A rare problem

[sueco8]

Hello

I've got the next problem. I've got a Pentium III 800 and each time I install an operating system (I've tried with WinXP, 2000 and 98SE) at first, all system is ok, but while the hours go on, all the things start to fail until I can't boot the system. In the best case, the computer is working two days.

Errors some times start with problems on processes at starting windows, other times the system hang on, but always the problems go growing.

The problem isn't the installed software, because each time I've installed an operating system, I've formatted the hard disk and some times I've only installed the basic and original software.

The problem isn´t a virus form internet, cause other times the system fail without have been conected internet after the windows installation.

The PC has been one year working very well, but one day have Blaster virus, and since then, I've buy other hard disk, I have formatted it, but I haven't installed new software or hardware.

I've download the last drivers for my motherboard, too, but the problem don't solve.

Please, I need help, because I haven't more ideas. Thanks.

 

[jsauce]

Okay I'm concerned with a couple of things. The first thing is that the ram may be bad. And if it is the ram then its likely the OS won't matter if will just starting causing errors after a while. So I would check that out. The other thing is that your hard drives may have errors, in which case they need to be marked bad by a disk checker to make sure nothing is installed into them as that too will cause errors. Try running Scandisk for Win9x or Chkdsk for WinNT/2000/XP. Now the other problem is that you may have a boot dector virus which could be causing the problem too and formatting won't help in most cases you need to either clean the hard disk with a virus program that can clean the boot sector or fdisk the mbr. FDISK /mbr to try and clear that out. There could be several reasons why things fail across platform, but most likely its hardware related since the software is being changed with each new install. You should also take note of the errors you receive and either leave them here or search them on the web they can help in indicating just the type of problem you might be having. Also if you get a NT kernel dump, that too will help to indicate the error you are receiving.

John D. Saucier
jsauce@magicguild.com
Certified Technician
Network Administrator

 

[BadBigBen]

What JSauce said is correct...

Download MEMTEST86 - run it on the PC to check MEM...

make sure system is DUST free (especially CPU) - overheating can cause the symptom described...

to fix the MBR (master boot record) of a HD, from W98SE/ME INSTALL diskette type at the prompt: FDISK /mbr (as mentioned earlier)... W2k/XP - boot into the recovery console and at the prompt type: FIXMBR

then reboot the system... and see what happens, and due post any errors (also mentioned earlier)...


Ben

 

[cdogg]

I would also have to agree that perhaps the hard drive is seeing the last of its days. When you format a drive without running chkdsk afterwards, bad sectors often go unnoticed. If you have many (which is possible), you run a high risk that some are being written to a bad sector.

Here's the order in which I would troubleshoot the issue:

1) Swap out RAM
2) Swap out hard drive for one that has been tested OK
3) Check overheating (fans, case and mobo temp, and reseat CPU with heatsink/fan/thermal paste)

You've pretty much ruled out a software problem.


~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind"
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[edfair]

Cdogg meant to tell you to run scandisk too. In surface scan mode.

Failures on install of the OS are more often than not, a memory problem. But you can also get some channel/controller/disk errors that also fail the same way.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.