hardware please help (nightmare)

[pinkfloyd123]

My computer
(mb)ep-8k7a (amd agp driver)
amd 761 chipset
1.4 amd athlon (266 fsb)
win xp sp1
512 ddr ram
gf4 ti 4400(drivers 43.45)
Creative cd-r
Lg DVD
samsung 40g (7200)
maxtor 20g(5200)
alcatel speedtouch modem
Temp (44c idle)
please can you help me
for starters;it takes me about half an hour to get the dam thing to BOOT?
push the power button on and the computer is screaming with the postreadings
stuck on FF (the H.D.D Led is on and the two cd drives leds are flashing?)
now i have to keep pushing the restart button until the postreadings move
up FF,C1,21,22,23,24,and so on,until i hear the booting beep(nightmare)
i hope you can understand but its very hard to say into words!
this can take ages to boot.
once im up and running the pc seems very stayble,running benchmark tests,with
sandra.Been running the tests for 48 hour with no crashes.
Until i get to the games,soon as i load it in the dam thing crashes(reboots)
the games are sof2,q3,nwn,mohaa,and so on,help
i think the graphic card maybe to powerful for my mb(any idears)
ALL Drivers are upto date.
Thank you for your time and help
dean guilder

 

[Positronic]

First, check for an updated BIOS. Set your BIOS to default. If you have an extra power supply & memory, swap them out. Next, work your way backwards removing items from the mainboard until it posts. Start with add-on cards, CD-ROM, floppy, and harddrive. If it still doesn't post correctly, remove the mainboard from the case and try booting again to rule out any shorts.

Check if AMD has a later XP driver for their 761 chipset and assuming you also have a VIA chipset, get the latest update from them at

http://www.viatech.com.

Goto

http://www.nvidia.com

for the latest Nnvidia driver.

If the CPU is a retail box and its never been off the board, the pad should be ok. If it is using thermal grease, remove the CPU and clean & reapply new grease.

 

[coneKlr]

PinkFloyd123, the Epox 8k7a motherboard came out at the same time the motherboard industry was experiencing a problem with capacitors. Apparently, through industrial espionage, a new formula for dielectric spread through the capacitor manufacturing industry. Unfortunately the formula was flawed. Many 8k7a and other motherboards have defective capacitors causing random reboots and other problems especially if you have a video card that draws a lot of power.

Look at the capacitors on your motherboard. Some of them may look like they are bulging and about to explode. They may even have some dark gue mushrooming out of the top of them. The board that I witnessed these symptoms on was manufactured in May 2001. Hope this helps.