to refer to paging, again, memory.

PCs aren't that bad, so don't give up. Once you get it working you'll be fine. My first PC was self-built and they always will be, what I like is the fact that if there is a problem I can fix it myself (not that there ever has been a major issue). This removes month long turnarounds I'd get with a regular PC vendor, I can just fix it myself within a day.

 

[sikkinixx]

I figure it must be a RAM issue too. I just wonder why the stuff I bought as a test didn't even boot despite having the correct BIOS settings and all... Hm... well I will go grab another set from Bestbuy tonight and try it out again.

PC's aren't so bad. I liked building it and the performance to cost ratio is outstanding. I just miss taking my Apple laptop to the service centre and saying "Fix it".

 

[toolbox]

If your testing ram make sure you do one stick at a time. if your testing two sticks it won't be able to tell you which stick is faulty.

If you can, taken t he machine and blow all the dust out. Remove any add in cards like video sound, ram and blow some air into those slots too. Then get some isopropyl alcohol and clean the contacts of the cards and ram chips. then reinsert.

Could be your powersupply has faults also. If your game enough, take the top cover of it and make sure the capacitors are not swollen or leaking. IF they are chuck it and get another. If there swollen the tops will be bulging and if there leaking ther will be brown liquid in the top of them

 

[sikkinixx]

I gave it a clean yesterday when I put the new motherboard in, and it has been like this more or less since I bought it so I doubt dust would be the issue.

Hmm... I dunno if I am brave enough to open up the power supply! I already almost snapped my CPU fan trying to get it to lock into place.


And I just ran memtest and after 1 pass it says there are no errors with it.

 

[toolbox]

did you run the standard test or the extended? the standard does 5 tests the extended does 11

To open the powersupply is like 4 screws and the top lifts off. Obviously make sure it's unplugged from mobo and mains power before if and when you do it.

Those cpu fans are a pain to get in specially those ones that you push down with the plastic clips, i nearly broke mine too! do you have any addin cards? like video and sound? You could perhaps take them out see how it runs.

 

[sikkinixx]

it was the ram after all (I think anyway) I was told on the store I buy from's forums that Crucial Ram doesn't mix well with the P35 motherboard chip that is on my Asus. I bought some cheapo ram from bestbuy to test out and sure enough a whole day and night with no crashes!!! huzzah! Now I just need to find some good gaming stuff so I can get back to Crysis

 

[Gray-Wolf]

Was Crucial's ram bad, or just not compatible? The reason I ask, is that I had a stick that I bought for this mac, and it went bad in less than a month. I sent it back to Crucial and they replaced it for free. Both sticks work fine now.

 

[rocksmithgtrs]

New to the forum and need help Please

Hi I am new to this forum and I need help I can't even find the place to start a new thread. Any help would be great I need to start a thread about an Apple iBook G4/1.33 14-Inch (Late 2004 - Op) Specs (M9627LL/A*) that wont start up. I have a friend in aus that might be able to help you he is a dam guru with computers here is his link :

http://www.computers.homeip.net/antenna/web_templates

just click on the live support button if he is off just leave a message.


Mike

 

[Gray-Wolf]

@rocksmithgtrs

Are you offering help or looking for help. Hard to tell by your post.

 

[sikkinixx]

Was Crucial's ram bad, or just not compatible? The reason I ask, is that I had a stick that I bought for this mac, and it went bad in less than a month. I sent it back to Crucial and they replaced it for free. Both sticks work fine now.

I ran some tests on the ram and it showed no errors so I dunno. I'm not gonna chance it though and just get some new stuff. For the price of ram these days it's hardly worth the whole RMA/shipping/time hassle.

 

[rocksmithgtrs]

@rocksmithgtrs

Are you offering help or looking for help. Hard to tell by your post.

Both #1 I was trying to get help for my wife's ibook-g4 because it wont start

#2 I have a friend in another forum in Wagga Wagga, Australia who has tech tech support buis. and he works with you live one the computer and he can run tests and what not the link is in the last post I made. He works with pc's only.



Mike
Rocksmith Guitars
http://www.rocksmithguitars.com

 

[Gray-Wolf]

From recent experience, bad ram/ not seated ram, can prevent a lappy from starting. That would be a first place to check, after the basic power supply testing.

 

[toolbox]

If the ram is not seated properly, the system will keep beeping