Head Meets wall

Mekburger · Sep 8, 2005

Please help.
First I don't know what the problem is so I didn't know where to put this post.

Ok here goes. I put together a new pc.
Intel 2.6, 512 pc3200, Pcchips P25G mb <A HREF="http://www.pcchips.com.tw/PCCWeb/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?CategoryID=1&TypeID=3&DetailID=358&MenuID=16&LanID=2" target="_new"> P25G </A>onboard sound and video.

When I try to install windows, the format stops at different points (full format) and reboots. After a few cycles windows installs. The pc reboots gets to the XP logo and reboots, it just goes in a non stopping cycle.

Here is what I have tried.
Both windows XP and w2k
Different hard drives
different memory, and different memory setups (ie. 512, 256, one stick two sticks, different brands, different speeds, 3200, 2700).
flashed the BIOS to the latest release.
Different ide cables.
I thank that is all, so if anyone else has a idea please please help me, I have run out of ideas.

slvr_phoenix · Sep 8, 2005

That mobo itself scares me. But I also have to wonder if your PSU is any good...

:evil:

یί∫υєг ρђœŋίχ :evil:

Deal with the Devil. He buys in bulk.
@ 197K of 200K!

ChipDeath · Sep 8, 2005

Looking at what you've checked, I would lay the blame at the feet of the PSU as well.

What is your PSU? Make and wattage.

A No-name 250 watter or less I reckon...

Failing that, it could be your motherboard, as SP says... PcChips are 'renowned' for all the wrong reasons....

---
(") This is bunny's foot. Wingding ate the rest of him. At least he's now a good luck charm.

Mekburger · Sep 8, 2005

Here is the case and power supply <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/product/product.asp?item=N82E16811154048" target="_new"> APEX </A>

I know that the mb and power supply are on the cheap side but this pc is just a extra, gonna use it as a back up, do some video ripping etc. Please tell me the ps isn't that bad. Should I go ahead and try to RMA the mb?

ChipDeath · Sep 8, 2005

Do you have another PSU you can try? even a 350W generic really should be able to cope with the hardware you have there, since you don't even have a separate gfx card....

It does sound like a PSU issue still, IMO. That or RAM, but you seem to have pretty much eliminated that one.

It could be the motherboard, but I'd want to rule out the PSU first. What are the voltages as reported by BIOS? Normally you'd want to see them under load, but since yours seems particularly unstable, maybe they're low while under no stress.

You say 'Intel 2.6' Could you be a bit more specific about exactly what it is?

Also, how are your temperatures? The BIOS readings will do.

---
<pre> (\_/)
|~~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\</pre>

ChipDeath · Sep 8, 2005

Oh, and I've learnt that the two most important things (i.e. those that you shouldn't scrimp on) are the power supply and the motherboard. Unfortunately you've scrimped on both here... 😱

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<pre> (\_/)
|~~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\</pre>

pat · Sep 8, 2005

(\_/)
|~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\

How can you know that he was tasty.. when it is still cooking in the pan?

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")ώ(")Edited by Pat on 09/08/05 12:55 PM.

liquidpaper007 · Sep 8, 2005

driver conflict?
tried going into safe mode by pressing f8?

Mekburger · Sep 8, 2005

Safe mode does the same thing(reboots).
The cpu is a 2.60 512/800 Q338A227 (Northwood I think)
I'm at work so I can't check the voltage readings. The temps in the BIOS were about 40c for the cpu and about 50c for the pc.

I don't have an extra ps, so I will have to either use the one in my working pc or find one from somewere.

slvr_phoenix · Sep 8, 2005

Hey, I was just looking at that case earlier today. :O Weird coincidence.

But anybunny, I agree with ChipDeath, the PSU should be good enough for your hardware. (Unless, of course, it's faulty.)

So do as he said. Go into BIOS and give us your voltages. (Assuming you can anyway.) If they're not too weird then it's probably your mobo.<pre> ∩_∩
Ω Ω
(=¥=) - Aren't budget builds fun?
_Ū˘Ū_</pre> :evil:

یί∫υєг ρђœŋίχ :evil:

Deal with the Devil. He buys in bulk.
@ 197K of 200K!

Mekburger · Sep 9, 2005

Ok here are the readings in the BIOS.

cpu vcore 1.45
vcc dimm 2.65
vdd 2.64
vcc5 5.08
cpu 30c
sys 36c

see if any of those numbers look funny. A friend has a extra 400w ps he will let me use but I cannot get it until tomorrow.

endyen · Sep 9, 2005

Yup, the one with single channel ram, unichrome11 graphics, and a via chipset. It's a driver problem, as in drive back to where you got it, kill everyone inside, and get a board that works.

ChipDeath · Sep 9, 2005

I'm actually re-heating the leftovers there... *burp*

---
<pre> (\_/)
|~~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\</pre>

ChipDeath · Sep 9, 2005

Those numbers do look ok, but did you have a reading for 12V too?

Definitely try your friend's PSU, but if you get the same issue, it would seem to be RMA time...

Try to get a refurbed Abit board with an Intel chipset or something if you do have to. Intel have always produced the best chipsets for their chips.

How much did you pay for that board?

---
<pre> (\_/)
|~~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\</pre>

Mekburger · Sep 9, 2005

Wanted to thank everyone for there help.

There was no 12v reading in the BIOS so I don't know what they are. The mb was 36.50, seems this is a case of you get what you pay for.

I will try the other ps today after work but i'm not holding my breath.

ChipDeath · Sep 9, 2005

I had a great motherboard at work. It said on bootup "Press DEL to enter setu" while booting up, and the BIOS thought the 12V line was at 7.6V, and couldn't decide whether the CPU was at -80C or around 120C. It was a VIA KT266 board, and I have no idea who the manufacturer was. It died last week and I spotted no less than nine capacitors had given up and started leaking, so top-quality componentry there.

Even if cheap boards do work fine, they usually suffer that sort of problem far sooner than boards from higher quality manufacturers, as they keep costs down in that sort of area.

---
<pre> (\_/)
|~~~~~|======
|_____| This was bunny. He was tasty.
/\/\/\/\</pre>

Mekburger · Sep 9, 2005

What about these two boards?
<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813135166" target="_new"> ECS </A>
<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813127175" target="_new"> ABIT </A>
They both have the 848P chip set so is the Abit worth the extra $13.00?

Also I see alot of SIS chips are they not very good or are they kinda hit or miss?

Crashman · Sep 10, 2005

SiS makes better chipsets in general than VIA, but both companies are having a competition to see who can make the WORST onboard graphics. If you get something SiS, please get one without the graphics.

Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!
Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!

liquidpaper007 · Sep 10, 2005

Get a miltimeter and set it to dc and the lowest number, like mine is 15v I think. When you do that stick the + cable into the yellow to test the +12v and the - cable in to the black molex cable. that should give you an accurate reading.

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") bunny pwns j00

liquidpaper007 · Sep 10, 2005

mines sayys 15 for the lowest dcv. its a radio shack one

(\__/)
(='.'=)
(")_(") bunny pwns j00

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