Problems with new system

[Noite Escura]

I've just assembled my new machine. It seemed to be ok, booted with DOS, but I cannot install Win98SE. It completes the first part of the process, ask to restart an then returns to Windows screen, displays "Finishing installation process" or something like (message is in portuguese) and then shows BSOD. I restart again and again but it never completes the process. I have mounted only the minimum to system take off: Abit KT7A, Duron 800, ThermalTake Volcano II cooler, 16 Mb PCI Blaster Banshee, 64 Mb generic PC100 all in a mid-tower case with 300W PS.
Am I missing something? It's my first system mounted "from zero" and my first experience with ATX standard. Anyone have some clue? Also, Win95 is supposed to work with Duron?

 

[Neo]

Noite Escura,
why are you booting to dos? I would fdisk the drive then boot from the 98se cdrom.
see if it installs correctly then.
Might want to try reseating the ram and video card just to make sure.
NEO

 

[Noite Escura]

Hi NEO! I just booted from DOS initially to test the machine without HD. Now I'm booting with a Win98 floopy disk, and have pre-copied the Win98 install directory to c: to accelerate the process. There will be much difference in FDisking the HD? Well if if anything else fails I'll try it. Thnx.

 

[wdeep]

I've done it all the different ways (CD, HDD, with DOS, etc). Any of them should work. Suggest you check all your hardware and them do a fdisk and then a clean format of your HDD and start over.

 

[fx]

Remove all the cards leaving just the VGA and install then. If windows installs add the next and let windows install it, then the next until you are done.

 

[Noite Escura]

Fdisked the HD, created 2 partitions, formatted and tried again. Nada. Win98 will not install. Win95 went a little far, installed after 2 BSODs but doesn't get solid even to install 4in1 drivers. I'm beginning to think I could have smashed the chip. If the core was damaged it will show me higher temps? I only can monitor temps by BIOS setup, it never goes beyond 35º. Think I will dismount the CPU and verify, but I'm really scared, 'cos the f***ing clip of the Volcano is stronger that I had think. Someone knows of a stability,funcionality test that runs in DOS environment?

 

[Noite Escura]

Ah, and fx I already have only the Video board attached, as well as only 64 Mb of RAM . I've puted only the minimum needed to start and config the system.

 

[Noite Escura]

Originally posted by fury:
<STRONG>
And also get a power supply from a quality PSU manufacturer like Enermax... </STRONG>

In Brazil? No way! I would never find neither that nor other brand of PSU here . And if i could, it would cost the price of a plane . Since there are some people using Athlons here, I suppose some of the generic can do the job. Just keep trying... . And I will give some more trying in the memory, I got some memory test and another sticks, thnx for all the replies!

 

[fury]

Consider the possibility that a vital part of your system could be defective...

The symptoms you are experiencing could be related to having a defective power supply or bad ram.

If your RAM is made up of more than 1 DIMM stick, try either one of them alone in the system. If you know a local friend or roommate that has built a somewhat modern computer, swap some parts in and out with them temporarily.

I don't think your CPU could be overheating, 35 degrees is WELL under the "pushing it" range. I only start worrying after 60 degrees.

But anyways, if it's at all possible, check and see if your RAM is bad, and also get a power supply from a quality PSU manufacturer like Enermax... generic parts are my first target in nailing a defunct system.

 

[Noite Escura]

Flu has kept me one day at home. But I had the time to solve the problem. Dismounted the bastard, mounted it again. Also changed the memory stick by another PC100. Working fine now. Weekend will run Quake3 test . Some stability/stress test I can run in this baby?

 

[fury]

LOL! Another common case of "It's always the small things that get you"

Glad to hear you fixed it

I recommend <A HREF="http://"http://gah.stanford.edu"" TARGET=_blank>Genome@Home</A> as a good stability tester. As a plus, it also helps science and is easy to set up.

After you have signed up for a username and downloaded the client, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3 to configure.

1) Start it up.
2) Enter the username you signed up with.
3) Enter 567443298 as the account number (this will contribute your results to the Overclockers-Network team).

Hit enter for everything else and it will download a work unit and start processing it!

Each work unit, called a "gene" may take anywhere from 4 to even 10 hours, depending on the size. You will get more credit assigned to your name depending on the size of the gene. The average size unit is 58 amino acids (17.88 units credited to your account) which takes 4:27:23 on a T-bird 1.4. The largest I've seen is 75aa (22.91 units credited to your account), and I haven't exactly timed one but it took around 6 or 6.5 hours on the same machine. The program counts the amino acids as soon as it finishes downloading the unit, and then starts processing gene "sequences". There are 30 sequences per gene, and once it finishes, it uploads the current work unit and downloads a new one if it is connected to the internet. If it can't find a connection, it reruns the current work unit producing a different result (automatic caching). The next time you start up genome, it will try to find an internet connection and upload all of its results and download a new gene.

The objective of the project is to help scientists better understand the human genome so that one day they may find a cure for various diseases or genetic defects.

 

[HomeLAN]

As an additional option, you could enter 1451167067 in the team member field, which would have you joining the JJR512 team. Just thought you should know.

 

[Noite Escura]

Ahn! No modem for me @home yet...

 

[fury]

Alrighty

Well, when/if you get a chance to try out Genome, I recommend the OCN Distributed Computing Team as the forum to go to to ask about it, how to do it and how to improve how much of it you do. Their efforts placed them at the #3 overall team on the entire project (out of over 600 teams, and counting).

You can join any Genome team you wish, though.

 

[2minkey]

you don't by any chance have a soundcard in there with an aureal chipset? if so, there's yer issue.