PC will not boot up 2

[macten88]

I've got a Athlon 2400, new k7sem motherboard, 512M pc133, new 350 watt power supply, onboard video.

The pc would get to 'verify dmi pool data' and the screen would go blank and lock up.

I've got the motherboard, hardrive and power supply sitting on a table. There are no cards in the motherboard. I shorted the cmos jumper. Now it boots to a selection screen:

Normal boot
last known good
safe mode

I can use the arrow key to select safe mode or one of the others. But as soon as I hit 'enter', it locks up. I'm using just one Dimm module. I've tried the other one in Dimm1. I put the memory in my other desk top and it ran fine for 4 days.

When I go into pc health in the BIOS, all of the voltages are within spec and the cpu is running at 31*C. The power supply is new but is on the cheap side.

I used Ultra-x Quicktech Pro before I took everything out of the case. The old and new motherboards fail on the same two items:

fail to find SMBUS (system management bus)
Keyboard controler: BIOS buffer overun error

The version of Quicktech pro is a lot newer than the motherboard. Those error messages could be meaningless. Anyone have any ideas on what to do?

 

[macten88]

The cpu and video passed all of the Ultra-x tests.

 

[garebo]

Can you get into the bios and find the setting to set the bios at its default values?
That might be a good start to find out what the problem is.

Next would be can you try a different power supply and see if that works?


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm

This issue can be caused by any of the following:

Corrupt boot files on the computer.
Settings for hard disk drive are not correct.
Floppy diskette or CD in computer causing issue.
Boot devices not set properly.
BIOS corrupt or misc. setting not set properly.
Connections loose or disconnected.
Bad Hard disk drive or other bad hardware.

The solutions are there as well, but i didnt want to take up too much space here but you can go there to read them.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[macten88]

I tried fail-safe defaults in the BIOS. They didn't help. I'm gona pick up a quality power supply tomorow.

Before I took everything out of the case, I installed a new hardrive cable and hardrive (Maxtor). I tried to load both W98 and W2000. Both would lock up after 5 or 6 minutes of copying files.

The cpu is an Athlon 2400 but shows up as 'unrecognized cpu, 1.5GHZ'. I don't know if that tells you anything or not.

 

[garebo]

With that info, it sounds like either the power supply is going bad or a problem with the hard drive or the cdrom.

Can you swap out the cdrom? I am saying that as i am quessing you are using a cdrom install cd to try and install win98 or w2k?

The cpu not being recognized is either the need for a bios update or the cpu is wrong for the mobo, probably the former. I would be its only the need for a bios update, but you would have to go to ECS and look up what cpu's that mobo will accept. Again, probably a bios update is needed if not already done.

Is this a new install?


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[macten88]

I got the pc from a friend of a friend. They said that it freezes. I got it home and it wouldn't even boot up. Completely dead. I put in a new power supply and it booted up into Wxp home and immediately froze. The more i fiddled with it, the worse it got. They got it from a friend in a barter deal and said that the more they used it the worse it got. More and more lockups...

 

[macten88]

I'll have to put it back in the case and swap out the cd-rom.

 

[macten88]

I think you're right about the BIOS update. Here's what the manufacturers website says about the cpu's the k7sem motherboard supports:

Full series of Athlon/Duron CPU including the future Athlon processors

I'll give the BIOS update a shot....

 

[garebo]

Just a thought, but while trying to get it going, maybe best to stick with win98se install, most of us know that better, i think, and its likely easier? Probably doesnt matter but best to stick with only one anyway.



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[G0AOZ]

Have you used the QuickTech Pro memory test? If it's a memory problem, that software will surely find it.

And presumably if you run the QuickTech Pro tests long enough, you'll get the machine to lock up again...?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[garebo]

Is the quicktech pro memory test free?
I am on their site, i dont see anything free.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[macten88]

You've gota pay for all that Ultra-x stuff. The memory passed all of it's tests. As a matter of fact i ran the burn-in for 1 hour and everything passed which makes the whole thing a real mystery. If it ran for an hour I would think that the power supply, motherboard, memory and cpu are all good.

