speedo
Wed Jun 25 18:46:00 PDT 2008
"Paul" wrote:
> Steve wrote:
> >
> > "Paul" wrote:
> >
> >> Steve wrote:
> >>> "Paul" wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Steve wrote:
> >>>>> on startup. my sister sent me her Gateway computer, it worked find for a
> >>>>> couple of days then earlier this week while I was on the net it just froze up
> >>>>> on me, I couldn't use the mouse or anything else. so I rebooted and it froze
> >>>>> and continues to freeze up after. every now and then I can get as far as the
> >>>>> user account icon.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I'm running WinXP as it says in the Topic title. I have tried to boot from
> >>>>> the WinXP installation cd and that hangs up too and it gets to the Windows
> >>>>> Setup screen when it is loading files. I have also tried another hard drive
> >>>>> with the same results. it also will not boot in the safe mode either.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> does anyone have any ideas. if you need more info please let me know
> >>>> There are programs you can get, to test stuff. For example, memtest86+
> >>>> from memtest.org , is available in a floppy or a CD version. When you
> >>>> run the program, no errors are acceptable (as an error could be what
> >>>> is upsetting the machine). Even the ability to boot and run this, is
> >>>> a positive sign. Memtest86+ doesn't find all possible RAM problems
> >>>> (as some only become apparent under 100% CPU loading).
> >>>>
> >>>>
http://www.memtest.org/pics/i875-big.gif
> >>>>
> >>>> For hard drive testing, the hard drive manufacturers have diagnostic
> >>>> programs for download on their web site. This can determine whether
> >>>> there is a serious problem with the disk for example. You'd need
> >>>> to eyeball the label on the drive, if you cannot run the computer
> >>>> and collect inventory information while in Windows.
> >>>>
> >>>>
http://www.seagate.com/support/seatools/SeaToolsDOSguide.pdf
> >>>>
> >>>> Another place to look, is in the BIOS screens. On my machine, when
> >>>> it starts, I press <delete> to get into the BIOS setup screen.
> >>>> There is a hardware monitor page, where fan speeds and power
> >>>> supply voltages are measured. Maybe the Gateway has something
> >>>> like that. The 3.3V, 5V, and 12V voltages should be within
> >>>> +/- 5% of those values.
> >>>>
> >>>> Perhaps when you've collected a few more symptoms, the cause
> >>>> will be more apparent. Freezing, as such, may have more than
> >>>> one root cause. (For example, there was a certain network driver
> >>>> a while back, offered through Windows Update, that caused a
> >>>> freezing problem. Yours sounds more like a hardware problem
> >>>> of some sort.)
> >>>>
> >>>> Paul
> >>> thank Paul, if I want to create a CD to run Memtest68 what do I need
> >>> to download? sorry I'm not sure what to do after reading it
> >>>
> >>>
http://www.memtest.org/
> >>>
> >>> thank you
> >>>
> >> The CD option takes the form of an ISO9660 file. I take that into
> >> Nero and burn a CD with the ISO9660. The ISO9660 is a container,
> >> that allows bootable media. What you don't want to do, is just
> >> transfer "blah.iso" to the CD, such that if you look at the
> >> CD in Explorer, it shows one file blah.iso. That won't work.
> >> The CD burning program treats the ISO9660 as an image, to be
> >> transferred to the CD.
> >>
> >>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iso9660
> >>
http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm
> >>
> >> If you don't have any burning software, then I've heard of this
> >> package. Never used it myself. (When I bought a burner, I made
> >> sure at the time, that some version of Nero was bundled with it.
> >> The latest versions of Nero, are getting rather bloated with
> >> unrelated crap.)
> >>
> >> "DeepBurner-Free"
> >>
http://www.download.com/DeepBurner-Free/3000-2646_4-10250994.html
> >>
> >> Paul
> >
> > thanks Paul, I used Nero, ran and it, but it only ran for about 18 seconds.
> > thinking to myself that is not a good sign.
> >
> > plus after reading this, not sure what my next step should be.........
> >
> > If your computer freezes even when in BIOS.......
> > Well, that sounds BAD.
> > Something very basic and important must be broke.
> >
> > Your problem doesn't seem to have anything to do with your OS, so no
> > repairdisk will help. Bios is low-level.
> >
> > You CAN try to replace some components with others if that is an option.
> > Memory would be a good start.
> >
> > If you want to spend some money on it, you can bring it to your local PC
> > repairman.
> > In my experience, all the money you spend on it is money gone. You could
> > spend that too on a new machine, and with repaircost easily $50 an hour
> > without garantueed result...
> >
> > Sorry. I would give up on a machine freezing in BIOS.
> > (Or at most try replacing memorymodules only from another PC with
> > comparable memory)
> >
> > Regards,
> > Erwin Moller
> >
> > do you have any ideas?
>
> I'd start with a visual inspection of the inside of the machine.
> Is the heatsink still attached to the socket properly ? Are the
> tops of the capacitors bulged ? Did the power supply make a
> burnt smell lately ?
, Paul, for some reason I can't reply using IE7, no idea what I did
so I'm using Firefox. when inspecting the inside I noticed that
the heatsink is not attached properly.
http://support.gateway.com/s/MOTHERBD/INTEL/2513603/251360305.shtml
when you look at the photo above, you will see what looks like 2
clamps one on the upper left side and one on the lower right side
this computer only has one of them and is lose on the other side.
this is as far as I have went with my inspection, I guess I will take
it to a shop to see if can it fixed. not sure how to take it off but I'm
reading/searching to find out before I make a trip to a shop. do you
think this might be the problem with this machine?
thanks again Paul, sorry for the delay, we had a family emergency.
>
> (Picture of bulged caps. This can cause instability of the CPU,
> if the caps are part of the Vcore regulator.)
>
>
http://www.badcaps.net/images/caps/kt7/image004.png
>
> Two approaches are -
>
> 1) Simplify the hardware setup. For example, disconnect the hard
> drive and the CDROM drive from the motherboard. Now, go into the
> BIOS. Does it run longer than 18 seconds without freezing ?
>
> The problem with simplifying, is that there probably isn't too
> much you can strip out of that machine. It might have integrated
> graphics, instead of a video card, so that can't be removed.
> If it had both integrated graphics, and a video card, then the
> video card could be removed (and the monitor cable moved over
> to the integrated graphics connector).
>
> When you remove a component, it does two things. It reduces the
> power consumption a tiny bit. And in the event that the component
> you removed is the culprit, you might see a change in the behavior
> of the system. Some computers have several add-in cards installed,
> so there is more stuff to remove.
>
> 2) Swapping components for known good ones, is another technique.
> But that is for someone who is well equipped with parts. Processors
> are usually pretty reliable, so RAM would be a better candidate for
> a swap. Also, the power supply would be something to try (if you
> don't have a multimeter, and don't want to bother checking the
> current supply).
>
> There is another poster here, who might suggest measuring the power
> supply voltages, but not every user is happy with the thought of
> doing that. You do need to know a little bit about electronics,
> to do it. (Which is why I was hoping the BIOS might have a
> hardware monitor page showing voltages.) The output voltages should
> be within 5% of the true value (3.3V, 5V, 12V, -12V, +5VSB).
>
> When it freezes, does the computer respond to the reset button ?
> Does the computer have a reset button, separate from the power
> button ? After it is reset, does the next freeze happen sooner ?
> If so, that would suggest there is a thermal component to the problem.
> (I'm just looking for as many symptoms as can be gathered here.)
>
> Does the BIOS have a RAM test ? Does it always make it all the
> way through the RAM test, with no strange pauses as the RAM test
> counts up ?
>
> Do the visual inspection first, and see if there is anything
> obviously out of order in there. Looking at stuff, is a pretty
> cheap test :-)
>
> Paul
>
