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| Registered: March 13, 2007 |  Posts: 1,380 |
| | Posted: | | | | I'm in the process of fixing my mothers computer. The question is, can anyone point down to a specific piece of hardware/software that isnt working? I dont have the money to buy a new computer, and would rather get that one fixed. Anyway, the computer: Before i started fixing it, Windows XP was crashing. I installed later Ubuntu Linux to it, cause i was tired of fixing the windows. It worked fine for a while (month or two). Then also Ubuntu started crashing, the GUI was all messed up, some problems with the kernel and beyond my knowledge of repairing. It still sort of worked. After a while windows stopped working all together. After a while the whole computer didnt turn on. Back to current status. I bought a new HDD (should be good, 5 year warranty and all) plus proper windows (XP home OEM). It crashed when i first installed the OS 2 times (also complaned that it couldnt find wmspdmoe.dll). Managed to get it installed, split the HDD to 2 partitions. After that started getting blue screens ( PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA), it complaned on corrupted files, crashed everytime i started to install something etc. So i thought it might be a memroy thing (i've had another computer were i changed the ram slot, and bam no more blue screen or crashing. So tried that, nothing.) Did various other things, and it didnt crash anymore. So thought i would still do a fresh install cause i figured a lot of files might be corrupted. Second install, complaned that cant find shmedia.dll (strangly not the same as last time), while still installing it gave a blue screen ( PFN_LIST_CORRUPT), *restart* blue screen with no specific errors. Turned off computer and started writing this topic. The computer hardware AFAIK are: -Gigabyte 7VT600P-RZ motherboard -AMD Sempron 2800+ -512 DDR RAM -Ati Radeon 9200 -Seagate Barracuda 160GB 7200RPM | | | | Last edited: by whispering |
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| Registered: March 14, 2007 | Reputation:  |  Posts: 17,804 |
| | Posted: | | | | There could be a wide range of possible problems. Maybe it's the hard disc (even new ones could have problems). Could be Mainboard (controller, power supply etc.) as well etc.
Only possibility is to check the components on another machine to verify that they are o.k.!
Good luck for you! | | | | Thorsten |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 |  Posts: 2,692 |
| | Posted: | | | | it really sounds like RAM.
when you say you tried the memory - how did you check it? | | | | Paul |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,380 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting pauls42: Quote:
it really sounds like RAM.
when you say you tried the memory - how did you check it? Tryed it in other slots, as i've heard sometimes the motherboards RAM slots might not work properly. And it fixed the problems last time on another computer. The problem with checking the parts is, my main computer is newer (PCI-E graphics, other type of ram, CPU etc) and my other computer is as a replacement at my mothers ATM. The thing is, the computer HAS worked at one point. With the current setup, exculding HDD, which i thought caused the problems. I'll check how much memory costs (it needs more anyway) so will check if i can afford to buy one. Also have one extra AGP GPU, so will check that too. | | | | Last edited: by whispering |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,242 |
| | Posted: | | | | It could also be the PSU (Power Supply Unit), the other halves computer went down a couple of months ago, since it was still under warranty she called out the engineer, explained the problem he said sounds like run some checks found that the PSU was on the blip (only putting out half the power it should do) not saying it's the same situation...but you never know. If you know a friendly engineer (most large company employ their own) ask him to look at it for you (couple of pints never go amiss)  Steve |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 813 |
| | Posted: | | | | I'd agree with Pauls42, it sounds like RAM to me. The best way to test is obviously to swap it out with another module, so if you can get hold of another one then give that a go. Otherwise you could try memory testing software - try Memtest86 for example - they are not infallible, but certainly worth a try. | | | Andy 
"Credited as" Names Database | | | | Last edited: by Lopek |
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| Registered: March 15, 2007 | Reputation:  | | Posts: 5,459 |
| | Posted: | | | | When my PC crashed (because of RAM I later discovered) I found a memory check option in my BIOS which showed me the problem.
If the BIOS loads ok, look in there to see if there's any diagnostic options you can run. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 2,692 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting whispering: Quote:
Quoting pauls42:
Quote:
it really sounds like RAM.
when you say you tried the memory - how did you check it?