That Quicktech pro has its own operating system. Which means that something is screwed up on the hardrive.

 

[G0AOZ]

Yes, that was the point I was coming to... By giving it a good thrashing with QuickTech Pro, I'd say you've probably eliminated motherboard, CPU and memory. If you've the time and inclination, and no data to be saved on the hard drive, how about running QuickTech's destructive hard drive test?

Garebo, regret that software's not free...

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[macten88]

I slaved the hardrive off of the master on my other desktop and the pc had a tough time booting up with all kinds of error messages, so I'm pretty sure the hardrive is toast.

I've got to get the software from the owner and probably buy a new hardrive. She is at a stockcar race in Tenn., so will have to wait till she gets back.

Meantime I might as well do that destructive test with Ultra-x. I'm curious as to what kind of results it produces. On second thought I'll wait till she gets back.

I've learned a lot already which is the name of the game....I'll report back with the results....

 

[macten88]

I ran burn-in for several hours. No lock-ups. But as soon as I try to load the operating system it locks up. It's usually a few minutes after files start copying over it locks up.

I have tried two different (new)Maxtor hardrives, all new cables and a known good DVD/cd-rom out of my other pc. Any ideas?

 

[garebo]

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000474.htm

I mentioned that above.
It says:
Solution:

Corrupt boot files on the computer

If the computer has no bootable files on the drive it is attempting to boot from it is possible that the computer may halt at " verifying dmi pool data...".

To resolve this issue:

Boot from a bootable floppy diskette. Ensure that this diskette was made on the same Microsoft Windows operating system that is installed on your computer.
Once at the A:\> prompt type "sys c:" and press enter. This should report the message "File system transferred". Once transferred remove the diskette and reboot the computer.
If the computer continues to not boot attempt to re-create the master boot record by booting from the bootable floppy diskette again. Once at the A:\> prompt type "fdisk /mbr" and press enter. This should return you to the prompt without giving you any message. Once at the prompt remove the diskette and reboot the computer.

I mention this because you problems stemmed, at one time, from the "verify dmi" issue and it may still be that issue that is causing the problems.
Also, you can go into bios and set plug and play to "yes" from no, if it is at no. And clear the dmi and set dmi to re-set itself. I dont have the exact correct wording but the settings are all there in your bios. This may very well help you out here.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

by the way, i forgot, do the last things i suggested first as they are the easiest.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[macten88]

Thanks Garebo. I called Ultra-x and talked to a technician. He said that the 'BIOS buffer overrun' error means that the BIOS needs to be flashed. And I think you mentioned that one also.

In my last post I was trying to load an operating system on a new hardrive. (I don't have her software yet)

I sent ECS an email just to make sure which BIOS update to use. There is a sticker on the BIOS chip which says Phoenix, yet Ultra-x Diagnostic says I have an Award BIOS.

It's XP home. Is it possible to make a boot disket on my xp PRO machine that will work on her XP home? I thought Boot.ini files were specific to one machine only.

 

[garebo]

Yes, i have believed from the very start that the bios needs something.
There are other ways to find your bios. First off, when you boot, you can freeze the first boot page using your "pause-break" key and then look for a name like award, phoenix, or ami, its one of them, one company also bought phoenix so soon there will only be two. But its one of the three main bios.
If you can get it that way then download either everest or cpuz, you can google them and they are free.
Then you can use these progs to see which bios you have.
If all that fails, i will go to the ECS website and do what i can. I happen to have one of those mobos myself, i have to go see if its running, lol. I dont think it is, i think its sitting around. If its running i can get the bios maker easy. But should be able to nail it down at the ECS website.

One other way, try this first, along with the pause-break key, go into the bios and it should say its own name, lol.

Once you have the correct bios you go to ECS and download the newest bios by date for your specific mobo. On the same page you can get the bios installer too, plus a small text file that you can download or print so you can do the bios upgrade.
I always simply use win98 boot disk so i cant answer that but you should be able to use ANY boot disk that will work and get you to the A: prompt.
Once there you take out the boot disk and put the other floppy in that has your bios, your bios installer and you type in the magic info and boom, bios updated.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips