Broken new computer (XP Home, SATA HD, Mushkin 512mb PC3200, athlon2800+)

[erikkellison]

Okay, so right now I hate life.
I just built up a computer for my grandparents with the following parts:
Soyo Dragon KT600 MB
WD 40GB SATA HD
AMD Athlon XP 2800+ (running at 38-44C depending on amount of time running)
Mushkin PC3200 512MB (one stick)
BenQ 52x32x52 CD-RW
Thermaltake Volcano 8 processor fan
350W PS
64MB Sapphire Radeon 9200 video card
Floppy
The problem(s): First I have trouble getting WinXP to recognize the HD, but then I figure out how to do the driver install through the A: for SATA drives w/ clean installs, and that problem is taken care of. However, once that was taken care of, Windows would continually give me a cyclical redundancy check error. I tried Microsoft's advice to repeat the install over and over to see if that actually fixed the problem (it did not). Then I followed their advice to "repair" the hard drive error by typing "ckkdsk /r" in the recovery console. It "fixed" something, but after trying a fresh reformat and reinstall, it still doesn't work. So, it dawns on me that the memory I am using (Mushkin) was one stick from a matched pair that I bought off newegg.com. The other computer that has the other stick is having the "missing file" errors when trying to install WinXP on a used but freshly reformatted HD (clean install, different comp). So, I decide that there may be something wrong with both sticks of RAM, and decide to put my personal RAM (two unmatched 256MB PC2700 sticks) into the g-parents computer. The first goes in, but when I click the second stick into place, the processor fan powers on and off instantaneously, but the fact that it moved worried me. So now, the computer won't turn on at all. It won't turn on with the old RAM either. Sometimes I get a little green blink at the power button, but nothing is powering up.
I am seeking advice on how to get the computer to power up again, and when it does, get it so WinXP can be installed properly. I have another WinXP disc for my comp that I could use, but it has different codes, so I don't want to encounter any licensing issues (are all the discs specifically related to their codes, or are all the discs identical, and the codes only used like a key to Microsoft to allow you to use WinXP? Basically, can I use the code that came with the G-Parents computer and my own WinXP disc to install?)
Any help would be appreciated since I am on day two of dealing with this, and I just want the comp working. Thanks!

 

[gaara]

Slowly begin removing parts that it doesn't need to boot, and see if you can get it to POST. I'm thinking that the problem is either bad memory, or a bad motherboard, as both of manufacturers you have listed don't seem like very trustworthy or reliable brands in my opinion.

 

[erikkellison]

Well, it needs pretty much everything in there to boot. Well, not everything (like the CD-RW), but I really don't know where to start. I could replace part by part with my comp, but that will get tedious as this is my comp I'm using to check the responses here. I guess I'll start with RAM, and then go to processor, but I cringe at the thought of power supply. I think I'll check the fuse on the PS first. Any other ideas? Anyone heard of somehow frying something (even though NOTHING appears fried)? Oh, and by the way, it looks like I put a slight nick in the board with a screwdriver while installing the CPU fan, but I can't imagine that stopping the board from powering up. I even clocked it down to 100MHz bus (200MHz FSB, I think).

 

[erikkellison]

unplugged CD-RW and Floppy. Also checked internals of PS, no blown fuses (no signs of burning or charring anywhere. Everything is intact. Every once in a while I can get the fans to barely spin a revolution when I hit the power button (while the power indicator light barely flashes green). Think there's anything to this momentary bit of power? I worry that the little chip I made on the board somehow disabled something, and it will no longer get power because that little part is somehow crucial. Anyone have a spare mobo?

 

[gaara]

One other possibility may be the meltdown protection device kicking in and preventing your computer from turning itself on and frying, check to make sure the heatsink is properly seated.

Basically, in order to get your computer to POST, you need CPU, memory, motherboard, video card, and something to power it all up. If you have removed all the other parts and you still get the same problem, you've narrowed it down to those parts.

Test the RAM in another computer and if it's still good I think it's safe to say that your motherboard has thrown in the towel.

