Help with new/repair build if possible

[mbco2001]

Hi guys (and girls) - to start off with, Im new here so hello to all.

I am fairly newbie to any type of pc building. I DO have the knowledge to install a power supply, hard drives, cd drives, etc.

Now I had a custom pc built for me by a friend I met thru an online game about 2 years ago (maybe). I purchased all the parts from newegg.com and had them come here. After I had all the parts, I met this guy at his apartment for the build. The build went smooth, although longer than he stated it would. I was helping him the entire time until the CMOS/BIOS and windows were loaded (still dont know how to do that stuff). The PC was built to be a sort of middle-tier gaming machine. All I really wanted it for was a solid machine for Counter Strike (half life) and possibly 1-2 other games. He suggested all the parts below, and suggested overclocking it and all that stuff. I wasnt crazy about the overclocking part, and I believe thats where everything went wrong.

The PC ran fine for about 4-5 months then out of the blue, I started getting a clicking noise followed by BSODS (blue screen of death). I never did find out what it was. I had two hard drives, one which was storage. I unplugged it, and continued getting blue screens. Thats when I called him back up and said since the other drive had the OS on it, I couldnt unplug it to see if that was the solution so I suggested him telling me how to remove the overclocking. He said something about resetting the CMOS? or reflashing the BIOS? Hell I cant remember. Anyway, after that, the PC would just sit at a black screen the entire time. I tried to ship it back to him ( he moved off to college in another state) then I constantly got the runaround with it - ended up having him send it back and it was sent back in a disastorous state. Anyhow so now I just got finished remounting everything. I didnt have to bother the motherboard/CPU/heatsink combo because it was still seated together. I put the video card and sound cards back in, both hard drives, the cd drive, and reconnected all power leads.

Basically what I want to do is just have it run like a normal system you would buy from a store. Although some components may have been meant for overclocking or whatever, I beleive they should be fine running under normal conditions. So basically what I need to know is follows:

1) I will need help attaching the power sw, reset sw, hdd led, and power LED to the mother board because the writing on the board is confusing.

2) How can I totally reset the entire machine so that I can get a fresh boot?

3) Is there a way to format these drives without having to put them in a different machine ( I do not know how to do it thru dos)

4) And the memory is running in dual channel mode (I think their in slots 2 and 4)

5) and whatever other things you think I should do.

The parts in the machine are as follows;

Thermaltake VA3000 Dream Tower
DFI "LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D" NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra Chipset motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU
G Skill Dual Channel (1GB) PC4400 Memory
Creative Labs SB Audigy2 sound card
MSI NX-6600GT video card
AMD Athlon 3000+
ThermalRight XP-120 Heatsink
Enermax 120mm heatsink Fan.
Enermax CoolerGiant 460W power supply
Western Digital 2500jb 250Gbharddrive
Western Digital 1200jb 120GB hardrive
Western Digital 80GB hardrive
TDK 420N DRD+RW dvd writer
Total of 7 fans. Three on the power supply (rear, front, bottom), 1 on heatsink, 1 on rear of case, 1 on front of case, 1 on side of case.


If you guys need any more information, I can provide. I also do have a pretty good digital camera if I need pictures of anything.



EDIT:

Oh yeah quick note, forgot to add - I noticed on the RAM chip (the lone one I removed) the timings? on it showed 1.5 2 2 4

[Panama Red]

First off, welcome to PC Mech. I'm sure we can get you running again. My first suggestion is for you to find your motherboard manual and read it carefully. Most of your questions can be answered in there. If you don't have yours, you can download one from the DFI web site. Next, you'll need your copy of Windows XP. Hopefully, your "friend" didn't use a pirated copy and loaded it for you. If that is the case, you're going to need to purchase your own legit copy. You'll also need your mobo CD and all your other software in order to reload the system.

The clicking sound is ominous and never good. Sounds like one of your hard drives has failed. You can test it by downloading the diagnostic utility from WD. Your drives may still be under warranty as WD drives carry a 3 yr warranty - if they were purchased as OEM drives. Retail drives are only 1 year. Do you have another desk top pc you can use for testing? How bout a laptop or desktop that will burn cd's?

