P4S533-MX

[stuart]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

Please help.
I have installed an Asus P4S533-MX motherboard with a Intel Celeron 2.4ghz
128kb 400mhz Socket478 Retail Boxed, I have installed Windows XP Pro. But
the system is very unstable, The system shuts down (no time limit - could be
1 Min 2 Mins or 120 Mins), and restarts with a warning saying system
recoverd from a critical error. but no error code. Any help as to what it
could be please be gentle with me as I am a newbie
thanks in advance for your help.
Stuart...

Hi Paul, Have done the mem test and found loads of errors?
I took out the 128mb cheap memory from PC World and left in the 256mb
Crucial memory, System would not boot and had a beeping sound, Took out the
Crucial memory put in the cheap memory system started fine, But now have
another problem and hope you can help.
I have lost IDE channel 2, Bios does not recognise the DVD Rom or the DVD
writer.
any ides as to what could be wrong.
thanks for your help.

 

[Paul]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.mainboard.asus (More info?)

In article <oNBic.4596$5Z1.2581@pathologist.blueyonder.net>, "Stuart"
<bluemink179@hotmail.com> wrote:

> > Please help.
> > I have installed an Asus P4S533-MX motherboard with a Intel Celeron 2.4ghz
> > 128kb 400mhz Socket478 Retail Boxed, I have installed Windows XP Pro. But
> > the system is very unstable, The system shuts down (no time limit - could be
> > 1 Min 2 Mins or 120 Mins), and restarts with a warning saying system
> > recoverd from a critical error. but no error code. Any help as to what it
> > could be please be gentle with me as I am a newbie
> > thanks in advance for your help.
> > Stuart...
>
> Hi Paul, Have done the mem test and found loads of errors?
> I took out the 128mb cheap memory from PC World and left in the 256mb
> Crucial memory, System would not boot and had a beeping sound, Took out the
> Crucial memory put in the cheap memory system started fine, But now have
> another problem and hope you can help.
> I have lost IDE channel 2, Bios does not recognise the DVD Rom or the DVD
> writer.
> any ides as to what could be wrong.
> thanks for your help.

I would finish the mem test, using the memory you think is working.
If the Crucial has a warranty, you should get Crucial to replace it.
You can tell them it failed memtest if you want. If you test both
memory sticks by themselves, and they are both failing, it could
mean there is some other problem with the system. (I am assuming
here, that the memory was working properly at one time, and
that you haven't forced the memory to run faster than it is
specified for. A memory setting of "Auto" should be using the
slower memory stick characteristics, to set the speed for both
sticks.)

As for an IDE problem, there can be a number of root causes. For me,
I bumped the cable once while working in the computer, and unseated
it. Make sure the cable is fully in place, and that in pulling and
tugging on it, you haven't pulled the ribbon away from one of the
connectors. Ribbon cables do fail, sometimes even when they are
brand new. Try another 80 conductor cable, if you have one. (The
80 conductor cable has 40 ground signals on it, and this improves
the quality of signals carried on the other normal 40 wires.)

Make sure both drives have power (the four pin power cable).

I assume from your description, that these two devices were working
before, and now they are not ? Your options are, to use an 80
conductor cable (which supports cable select mode) and set the
two drives for cable select. Or, you can use the same cable, but
jumper one drive for master and the other for slave. I would make
a reader device (like a CDROM or a DVDROM) the master, and the DVDRW
a slave, but try both combinations until you find one that works.

As with the ram, you can test the drives one at a time. Set a
drive to master and see if the one drive can be detected by the
BIOS. You could have a bad drive on your hands, and that can
stop all communications on a shared IDE cable.

Finally, if you have placed any extra brass standoffs underneath
the motherboard, they could touch a copper track, such as an IDE
signal, and short it out. Standoffs should only be installed
where there is a plated hole in the motherboard that lines up with
it. Extra standoffs are OK if they are made from an insulating
material like nylon, but those aren't common. The plated holes
on the motherboard are at ground potential, and are designed
to touch and make contact with a brass standoff and the screw
that holds it.

HTH,
Paul