Random Crashing

[masterbyllet]

You may know me from my earlier post about re-formating.
The reason i was re-formating, was because an unknown error would completely freeze the computer. It would just stop, you couldn't move the cursor. You couldn't type anything. The whole computer just froze.

It would stay froze for as long as you left it, (I left it an hour once, just to see if it was just being ghey and slow.) Sadly no. It continues to stay froze.

So i thought. Maybe, re-formating the hard drive, completely new install would work.

I now have a Windows CD and Reg code.
I go to install....

I get through all the sections when booting from CD-ROM.
However when i go onto the next stage of installation.

Entering the CD key and what not. The error occurs again.
Randomly at some point in the second stage of installation, the computer will completely freeze up.

When it happens varies. I am unknown to what causes it. Therefore i have submitted this post, to tap into the vast knowledge of you.

Any guesses on what is causing this to happen?




P.S. The computer still works in essence. Although you can't do anything on screen. You can open / close the CD Drive, also I've checked the fans they are all working. And the computer isn't overheating. (To my knowledge, [ I took the side panel off and put my hand near the mobo, to see if i could feel warmth. No, it was stone cold])


Speedy responses would be appreciated. I just don't know what to do. This Laptop is starting to annoy me :S

 

[bmxfreakrider]

system specs: (mobo, ram, cpu, psu) or if OEM (hp, dell, compaq) model number.

at first reading it, it almost sounds like your ram might be going bad, but at the same time it could be the power supply not supplying enough power, or maybe the processor going out. get memtest86+ and run it, that will tell you if the ram is going.

depending on the motherboard model, there might be a hardware monitor section in the bios that will tell you the temps and voltages, etc...

also, is it overclocked at all?

 

[masterbyllet]

Erm. I would give you the system specs, straight from dxdiag. But with XP Pro half installed. I can't actually get on it to tell you.

To my knoledge it had
258MB RAM
AMD Durthon or something similar.
30Gb hard drive

It had Win Pro 2000 on it.
I've tried to upgrade that to Win XP

The error occurred on both OS's now.
Erm, can't really remember much else. If there is a way to get these specs from the start up, i'll get them to you. But i need to be told how. I'm a bit of a computer novice

Its a stock PC, Built by a computer shop not far from where i live. They told me i should just scrap it. And i didn't want to. Thats just wasteful . So i'm using the power of forums to try and fix it.


Btw, "memtest86+" How do i get that on it, when i can't even get windows to load.

If i try to load it without booting from CD. The screen just goes black, Mainly because it has only half installed XP Pro. Suggestion?

 

[bmxfreakrider]

it boots from a floppy disk, usb key, cd rom's, etc...heres their home page, theres downloads and instructions on how to use it.

do it and report back afer about 6 hours of memtesting.

 

[masterbyllet]

Right. Mem testing now.

By the way. I got the specs from an identicle computer.

They are:
OS: Win Pro 2000
Processor: AMD Duron(Tm) MMX 3D Now, 1116Mhz
RAM Memory: 258Mb
MotherBoard: Asus, 661 chipset (661GX / 661FX)
Hard Drive: 30GB
Direct X: 7


And i was trying to install Win Xp Pro

 

[masterbyllet]

After 2 hours of Memory testing i checked up on it, to see how its coming along.

It appeared to have stopped / froze / finished

The results are as follows:
MemTest 86+ v1.70

AMD Duron 1105MHz Pass 337185######...
L1 Cache: 128K 6778MB/s Test 0%
L2 Cache: 64K 3002MB/s Test #5 [Block Move, 64 moves]

Memory: 248M 253MB/s Testing 116-248M 248M
Pattern:



WallTime:
0:10:07

Cached:
248M

RsvdMem:
76K

MemMap:
e820-Std

Cache:
On

ECC:
Off

Test:
Std

Pass:
0

Error:
0

Ecc Errs:








I am re-testing, to make sure it wasn't just a dodgy test. Report back in 2 hours

 

[masterbyllet]

Same results after 6 hours

 

[Apokalipse]

I'm guessing a hardware problem. PC's can often lock up in that manner if a piece of hardware is not sitting correctly. Go through it and reseat everything.

 

[masterbyllet]

As in...disconnect and reconnect all the components?

 

[Apokalipse]

yup.