[mbco2001]

Ok I dont think I have the motherboard manual but I do recall seeing the cd (the UTILITY CD). Also, I do believe he installed a pirated version of windows BUT BUT BUT, I did buy a OEM version to reinstall on it, just never have. So I am prepared there ( I have a disk that was never used) unless he stole the SN from it when I sent it back to him to be repaired. I wont know until I try to install it.

The clicking sound was always weird. I thought it to be a hard drive but never knew. I used to try to run the diagnostics, but when I'd do that, it'd blue screen me. I never got thru the entire diagnostics. Im not sure if it was the drive there though, because I could usually only get about 5-6 minutes worth of any type of use before it'd blue screen. I have 3 other PCs here in the house, so access wont be a problem. And yeah they all burn cds.


Just from reading other posts, Im assuming I can reset the motherboard by pulling out the little silver battery for around 30 minutes?

[Panama Red]

Pulling the battery is one way but the faster and better way is to use the proper jumper. You'd be miles ahead to download your manual from DFI and save it on another pc so you have it handy. Alll your jumpers, bios settings and wiring connections will be much easier.

Best way to test a hard drive is outside of Windows with a boot disk. The Ultimate Boot CD contains many free diagnostic programs including all the hdd maker's diagnostics.

Just an after thought. Check your mobo driver/software CD for a manual. Sometimes board makers have a manual on the cd.

[mbco2001]

Ok I believe I have open what you want me to have open. It is the file from the cd in the "manual" folder named "LP NF4.pdf" and shows introduction, setup features, hardware installation, bios setup, supported software and troubleshooting.

I may be able to get a small bit done with this, but keep in mind I dont know what half of this stuff means. I never messed with CMOS or BIOS options ever before.

I am on the page that says CLEAR CMOS DATA and it does indeed show something about a jumper.

To shorten the whole process, could you recommend which of these pages to print? I know you cant see them, but what particular topics should I print?

Furthermore...to test these drives - would I be forced to install them into another pc? That seems to be a little too aggravating to do to test it. Or will I be able to test them from the boot cd that you were speaking of?


I apologize for constantly updating this post but I keep thinking of more I need to include.. While re-connecting the motherboard, I noticed there was another power-cord slot that I wasnt sure if it was supposed to be connected. I know you have to connect the main-plug, the big one, from the power supply but this spot has a typical 4-pin slot as the same as you would use on the back of a hard drive or cdrom. If you take a look at the following link, glance slightly to the right of the board fan and where the board fan plugs into the board its right by that. Is that supposed to accept a power cord from the power supply? I put one there, because it only made sense but I want to make sure I dont blow something up. Also, later on down the road, I may need help with where the Power Sw, RESET sw, hdd led, and power led wires go. I know, according to the picutre, they go on the lower left hand corner's pins, but the wording on the board is confusing. I dont know where either color goes, or if I plug left-to-right or top-to-bottom.

http://www.dfi.com.tw/Upload/Product_Picture/LP%20UT%20nF4%20SLI-D1.jpg

Ive found a useful link of the motherboard here :

http://www.dfi.com.tw/Product/xx_product_spec_details_r_us.jsp?PRODUCT_ID=3471&CATEGORY_TYPE=LP&SITE=US

[Panama Red]

I downloaded the manual from your second link. Page 61 describes the use of the 4 pin molex type connector that is mounted on the mobo. It is only needed when using 2 vid cards. Page 23 tells you how to clear the cmos. The boot cd allows you to test the hard drives in place.

[mbco2001]

I downloaded the manual from your second link. Page 61 describes the use of the 4 pin molex type connector that is mounted on the mobo. It is only needed when using 2 vid cards. Page 23 tells you how to clear the cmos. The boot cd allows you to test the hard drives in place.


Oh man, that answers two questions in one. Its just so hard to see these pdfs sometimes. I now know about that single plug, and where the switches (power led, power sw, etc) go. Once I reset the bios, where do I go from there? I know I hit del to get into the main screen I believe. Once I reset the CMON via the jumper, is everything reset or what else should I do?

[Panama Red]

Once you reset the cmos, have a boot disk with a hdd diagnostics on it (like the UBCD) in the cd drive and boot to the disk. Then test your hdd's. I'd leave the bios settings at default for now and worry about the hdd's first. You may need to enter the bios if the cd drive isn't set to boot before the hdd's.

