startup problem

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:04 pm

ok ive got a huge problem.

my comp wont start. it gets thru the initial startup (fans turn hdd spin up cdroms start)

then nothing. my memory lights up (activity leds) in the startup flash then get frozen and turn off one bank at a time. nothing show up on screen.

i replaced the mobo today and it still does the same thing. processor too. still same thing..

any ideas what is wrong???

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:07 pm

what about the voltage rails on the power supply?

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:11 pm

i think they are normal but im not sure

the problems started after turning it one once and getting a bsod with "memory manager is corrupt" rebooted nothing happened stuck at start up

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:32 pm

system specs might help and you might want to find a volt meter to check the PSU.

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:38 pm

also check out the memory with memtest. can you get in to safemode?

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:39 pm

amd xp 2800+ 1 gig (2x 512) corsair xms pro, water cooled 5950 nvidia gpx, 480 watt thermaltake psu, 60 gig, 120 gig, dvd burner, dvd-rom

i checked the psu and its fine

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:42 pm

it wont start at all. just goes thru inital boot up stuff (nothing on screen) then freezes...the memory flashes on then freezes then shutsdown

what really ticks me off is i just got quake 4...grrrrrrrrr

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:49 pm

sounds like your memory died. if you have to sticks try them separatelly. if still the same try another stick or yours in someone elses rig.
also could be the video card. try these components in another rig to troubleshoot.

Post by **Apoptosis** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:16 pm

could be the memory, power supply, cmos chip, or a number of other things.

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:36 pm

Thus the reason for multiple tests. I would think to start with the simplest, that is if you have a copy of memtest on floppy. run it first, see if it produces errors, and if it does that should point you in the right direction. Of course, your PSU rails could be shot as well. Really, it's all in convenience, and what you have handy to test with.

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Tue Oct 25, 2005 10:58 pm

ill try that...dont have access to a comp with a floppy drive that works...(on a little crappy laptop)

just found out: corsair has a lifetime warrenty

Heretic · Post by **Heretic** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:25 am

Try a minimal setup and test each stick of ram separately and in different slots.

SAMSAMHA · Post by **SAMSAMHA** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:44 am

I think it's either the memory or that the HD has problem. Try to test the memory and the HD>

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:48 am

tested both sticks one at a time in all slots both with hdds connected and unconnected
still same problems

ideas?

killswitch83 · Post by **killswitch83** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:25 am

well then there's testing the PSU for stable voltage while the system is on (+- 5% variance each rail, I know Apop says 10%, either should be fine), see if the BIOS chip is even stable (will it take a configuration change, apply it, and still be stable when you know for a fact that setting is stable). I really hate problems like this, lol, as I've run into too many of em, after you try everything and the thing still doesn't work, lol.

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:45 pm

changed out psu with a new one from newegg (a 400 watter) and one from a friends rig

i cant access the bios area as it wont show up on screen. it wont get past the initial startup before the screen turns on (i changed out the graphic card 2x)

has to be memory...

Post by **Apoptosis** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:48 pm

can't swap the memory and see?

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:55 pm

im going to take the memory to tech school tommarow and see if thats bad

is that what you ment?

sbohdan · Post by **sbohdan** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:13 pm

you said you checked the memory but it seems you don't know how to do it. nothing to be ashamed of but you should of mention that. to check your memory sticks you have to first download memtest86 ( http://www.memtest86.com/memt32.zip ) ,then make a bootable floppy (in winXP --open my computer-- right click A drive- with an empty floppy in it- and check "make a bootable floppy" click start) after you made the floppy bootable copy all the memtest files on to it. restart computer and in bios make the boot sequence to be floppy first and hard drive the second boot device. save changes and exit. make sure the floppy is inserted and it will start the test in DOS automatically. let all the tests run and you will see if there are any errors and how many. if there are it will show in a red line. it seems you can't do this in your own rig because my understanding is it wont even post, so you will have to remove your ram sticks and put them one at the time in another computer. check both sticks separatelly and if they are OK than try each component (HDD, Vid card, psu) in the other computer as well. to see which one is the bad link. if they all are OK, then it must be the bios of the motherboard. it could be corrupt or have a virus (boot virus) or simply the motherboard itself might be gone.

sargentwolf · Post by **sargentwolf** » Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:16 pm

ok thanks ill trey that as well