 

[SHAWN]

you should be running a higher psu then what you have. try a newer higher quality psu like raidmax or antec if you got the dough

 

[erikkellison]

Well, talk about drama (and higher PSUs, now that you mention it).
I just fried my personal PSU, and (I think) an Athlon XP 2800+.
So, after doing the above mentioned removals, I swapped memory from my computer to the g-parents' comp, and no POST.
Swapped processors, no POST.
Swapped PSUs (Included was a 350 Enermax, Mine is a 330W Antec TruePower. Without hitting the power button, but just throwing the breaker to allow power to get to the computer, just one case fan and the CPU fan started whirring. It just didn't feel right though, so I switched everything off from the breaker quickly(note: this was still with my AMD XP 1600+ in the g-parents' computer). So, I powered off the PSU, switched out CPU's since I got a couple fans spinning, and re-powered up the PSU via the breaker switch. Fans spin, and pop fizzle, something blows. I think it was the CPU, but it could have been the power supply.
Now, I'm not sure why the CPU would have blown unless there was a defect in the motherboard, but it is highly likely that there is. I thought at the time that it was the CPU, and was pissed (but thought so because there are a number of little black marks across the front of the CPU. However, upon referencing the closeup picture of what a 2800+ is supposed to look like, it turns out that there is nothing visibly wrong with the CPU, and due to the juxtaposition of the CPU and the PSU, I now believe that it must have been the PSU that blew. This belief was reinforced when I put that (my Antec PSU) back in my computer, and it blew rather noisily as soon as I flipped the breaker (I did not put it in my computer thinking it was the PSU that was blown, but rather the CPU, and was only able to reference the picture of a 2800+ and ensure that it was supposed to look like that when I put the Enermax PSU in my computer, and turned it on in order to access the internet).
So here I am now. My computer is running off of everything that belongs to me except for the PSU, which is from the new comp. One kicker that makes me worry sideways is the fact that when I put the PC3200 into my computer, it did not load windows (it got stuck at the "Windows is starting up" screen). I do wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that I have my current RAM overclocked (it is actually only PC2100) because I cannot think of any other reason that the new RAM would work (since overclocking PC3200 really isn't overclocking becuase it is "overclocked" to specs that are still below what PC3200 is capable of) except for faulty RAM. So, I am led to think that the RAM I bought is faulty (however, I will reconfirm this by setting my BIOS settings back to square one with the PC3200 in there just to confirm that there is indeed something wrong with the RAM - does anyone know if there is a possibility that my MoBo is incapable of running PC3200? It's a K7N420D MSI nVidia generation 1 w/ IGP?). Anyway, I still can't imagine that the RAM is causing all this trouble regarding installing WinXP as well as not powering up.
However, here's my synopsis. There was something wrong with the memory which was preventing the install of WinXP from the get go (my parents computer, which has the other half of the matching pair of Mushkin PC3200 won't install WinXP either - only I'm not working on it right now). However, something became wrong with the MoBo, which prevented it from powering up too. So now, it won't power up either, but the faulty RAM is still preventing installation of WinXP at my parents' computer. So, should I just try to return the MoBo and RAM as defective, and get replacements? What are my chances of this working, having bought them from newegg.com? Do you think Antec or newegg.com will replace my fried PSU due to the fact that it was a faulty MoBo/RAM that caused it to blow (it was working quite reliably before putting it in the new g-parents' computer)?
Thanks in advance for further advice, I really appreciate it.
Sorry this is so long.

 

[uzi9mm]

This computer is for your grandparents!?!?!? Well I have respect for them since they must know how to use one, and also you built a computer with a SATA drive for them?, i dont think they would know the difference and or they wouldnt even come close to doing anything that will put that Sata drive to the test.

 

[gaara]

Just act stupid, as long as the product is still under warranty they generally will not ask question, just pretend like you don't know what happened and they will probably consider you to be one of the computer illiterate persons who simply pressed the power button and damaged their parts unwillingly.

You should always avoid cheap, unreliable parts though, they are priced low for a reason...

 

[erikkellison]

So how precisely do I tell them that I switched out parts until I figured out that the RAM and the MoBo are both defective if I'm playing ignorant? I'm just going to write them a letter explaining briefly what I did, and ask for an RMA, and replacement parts (and foot the bill for a new PSU for myself so as to not confuse them). Oh well.