[mbco2001]

Once you reset the cmos, have a boot disk with a hdd diagnostics on it (like the UBCD) in the cd drive and boot to the disk. Then test your hdd's. I'd leave the bios settings at default for now and worry about the hdd's first. You may need to enter the bios if the cd drive isn't set to boot before the hdd's.


Do I need to power on the system with the CMOS jumper set to the reset position or is this done, reset, even when powered off?

[Panama Red]

From page 29 of the manual:

To load the default values stored in the ROM BIOS, please follow
the steps below.
1. Power-off the system.
2. Set JP2 pins 2 and 3 to On. Wait for a few seconds and set JP2
back to its default setting, pins 1 and 2 On.
3. Now power-on the system.

I said page 23 in my earlier post but that is wrong. Power off means unplug the power cord from the wall or the psu.

[mbco2001]

Ok Im going to go ahead and try to power the system on. I will startup the laptop to keep me connected. Hopefully you're not too busy and wont mind hanging around a bit. I appreciate all the help by the way.

[Panama Red]

I'll keep checkin on ya. I'll be in and out.

[mbco2001]

Ive noticed the HS fan isnt turning. It initially moves but then stops... Also, the black screen still appears and does nothing.

[Panama Red]

I think it's time to start from the beginning. You'll need to remove the mobo from the case and follow the directions in this thread to determine if you have a core component failure.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

[mbco2001]

Ok, maybe that fan controll itself because now its turning. I am in the Genie BIOS screen but have no idea what any of this means.

[mbco2001]

The pdf says to set the clock/ratio to default but I see nothing about that.

Ok I went to load optimized defaults, saved, and exit. I put the cd in the drive but Im not even sure I loaded it correctly. When the pc restarted, it shows Verifying dmi pool data Backup CMON OK!

Error Loading OS

[Panama Red]

Leave the Genie Bios alone and just find the Boot Priority. Make sure the CD/dvd drive is listed before the hard drive so you can boot from a cd. Make sure to save any changes when you exit the bios. Have you made a boot cd yet so you can analyse the hdd's?

[mbco2001]

I burned the iso to disk that I downloaded from westerndigital.com the utility will work with both my wd800jb and wd2500jb. Its just not booting from the cd I take it.

Ok I must have forgot to save when I exited. And somehow my 2nd disk drive, the storage drive, it was looking for windows on it first. Anyhow, Ive reset the boot order to cd rom, hd1 (with window) and then the storage drive. It went thru a series of things, now I sit in dos at an A:\ prompt.

[Panama Red]

You can't just burn the iso like any other file. You have to use software that will burn the image to the disk. What software did you use to burn it?

[mbco2001]

Nero

I totally suck with dos prompts but when at the A:\ I typed dir and it shows


Volume in drive a is dos_boot
directory of a:\

command com
dr dos dir
oak dir
nr dir
wwbmu exe
readme txt
dconfig sys
autodos7 bat

[Panama Red]

With Nero you should be able to just click on the iso file from its stored location and Nero should open with the option to burn the iso to disk. You pop in the cd and burn the image.
A: is the floppy drive. I don't understand why you are using the dos commands. Did you make a CD from the iso or did you make a boot floppy from a different file?

[mbco2001]

I dont have a floppy drive so I have to burn it on cd

[Panama Red]

Cool, that's the easy way. If the iso burned properly and the cd drive is first in the boot order, it should boot to the hdd diagnostics then. If you have two cd drives and your bios has an option to boot from either depending on their boot priority, make sure you are putting the cd in the correct drive.

[mbco2001]

The cd is in the drive but it keeps booting to the hard drive with windows.... Keeps restarting itself back to the windows did notshut down properly prompt...Like its not picking up the disk in the cd drive

AHA It does a fairly loud "click" then the machine restarts.

[Panama Red]

Either the disk is bad or the cd isn't first in the Boot Priority. If you have your XP cd handy, pop it in and try to boot. BUT LISTEN CAREFULLY - if you get a prompt to "press any key to boot from the CD...." DO NOT hit a key. We just want to determine if the cd drive is the first boot device. If it does offer to boot from the XP cd, the WD diagnostic disk is the problem. If it doesn't boot from the XP cd, the Boot Priority is wrong.