Tryed it in other slots, as i've heard sometimes the motherboards RAM slots might not work properly. And it fixed the problems last time on another computer.
what you need to do is to remove some of the memory and then try - if that doesn't work then switch the memory over. IF this works then you know for sure which memory chip is faulty. Its no good moving the memory to another slot - if the memory is faulty then its still being used. I remember having problems like you with new memory. The only fix was to remove some and then get the faulty lot replaced. | | | | Paul |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 |  Posts: 315 |
| | Posted: | | | | That is typical RAM problems symptom.
Like other have said, try testing the ram with specific software, and also try running the computer on only one of the modules at a time to try and find the faulty one. | | | | With every passing hour our solar system comes forty-three thousand miles closer to globular cluster M13 in the constellation Hercules, and still there are some misfits who continue to insist that there is no such thing as progress. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,380 |
| | Posted: | | | | Testing RAM is hard, since those programs use windows, which isnt installed ATM. I have a Ubuntu disc lying somewhere, and if i remember right it had some memory check thing which i can use before installing it. Just figured out that if i buy the RAM, and it doesnt help. The new RAM would be useless if i have to buy a new mother board. |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 813 |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 |  Posts: 6 |
| | Posted: | | | | Memtest86 (free program BTW ... cheaper than new RAM) is OS independent, once you have made the bootable floppy or CD on another good PC (just follow the instructions provided with the program) you run it from the floppy or CD on the suspect machine before you boot to windows or Linux. (that way the OS doesn't interfere with the test).
My 2 cents is that it sounds like memory or mainboard, just remember to be systematic when testing. :-) |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Posts: 1,380 |
| | Posted: | | | | Thanks to all for the help. Got a memory chip from work so i can test it. So far so good. Have installed windows and installing all programs now, no problems yet :D | | | | Last edited: by whispering |
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| Registered: March 13, 2007 | | Reputation: |  Posts: 5,491 |
| | Posted: | | | | | | | In the 60's, People took Acid to make the world Weird. Now the World is weird and People take Prozac to make it Normal.
Terry |
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| Registered: July 7, 2007 |  Posts: 284 |
| | Posted: | | | | Quoting whispering: Quote:
I'm in the process of fixing my mothers computer. The question is, can anyone point down to a specific piece of hardware/software that isnt working? I dont have the money to buy a new computer, and would rather get that one fixed. Anyway, the computer:
Before i started fixing it, Windows XP was crashing. I installed later Ubuntu Linux to it, cause i was tired of fixing the windows. It worked fine for a while (month or two). Then also Ubuntu started crashing, the GUI was all messed up, some problems with the kernel and beyond my knowledge of repairing. It still sort of worked. After a while windows stopped working all together. After a while the whole computer didnt turn on.
Back to current status. I bought a new HDD (should be good, 5 year warranty and all) plus proper windows (XP home OEM). It crashed when i first installed the OS 2 times (also complaned that it couldnt find wmspdmoe.dll). Managed to get it installed, split the HDD to 2 partitions. After that started getting blue screens (PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA), it complaned on corrupted files, crashed everytime i started to install something etc. So i thought it might be a memroy thing (i've had another computer were i changed the ram slot, and bam no more blue screen or crashing. So tried that, nothing.) Did various other things, and it didnt crash anymore. So thought i would still do a fresh install cause i figured a lot of files might be corrupted.
Second install, complaned that cant find shmedia.dll (strangly not the same as last time), while still installing it gave a blue screen (PFN_LIST_CORRUPT), *restart* blue screen with no specific errors. Turned off computer and started writing this topic.
The computer hardware AFAIK are:
-Gigabyte 7VT600P-RZ motherboard
-AMD Sempron 2800+
-512 DDR RAM
-Ati Radeon 9200
-Seagate Barracuda 160GB 7200RPM Could very well be an instable motherboard, did you try replacing that? EDIT: Nvm, you got it running, hope it stays that way  | | | My DVD's
Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard drive? | | | | Last edited: by RaymondG |
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