2 years of Hardware Failure - Help

[topdawgg]

Hey guys, fairly new here and I would really love if someone could help. I have had my PC for about 2-3 years now and it has ALWAYS had the same problem and I am really sick of it. I have installed windows xp, windows vista 64 and the problem exists with both OS.

Heres what happens (I am pretty sure its not software related.... but hardware is not my fortay).
The computer will do one of the following upon startup.

1) On the screen, detecting IDE drives the PC will not detect anything and hard crash. (LINK AT BOTTOM).
2) The computer will make it to the next screen of loading the settings... and I hear a beep = hard crash.
3) Windows will start anywhere and run anywhere from 5 mins - 2 hours and hard crash.
4) Windows will run perfectly smooth all night (tonight the PC was on for 5 hours).

PC setup = Windows XP. 3.0gig intel core 2 duo w/64 kilo, EVGA (680i) 122-CK-NF68 2 motherboard, 250g hard drive, Nvidia 8800GTX, 6 gigs of ram. (i have swapped the ram with ram i know works).

**When it runs it is super fast... i got so frustrated once i broke the case which im sure didnt help things **

P.S. Hard crash to mean means I must restart the computer via pressing the power button.

http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/topdawgg19/?action=view&current=SDC15163.jpg

---- Any help of what to do would be greatly appreciate

 

[mi1ez]

Sounds to me like a corrupted HDD, HDD controller, or IO controller on the motherboard. First thoughts would be a HDD on it's way out. Could also be RAM.

Can you open a command window and run chkdsk, followed by SFC /scannow

If that throws up no errors (and doesn't crash the PC) google memtest86 and run it according to the instructions on the website.

 

[topdawgg]

invalid parameter - /scannow

 

[topdawgg]

Ive run memtest before with no errors. Also, I have changed my RAM to RAm that i know isnt faulty.

 

[topdawgg]

As a last thought the HDD has less than 100 hours on it most likely.

 

[mi1ez]

sorry. /scannow is a vista thing.

try just SFC

How did chkdsk go?

 

[kyzar]

If it's been happening for two years, I doubt it's a failing HDD - it would have progressed to a full failure by now, surely.

My guess is a faulty I/O controller on the mobo. I don't know offhand any way of testing it though.

Other wildcard idea - have you swapped the HDD cable?

 

[mi1ez]

Was kinda hoping for OP's sake it'd be HDD!

 

[dokk2]

Hmmmm,I do not suppose that you have another hdd that you can test with ???
What you might consider is to breadboard the beast,this will make life much easier,and if it is the onboard hdd controller , well then the only thing is to replace the mobo, you could try flashing the bios even if it is the same version, never know might get lucky,although it does sound like the onboard cc has had the biscuit,next time get rid of it whilst still under warranty, not worth the hassell...

 

[topdawgg]

When I brought it to the shop they said it didnt crash and everything looked fine... I could buy a cheap HDD and test it with that I guess. From the start I have been worried its the mobo, so basically replace the mobo and hdd .... sigh.

 

[topdawgg]

So start with the cable, then what... the HDD or the mobo? I will run chdisk right now if i can get the beast to boot.

 

[topdawgg]

Chkdsk ran with 0 bad sectors and did not crash. When I ran SFC scannow it tells me i need to insert my windows xp disk as the files to run must be copied to the DLL cache.

 

[topdawgg]

any other ideas? Thanks in advance. You guys are great.