[mbco2001]

It boots from the windows xp home edition cd fine.. Automatically goes into setup so I just turned the pc off.

I am using the download from
http://support.wdc.com/download/index.asp?cxml=n&pid=3&swid=53

Its possible I may be burning it wrong

[mbco2001]

OH damn thats the problem. I downoaded the "tools" instead of the diagnostics

Then again the only file saved on my pc is the diagnostics.

[Panama Red]

Try this instead. The UBCD is a much better tool.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

[mbco2001]

Try this instead. The UBCD is a much better tool.

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html


Ok - fastest download I could find was serverninjas.200+kbps

Do I need to keep this other cd that I created from western digital?

[Panama Red]

nope, toss it.

[mbco2001]

nope, toss it.


Ok the new disk has worked - where shall we proceed now? I have booted from the cd, shal I go to hard disktools then diagnostic tools>?

[Panama Red]

Yup, it'll all be obvious. Do you still have all three hdd's connected?

[mbco2001]

Yup, it'll all be obvious. Do you still have all three hdd's connected?

Only 2 hdd connected. Im unsure which selectino to use the v4.15 , v5.0f, or the lifeguard 11.2


On the page, if I pick my drive, the FLOPPY option shows a 5.0f but the cd option is a different version number. Also it keeps asking me to confirm different things, and I have 30 seconds to choose so no way I can ask you guys.

[Panama Red]

Use the v5.0. Don't worry about all the dos prompts as it loads. Just let them time out.

[mbco2001]

I have here standing at the following options after selecting 5.0f

LZ-DOS Version7.1 startup menu

1. qhimem/udma/umbpci
2. qhimem/udma/jemm386
3. qhimem/udma/jemm 386 defensive
4. qhimem no udma/umb defensive
5. clean

[Panama Red]

Not sure what you're looking at. First screen select F2 for Hard Disk Tools. Then use the right arrow to move to the screen showing Western Digital. Press F8 for DLG diagnostic V5.04c. Sit back and let it load. Don't respond to any dos prompts.

[mbco2001]

There is no f2 option or way to move left right. I open up to an option where u pick hard disk tools, then what type of tool like installation diagnostic or devicemanagement, I picked diagnostics, then it shows a complete list for all type drives, WD down to hitachi, etc. I have to pick one of the 3 options, so i choose 5,04f and thas where I stand. I wont pick anything Ill jsut let it run and see what happens.

[Panama Red]

Ok, I see the problem. I linked you to version 4.0 of the UBCD and I'm using v3.3. Give me time to make a new disk and see what you're looking at.

[mbco2001]

Ok I just let it run and have finally came to what the cd would have presented me. I am currently running a test on the biggest drive - quick test. Will keep this updated.

Just seeing that you are burning a cd just to help - that is incredible man. I really appreciate all the help you have given me thusfar and deeply appreciate anything after that.

First drive , the one I suspected, has passed the quick test. Testing the 2nd (one that had windows installed)

Second drive no errors on quick test.

[Panama Red]

No sweat, glad to help. Plus this gives me the latest tool for my tool box too. Glad you got it running.

Another question for you. If your XP hard drive is shot, can you use one of the other ones for a fresh install of XP? You'll lose everything that's on the drive if you do use it for the fresh install.

[mbco2001]

I'd prefer doing a fresh install anyway, because Im 75% sure Ill just sell this pc if I can get it to the point where I can stand behind it. But before sellin it I would prefer to use the 250gb harddrive as storage and the 80gb for windows. I actually do have the 120gb sitting here outside the pc..didnt want to install it to avoid it being the problem with the power supply (possibility I reckon). There was nothing on these drives I really needed anyway,

Oh yeah Im doing full tests now on the drives Ive started with the xp drive.

[mbco2001]

Quick question. All 3 drives, BOTH HDDS, and the cdrom are jumpered as cable select. Upon being in the BIOS earlier, I noticed I had by desired order backwards on the drives and the cdrom was listed as the slave, on the secondary channel (its the only thing on that secondary channel).

I want the 80gb to be master since it will have windows (right)? and the 250gb storage drive to be the slave. And the cdrom should be master correct?

