Hardware Problem(s) (Second Opinion Needed)

[Powertrip]

Here's what I got this morning to start my work week off....

A client initially reports "My computer is shuting down". On my service call I found out the following, "The computer restarts itself" (Not a complete shut down) "Computer is very slow" and "Programs hang, crash or just do not run".

System Information:

Intel Socket 478 P4 2.0 Ghz
Gigabyte GA-8SIMLP Mainboard
Onboard Video (SIS)
512MB RAM 2x256 MB DDR266 (32MB shared memory)
Western Digital WD800BB Hard Drive IDE (Master IDE1)
2xOptical Drives (1 DVDROM 1 CDRW) (Master/Slave IDE2)
3.5 Floppy
Windows XP Home
56k Modem PCI Interface


I brought the computer back to my shop and I have started with my usual troubleshooting.

Memtest-86 v3.2 started out without errors, just before I was about to restart and boot into windows xp home it punched out one error on test #3 (moving inversions, 8 bit pattern) I repeted test #3 several times with no errors, and then rest Memtest to it's normal tests. After some time I slowly started getting errors on test number 6 (moving inversions, 32 bit pattern). After 1 hour 36 minutes I had a total of 5 errors. The interesting thing was this, all errors occoured between 0.4MB and 1.9 MB of memory (possibly in the BIOS shadow area of memory?)

I have tested out power supply voltages and they look ok. 12.1 and 5.24 with some intermitting fluctuations (within acceptable range). I would like to reboot into xp and wait and see if I get a blue screen now that I disabled the "Automatically Restart" option.

Event viewers show a slew of System errors, more information to come. Currently leaning towards a bad board (Gigabyte GA-8SIMLP).

I plan to ghost there hard drive for backup purposes and then try their memory in a different computer before I continue with my diagnosis.

[ski]

If you ran Memtest with both RAM modules installed, then rerun it with just one moduled installed at a time.
If only one module shows errors, then install just the good one, and check the system. If it runs ok, then the other module is probably bad.

[Powertrip]

Thanks Ski, I'm running the mem test with one module now I will keep you posted.

[Powertrip]

Memtest X86 Test Results (Updated):

TEST 1=Memory Module # 1 in Memory Slot 1 of 2 : Zero Errors in 70 Minutes (7 passes)
TEST 2=Memory Module # 2 in Memory Slot 1 of 2 : Zero Errors in 65 Minutes (7 passes)
TEST 3=Memory Module # 1 & 2 In slots 1 & 2 With AGP Video Card: Zero Errors in 96 Minutes (4 passes)
TEST 4= Memory Module # 1 & 2 In slots 1 & 2 With Onboard Video at 64 MB (448M Cached): Zero Errors in 76 Minutes (4 passes)

After the first two results I added the AGP Video Card which allowed Memtest to test all memory (previously the onboard video was chewing up 32MB's).


*scratches head*... *twidles thumbs*

[flanzig1]

Possibly that the on-board video is screwing up with it's access to the system ram.

[Powertrip]

Originally Posted by flanzig1 Possibly that the on-board video is screwing up with it's access to the system ram.

This third test will help me verify that I hope. If this board can function properly with both tested modules installed and an AGP video card I think it's time to try and fix the damage done to XP, and observe. I'll let it go for a little longer, I never like rushing these memory tests.

Well, stumped again. I ran that 4th test just to be sure, back onto onboard video with it bumped up to 64MB instead of 32MB and I didn't get any errors at all!

Could a simple memory reseat have solved the problem? I still have one test I am going to try while I absorb all this, a fresh install of windows XP on a spare drive... Really use some input on this one, could be a long night lol.

[Powertrip]

JOHN (VAUGHN ROAD) COMPUTER TROUBLESHOOTING NOTES:

REPORTED AND VIEWED PROBLEMS:

Random Computer Restarts, very slow computer performance, program crashes,
system errors, program hangs, memory errors......

TESTS CONDUCTED:

MemTest X86 Bootable CD....

TEST 1: (with 32 MB Shared Video Memory)
Memory Slot 1 of 2: DIMM 1 (256MB)
Memory Slot 2 of 2: DIMM 2 (256MB)
6 Errors in 1.5 Hours

TEST 2: (with 32 MB Shared Video Memory)
Memory Slot 1 of 2: DIMM 1 (256MB)
0 Errors in 70 Minutes

TEST 3: (with 32 MB Shared Video Memory)
Memory Slot 1 of 2: DIMM 2 (256MB)
0 Errors in 70 Minutes

TEST 4: (With 0 MB Shared Video Memory)
*Test was performed with an AGP Video Card Installed
Memory Slots 1 of 2: DIMM 1 (256MB)
Memory Slots 2 of 2: DIMM 2 (256MB)
0 Errors in 76 Minutes

TEST CONCLUSION:

The first test returned a hardware fault in the memory or memory BUS, prompting
further testing as noted above. All other tests concluded that at least in
short term tests both memory modules performed error free, with or without
onboard video shared memory.

NEW RESULTS.....(Further Tests)

TEST 2: (DATA TRANSFER, RANDOM SYSTEM RESTART ON FRESH OS TEST)

Install a fresh copy of Windows XP Home (SP0)
Install Service Pack 1 Manually
Install Service Pack 2 Manually

RESULTS

Install a fresh copy of Windows XP Home SP0 Completed Sucessfully
Install Service Pack 1 Manually Completed Scuessfully
Install Service Pack 2 Manually Completed Sucesffully until next Reboot!

Problem reported on Startup: (Computer restarted indefinatly until set not to restart
under advanced startup options) PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA
STOP: 0x00000050 (0x82754680,0x00000000,0xf840adbc,0x00000000)
*** Ntfs.sys Address F840ADBC base at F83E4000 DateStamp 41107ee4a

Microsoft URL
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/d...rl=/resources/
documentation/Windows/XP/all/reskit/en-us/prmd_stp_ccgm.asp

Defective memory (including main memory, L2 RAM cache, video RAM) or incompatible software.....

TEST CONCLUSION

I would love to say its bad memory but the fact that it occoured after the SP2 Install Restart leads
me to believe it is a software based error pertaining to the onboard video, unless a memory error
corrupted the NTFS.SYS file.

I am going to leave an overnight memory test run all night, with both memory modules and the onboard video
as it was when the computer arrived. Anyone else recommend a next step if the memory test turns out to
be error free overnight?

[Powertrip]

OVERNIGHT TEST= Memory Module # 1 & 2 In slots 1 & 2 With Onboard Video at 32 MB (480M Cached): Zero Errors in 437 Minutes (7 Hours 17 Minutes) (21 passes).

CONCLUSION:

The "Reseat" of the memory has stoped this system from performing memory errors. Damage done to the OS over the last few months cannot be completly repaired short of a fresh install or repair install.

Thanks anyone that took a look at this, I would be interested to hear if anyone else ever solved a memory problem by reseating their memory? I have seen it with video cards and what not, and I have read about it but never had it work for me. Time for a coffee!

[glc]

Very common. That's one of the first things you should do when you suspect a memory issue.

[Powertrip]

Awesome, Anyway to clear this thread to make room for some now ones?

[glc]

We don't archive threads - we keep them all for reference.