Ok here's my PC:
Asus P3V4X Motherboard
PIII 800mhz
640megs of RAM
(1)128meg DIMM PC100
(2)256meg DIMMs PC133
40gig HD
Voodoo 3500 TV
Adaptec 2940AU
SCSI 32x ROM
SCSI burner
DVD ROM

Now I was running Win2k, but I was having OS problems, plus the PC would randomly reboot. So on Wednesday I replaced the power supply and removed the 128meg DIMM. I had this same resetting problem in every PC for the past 2 years and the only thing in common between those PC's was that ONE STICK OF RAM.

So I also decide to reformat and re-install Windows 2000. Simple task? I think not. I was getting errors as the install program was trying to copy files to the hard drive. It was unable to read the files off of the install CD. I have had this problem before and it was because the CD failed CRC. So I got a new copy.... SAME THING!!!!

I removed all of my hardware, leaving only the video card. I swapped hard drives, tried using the burner and DVD ROM to install, nothing changed.

So I borrowed my friend'd motherboard to see if that would work. So I put in his Soyo board with my processor and 512megs of RAM. It worked! I was able to install Win XP. I would have kept that setup but the motherboard was not what I needed. It would recognize my 800mhz processor, but it would only clock it at 600mhz. Also its running at 100mhz FSB instead of 133.

So on Labor Day I went out to get a new Slot 1 motherboard. I COULD NOT FIND ONE! I enfed up going to Fry's Electronics in Fremont (1 hour drive) only to find they stopped selling them. So my only choice was to buy a new motherboard and CPU. So I purchased an Abit Socket 370 motherboard and a Intel 933mhz PIII. I went home and installed it, but Win XP would not boot. I was getting a blue screen. So I pulled out everything but the Video card, same error. Swapped the ram, tried the old 128 meg DIMM, tried every combo of RAM, UNDERCLOCKED the CPU, NOTHING WORKED.

I put the Soyo MB back in, and it worked fine! Put my old MB in, and it would still crash. Tried different memory combos, NO GO. So I put in the Abit board and reformatted, thinking that XP does not like swapping motherboards. Tried installing Win 2k or XP again, nope won't work. Put the Soyo board back in, and sucessfully installed Win2k.

Any ideas? Now someone suggested that it may have something to do with the AGP slot. I think my Voodoo 3500 is AGP x2, but the new Abit board may force x4 and the Soyo board is x1. So I'll check that tonight.

XP dumped so many times I now have bad clusters on my HD. Here is the XP dump:

0x0000007B (0xF8968640, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000)

Hmm, have ya tired a PCI graphics card?

Is the mobo shorting anywhere? Are all the standoffs/etc in place? Overheating?

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Manu Narayan

I don't think the mobo is shorting, it bolts up just the same as the other two. I have yet to try a PCI graphics card, but that was suggested. I don't have one, but my buddy will bring one in for me tomarrow.

Its possible this new mobo is bad, since it was returned twice as open box. But Fry's supposedly tested it. http://discussanything.com/Ubb/rolleyes.gif

Originally posted by Rebel79:
I don't think the mobo is shorting, it bolts up just the same as the other two. I have yet to try a PCI graphics card, but that was suggested. I don't have one, but my buddy will bring one in for me tomarrow.

Its possible this new mobo is bad, since it was returned twice as open box. But Fry's supposedly tested it. http://discussanything.com/Ubb/rolleyes.gif

They dont test shit man. I have gotten things with their returned label on it, and it never works...

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Manu Narayan

Ok here is the dump I get in Win2k.

0x0000007B (0xEB81B84C, 0xC0000034, 0x00000000, 0x00000000+
INACCESSIBLE_BOOT_DEVICE

I put in a new 512meg DIMM, no change. I'm actually posting this from my POS PC. But running the Soyo MB.

Oh yeah if I start up the PC with the Abit board, and run safe Mode in Win 2k, it stops at the file agp440.sys and the screen flickers, and a couple of seconds later, I get the blue screen with the dump.

hmm, I will aks the guy i work with...

That is really bizarre.

Have ya tried a 98 install? I know it isn't what ya want, but it can give a good baseline, as 98 tends to be less picky...

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Manu Narayan

Originally posted by Manu:

Have ya tried a 98 install? I know it isn't what ya want, but it can give a good baseline, as 98 tends to be less picky...



Yeah I tried installing Windows 98 and SE on my original motherboard. It installed completely, but when saving a download or installing a program, the system would freeze until the PC stopped thinking. ie the mouse and keyboard were un-usable. After trying to install some drivers, I could no longer extract ZIP archives because I would get errors. The system finally crashed after installing video drivers.