If I reconfigure the jumpers, wont that override how the cables are set? Or does all this really matter?

[mbco2001]

The drive with windows has checked out after a full scan. I remember when I had this problem, I unplugged the secondary drive, and still encountered the problem. I am though, checking the 250gb, but feel sure it will come up error free. If both drives test out, where do we go next?

[Panama Red]

Leave the jumpers at CS for all four and just connect the cables the way you want them to appear. The Master postition is the end of the cable and slave is the middle connector.

If both drives check out, you should check your memory next just to eliminate another possible hardware problem. You can use the UBCD for that too.

[mbco2001]

Leave the jumpers at CS for all four and just connect the cables the way you want them to appear. The Master postition is the end of the cable and slave is the middle connector.

If both drives check out, you should check your memory next just to eliminate another possible hardware problem. You can use the UBCD for that too.


Thats actually what Im trying to avoid. Changing the cables around is the tougher solution because the cdrom is in the lowest position, and the hard drives locations cant be moved because of the size of the heatsink. And the way they are now, the cables will not reach. Ill try the memory test after this HDD checks out, but thats about 55 minutes away.

Any specific memory test that is ran?

Alternatively, I could still install windows on the 250gb and just create a windows partition in which only windows files will go. And another partition for everyything else. Im just trying to avoid overloading the drive that has windows, causing it to corrupt.

[Panama Red]

Memtest86+. Let it run for 2 full passes. It'll take a while so you can take a break while it runs.

If you have to rejumper the drives, use the Master/Slave configuration and that will override the cable positioning.

[mbco2001]

Memtest86+. Let it run for 2 full passes. It'll take a while so you can take a break while it runs.

If you have to rejumper the drives, use the Master/Slave configuration and that will override the cable positioning.


Ok, that was the answer I was looking for. And I will run the memtest when this finishes.

[mbco2001]

Memtest86+. Let it run for 2 full passes. It'll take a while so you can take a break while it runs.

If you have to rejumper the drives, use the Master/Slave configuration and that will override the cable positioning.


Im at 35% on the 2nd test of the memory check - the 2nd hdd passed. If this memory test passes, what do we move onto next? Just trying to squeeze everything I can before you call it a night (unless anyone else wants to jump in)

[Panama Red]

Next would be rejumpering the hard drives and doing the fresh install. Here's a link to one of the better step by step instructions for installing XP. Start about midway down the page til you see: Step-by-Step: Clean installing Windows XP (Interactive Setup)

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_sg_clean.asp

Only have one drive installed until XP is finished with the install.

[mbco2001]

Only have one drive installed until XP is finished with the install.

I dont quite know what you mean by this. Do you want me to unhook one harddrive until I get the windows , then reconnect the 2nd? Also, will this tell me how to partition the drive. I want it sort of like what hp does with its recovery partitions.

Furthermore, just to verify, this will format the drive prior to the clean install, correct? It read a little bit on the install page and it mentions something about defragmenting...Didnt think that would be needed if it just got formatted.

[Panama Red]

Yes, disconnect the storage drive and reconnect it later. Partitioning is covered but you have no way to create a recovery partition. Delete all partitions before you begin and work with the unpartitoned space you get as a resutl. Just make your primary partition about 20Gb, format it prior to the install and you can format the rest in Disk Management later. 20 should be enuf for xp and your programs. We can show you how to move your My Docs folder later.

[mbco2001]

Yes, disconnect the storage drive and reconnect it later. Partitioning is covered but you have no way to create a recovery partition. Delete all partitions before you begin and work with the unpartitoned space you get as a resutl. Just make your primary partition about 20Gb, format it prior to the install and you can format the rest in Disk Management later. 20 should be enuf for xp and your programs. We can show you how to move your My Docs folder later.


Well the recovery option isnt a must. Its just I do alot of music transferring and thought that may have been the reason it went bad before. But I just realized I probably wont even use this computer if I do get it running, so basically Ill just shoot for the common setup and see if I can sell it off to someone, although I dont know a decent asking price.

So lets shoot for the normal partition route and install route.

[Panama Red]

Just make the primary drive all one partition then. Don't even bother with partitioning.

