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bluescreen while formatting during WinXp installation
This problem is driving me nuts. Please help me if you can. Recently I had loads of problems with my comp freezing up all the time. Finally I decided to format and reinstall. Anyway, during a full NTFS format, at about 38% the computer crashes and I get a bluescreen. The stop error is always different, sometimes it's "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", sometimes it has no name just a code which looks random since hardly ever I got two same ones. At first I though the hard disk is busted, so I tried with another which is definitely ok - same thing. Then I suspected the RAM chips, so I tried with some other ones - crash again. What could be the cause of this? Better yet, what is the most probable cause - power supply, mobo, something else? Thanks in advance for any kind of advice. Cheers!
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"horseface" <horsef***@yahoo.com> wrote in message Does it happen at a different point (sooner) if you immediately restart the news:d0rnvg$rb2$1@bagan.srce.hr... > Hi everybody. > > This problem is driving me nuts. Please help me if you can. > > Recently I had loads of problems with my comp freezing up all the time. > Finally I decided to format and reinstall. > > Anyway, during a full NTFS format, at about 38% the computer crashes and I > get a bluescreen. The stop error is always different, sometimes it's > "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", sometimes it has no name just a code which looks > random since hardly ever I got two same ones. > > At first I though the hard disk is busted, so I tried with another which > is definitely ok - same thing. Then I suspected the RAM chips, so I tried > with some other ones - crash again. > > What could be the cause of this? Better yet, what is the most probable > cause - power supply, mobo, something else? > > Thanks in advance for any kind of advice. Cheers! installation/format? What I'm thinking is if its in some way heat related, then it would likely reoccur sooner if the machine is already hot. Is everything running at stock speeds (no overclocking), if not what happens if you set it to stock speeds and remove the case cover and retry? What are your system specs - including the PSU make/model/age and what changes occurred to bring this on - has it worked without problems for long in the past? Those IRQ not less or equal messages are very common for many situations - so wont be much help in tracking down the cause. My hunch is it may be a PSU on the way out or some overheating - perhaps through dust build-up. Paul Sys specs are:
Athlon XP 1400 IWill KK266 512 MB SDRAM The rest is unimportant I think since I changed hard disks, video cards and removed all the unecessary stuff. The crash seems to happen alway at about the same time, at about 30-40%. What is esepcially peculiar it happens on different hard disks (with different capacity). "horseface" <horsef***@yahoo.com> wrote in message That's not peculiar at all because the problem will almost certainly not be news:d0s5tf$6sl$1@bagan.srce.hr... > Sys specs are: > > Athlon XP 1400 > IWill KK266 > 512 MB SDRAM > > The rest is unimportant I think since I changed hard disks, video cards > and removed all the unecessary stuff. > > The crash seems to happen alway at about the same time, at about 30-40%. > What is esepcially peculiar it happens on different hard disks (with > different capacity). caused by a defective HDD but as I suspect by the PSU or other hardware error such as caused by dirt/dust in the machine or overclocking. Now - how about and answer to my PSU and overclocking questions so I can try to assist? Paul No overclocking.
I'm not sure about the PSU mark, but it is quite old (4 years). It does sound a bit tired sometimes... Anyway one of the things I'm gonna try IS changing the PSU and RAM chips. I just wanted to know what could possibly cause this since I'm not very good with tricky hardware problems. And I hate investing more money into this old machine... "horseface" <horsef***@yahoo.com> wrote in message I'd go with the PSU first. 4 years of age is a geriatric PSU and in my time news:d0sdpk$bjs$1@bagan.srce.hr... > No overclocking. > > I'm not sure about the PSU mark, but it is quite old (4 years). It does > sound a bit tired sometimes... > > Anyway one of the things I'm gonna try IS changing the PSU and RAM chips. > I just wanted to know what could possibly cause this since I'm not very > good with tricky hardware problems. And I hate investing more money into > this old machine... as a computer tech I found that PSUs were one of the most commonly failing parts on PCs. The scary part is that if the machine is run for to long with a dodgy PSU, it can also take out other parts so it would be better to try replacing it sooner rather than later. The replacement should ideally be a quality branded unit of at least 350 Watts (assuming the rest of your system specs are fairly straight forward/conventional). Paul
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"horseface" <horsef***@yahoo.com> wrote in message I thought you'd accepted that it was a hardware problem? why news:d0rnvg$rb2$1@bagan.srce.hr... > Hi everybody. > > This problem is driving me nuts. Please help me if you can. > > Recently I had loads of problems with my comp freezing up all > the time. Finally I decided to format and reinstall. > > Anyway, during a full NTFS format, at about 38% the computer > crashes and I get a bluescreen. The stop error is always > different, sometimes it's "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", sometimes it > has no name just a code which looks random since hardly ever I > got two same ones. > > At first I though the hard disk is busted, so I tried with > another which is definitely ok - same thing. Then I suspected > the RAM chips, so I tried with some other ones - crash again. > > What could be the cause of this? Better yet, what is the most > probable cause - power supply, mobo, something else? > > Thanks in advance for any kind of advice. Cheers! bother trying to re-install to fix it? 1) Power supply failing or not up to the job to start with. The only way to test it (without expensive tools) is to try another psu that is both a good quality brand with an adequate power rating. 2) The memory and replacement you tried are both faulty. As your pc bombs even when testing the memory try your memory in another pc and run memtest on them, for at least 2-3 hours. 3) The capacitors on the motherboard are failing. Some info and images here; http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/WEBONLY/resource/feb03/ncap.html http://www.auroracomputer.ca/bad_capacitors.htm http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2003Feb/bch20030207018535.htm http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195 Look at the caps on your mobo very carefully, the faults in the images are quite pronounced. Most of the ones I've seen have been quite bad and the leaks / bulges are easy to spot. IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is usually memory, but as you have zero stability any memory errors could well be generated by 1 & 3 above. -- Ian > I thought you'd accepted that it was a hardware problem? why - I dunno. I think it is an irrational reflex that was developed in people > bother trying to re-install to fix it? courtesy of Bill Gates. If something doesn't work and you can't fix it, just format and reinstall :) . > This is what I'm planning to do this weekend. Finding a good PSU is a bitch, > 1) Power supply failing or not up to the job to start with. > The only way to test it (without expensive tools) is to try another psu > that is both a good quality brand with an adequate power rating. though. > 2) The memory and replacement you tried are both faulty. Also in plan this weekend. The problem is that I have SDRAM and all the > As your pc bombs even when testing the memory try your memory in another > pc and run memtest on them, for at least 2-3 hours. comps I have access to have DDR :( > 3) The capacitors on the motherboard are failing. <cut>> Some info and images here; Thanks for the help. The trouble is that this is an old configuration which I want to replace as soon as I get hold of some extra cash, so I really don't want to invest in it more than I absolutely have to. If I have to by a new MoBo, OK, I will, but I must be sure that it's MoBo that's the cause of it. I'd feel like a complete ass if I shelved money for a new one (even if it's cheap) and than see an exactly same problem still happening, Anyway, thanks. Cheers! "sudhee" <sudhee***@yahoo-dot-com.no-spam.invalid> wrote in message nope, I don't think so. It's not a driver problem (I wish it were)...news:423199fd$1_2@alt.athenanews.com... > http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;818501 could > help > 
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