[mbco2001]

Am I going to use the (QUICK) format or no?

OH wow, a BSOD

STOP: 0X0000007E (OXC000001D, 0XF76CA6C1, 0XF7C7A42C, 0XF7C7A128)

*** VIDEOPRT.SYS - ADDRESS F76CA6C1 BASE AT F76BB00, DATESTAMP 41107D08

[Panama Red]

yup, quick is fine. You've already tested the drives.

[mbco2001]

yup, quick is fine. You've already tested the drives.

Any idea on the stop error

restarted and got a different code

0X0000007E (OXC0000005, 0X808A4CCE, 0XF7C7A178, 0XF7C79E74)

[mbco2001]

Well if this thing aint weird...restarted a 3rd time and it has gotten all the way to the agreement (still going) so we'lll see

[mbco2001]

Great...deleted the partition, and as it went to format the disk, I get a new stop error
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL

0X000000A (0X0105D000, 0X0000002, 0X0000001, 0X8081E17E)



This is the same error I used to get before I put this machine away for 6-7 months.

[Panama Red]

That DFI mobo is known to be a real picky thing with memory. I've never worked with one personally but they were a favorite of the overclocking crowd. The 7E error can be a number of things. Here's some possibilities.

http://support.microsoft.com/search/default.aspx?catalog=LCID%3D1033&1033comm=1&spid=1173&query=0X0000007E&pwt=false&title=false&kt=ALL&mdt=0&res=20&ast=1&ast=2&ast=3&ast=4&ast=7&ast=10&ast=12&mode=a&adv=1

[Panama Red]

Here's the latest error.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311564/en-us

Try removing any peripherals like sound cards, modems and make sure no card readers or other usb devices are connected.

[mbco2001]

Yeah but I had used this for a good 4-5 months before it started acting up. Looks like I may just put it away or take it apart and just sell the parts.

[mbco2001]

By the way, only things connected are ps2 mouse and keyboard, and monitor. Im going to call it a night - its getting past my bedtime.

[Panama Red]

Don't blame ya. Good luck

[Panama Red]

Been thinking about this over night and I have an idea. WD hard drives do not work when jumpered to Master with only one drive installed. Best to use CS (Cable Select) on an 80 wire cable. Having a Master without a Slave just won't work. My bad for allowing you to do that.

[glc]

Also, you cannot override a 80 wire cable with master/slave - the master MUST be on the end connector.

[mbco2001]

Ok Ive decided Im just gonna part this thing out. I dont really have the knowledge (or patience) to constantly tinker with it. I will just list everything on eBay.

Given the previous posts, can anyone suggest to me what part would most likely cause the problem? Reason being, I want to avoid selling anyone anything that could be bad. For example, if there is no way this is a sound card problem, I could feel comfortable selling the sound card.

I feel sure its one of the hard drives bad, but I cant really be sure. Again, I ran both HDD through the quick and full tests used with the Western Digital Diagnostic programs and both passed, but upon trying to format them for windows installation, I would get BSOD's. Also, I ran the memory test for 2 full passes. But it, I reckon, could still be memory - whats to say only 1 stick got checked?

Furthermore, being this is dual channel ram, being run in dual channel, could that present a problem?

[mbco2001]

*bump*

[Panama Red]

Go back a couple of posts. There still may be nothing wrong. I gave you a bum steer on the jumpering. Reread my last post and glc's.

[mbco2001]

Well the drives are jumpered to cable select so.... I dont know what else it could be. Although the drive with windows is on cable select and on the slave connector, that shouldnt matter if were formatting through that diskette, correct? I have a 120gb hard drive laying around, but whats to even say its the hard drive. I ran the test on both, quick and full on each, and it didnt BSOD then. But when I tried to format it, thats when I got the BSOD.

I wouldnt mind rebuilding this if I knew what was good and what wasnt. For example, I wouldnt mind buying another HDD, but I dont want to buy one , then find out that wasnt the problem, then buy something else and just continue on. If I knew the RAM was bad, Id toss it, buy more and fix this thing but I cant really tell what it is.

[Panama Red]

check your pm's

[mbco2001]

check your pm's

Replied, please dont be offended.

Off to bed, 11:30pm gotta get up at 4:30am