help os won't boot

heliguyheliguy

hi
I just put this new setup together and installed windows 7 and progrms all was well for a day, but now it wont boot any os or even run setup to install xp or ubuntu.
I have run spinrite and memtest with no errors found.
I have tried swapping out the:
video card
hard drive
dvd rom
and reseating the ram
bios is default

setup is
Asus p7p55 lx - from komplett.ie
Intel i5 - From komplett.ie
Patroit viper series 1333MHZ 4GB kit (2x2GB) (9-9-9-24) - from memoryc.ie
The new parts can be returned if I new which one is the problem.

Nvidia 7800 Gtx graphis card - old
wd sata 160gb hdd - old


please help

CrazyRabbit

Erm....need a bit more info.

Any errors? Will the machine even turn on? Any power? etc.

heliguyheliguy

turns on and loads the bios, then goes to start up options, but then freezes when windows trys to start, or if I run an xp boot disk it loads the files to ram, formats a hdd (spare) and copys files to disk but then freezes when windows setup trys to start, same for ubuntu ram boot, it loads to ram but freezes when trying to start the system.
the funny part is it loads and runs stuff like spinrite.exe and memtest.exe no problem

heliguyheliguy

now getting this blue-screen error "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR EQUAL"
sometimes but just freezes on windows boot screen other times

wingnut

Have you tried to run a linux os live from the disc?

MarkR

Remove all peripherals (if any attached) and try again. If it's still hanging in boot, try removing all but one stick of memory and try again.

Failing that, the usual next step is to take the build out of the case and boot it sitting on a sheet of cardboard, to make sure there isn't a bad ground or something.

Did the ubuntu disc boot to the desktop, or did you just run the memtest?

Also, did you check the ubuntu disk? Bad disk could cause problems, best to rule out.

wildefalcon

It really does sound like memory so that is very odd!

I presume you used the ubuntu cd memory test, rather than the windows version.

memtest 86+ I think it is called.

Try it on one stick of ram, default BIOS defaults, no HDD.

Run Ubuntu live and see if that works.

This would eliminate the HDD as a problem.

If the live CD works fine then it is likely to be the HDD. Or HDD cable or power cable.

Let us know how you get on.

WildeFalcon

heliguyheliguy

wingnut wrote: »

Have you tried to run a linux os live from the disc?

Yes, no joy, it just freezes, it loads the files then freezes when starting the os

heliguyheliguy

MarkR wrote: »

Remove all peripherals (if any attached) and try again. If it's still hanging in boot, try removing all but one stick of memory and try again.
Tried it

Failing that, the usual next step is to take the build out of the case and boot it sitting on a sheet of cardboard, to make sure there isn't a bad ground or something.
will do this

Did the ubuntu disc boot to the desktop, or did you just run the memtest?
memtest runs ok on older version newest version same error, ubuntu live os wont start either

Also, did you check the ubuntu disk? Bad disk could cause problems, best to rule out.

tried xp disk, windows 7 disk, ubuntu live disk and of course the hdd with win 7 on it.

heliguyheliguy

wildefalcon wrote: »

It really does sound like memory so that is very odd!

I presume you used the ubuntu cd memory test, rather than the windows version.
Both
memtest 86+ I think it is called.
yes it is

Try it on one stick of ram, default BIOS defaults, no HDD.

Run Ubuntu live and see if that works.
worth a shot

This would eliminate the HDD as a problem.
fairly sure its not hdd as i tried it with two others and none (2 x sata 1x ide)

If the live CD works fine then it is likely to be the HDD. Or HDD cable or power cable.

Let us know how you get on.

WildeFalcon

Keep em commin this is wreakin my head
I have swapped out everything except cpu mb and ram but i have run one stick at a time so not likly both gone, maybe incompatible but it ran for a day?? any ideas on this

so is it a mb prob or cpu prob which do i return or both or incompatible ram??

will let u know how I get on with it all laid out on the desk and one stick no hdd ubuntu live.
also going to update bios see if that helps

wildefalcon

Gut feel on this is it is a mobo issue - north/south bridge. But I'm not familiar with the i-series chipsets so can't really be sure.

Tell me about the PSU, is it new? What output?

What are the BIOS saying about the power lines?

Other ideas:

Do you have the Ultimate Boot CD?

There are CPU checkers on that.



If all memtests are ok it isn't memory. It isn't the memory bus and associated chipset.

For a live cd not to run, and memory to be ok, is very odd.

It suggests to me that the mobo chip handling the sata channel and pata channel (if it is a pata cd drive) are corrupting the data, or handling corrupt data.

Can you swap the cables and CD rom? Is it PATA or SATA, if PATA is it set to cable select or Master?

If we can get a live cd up and running, with no other items then we can get somewhere.

WildeFalcon

wildefalcon

I'd be disappointed if it was a problem with an ASUS board!

Mind you, I had a laptop in on Friday "full of viruses" according to the customer.

It turned out to be the SO-DIMM, what surprised me ( a bit) was that it was a clean Sony Vaio, just out of warranty, with Hynix memory.

Perhaps the Sony Kill Switch rumours have some truth.

I digress, which doesn't help.

Take a break - go for a wander and have a cup of tea. Clear your work area and then start from scratch.



Assume nothing.

Check everything.

Check there are no screws stuck between the mobo and the case!!

Methodical, stage by stage, connectors, swarf in slots, pins in the PSU coming loose and not supllying power to a key line(remember molex connectors?).

Check that the power socket is ok.

Get the basics up and running. If you fail at this point then it is the mobo/cpu combination. Check the asus web page to ensure your CPU is supported, go through each BIOS option and ensure there are no "gotchas".

Keep us posted and don't dispair.

WildeFalcon.

PS - I presume you've got adequate cooling on the CPU and Chipset? What board and cpu temps are reported in the BIOS?

heliguyheliguy

wildefalcon wrote: »

Gut feel on this is it is a mobo issue - north/south bridge. But I'm not familiar with the i-series chipsets so can't really be sure.

Tell me about the PSU, is it new? What output?
AXP 630W ATX Ver 2.2 (about a year old) tested woking on older amd setup

What are the BIOS saying about the power lines?
CPU 39 C
MB 25 C
CPU = 1.112v
3.3v =3.392v
5v = 5.184v
12v = 12.152v

Other ideas:

Do you have the Ultimate Boot CD?
I do now (falconfour's ultimate boot cd 2.0) yippeee first time anything has booted (Hirrens xp bootcd 9.9 enhanced)

There are CPU checkers on that.
First time using this not sure what does what


If all memtests are ok it isn't memory. It isn't the memory bus and associated chipset.

For a live cd not to run, and memory to be ok, is very odd.

It suggests to me that the mobo chip handling the sata channel and pata channel (if it is a pata cd drive) are corrupting the data, or handling corrupt data.
Just stepped beyond my underrstanding (would mean MB problem??)

Can you swap the cables and CD rom? Is it PATA or SATA, if PATA is it set to cable select or Master?
its sata and i dont have a spare i can swap for an ide but not sure if I need to now that hirens is up

If we can get a live cd up and running, with no other items then we can get somewhere.
ok so now live cd is up what is next step

WildeFalcon

Have not had time to strip it down yet,(shift work) what does hiren's bootcd starting tell me??

wildefalcon

Ok, we've a live CD up - now we can do some system tests.

I'm not familiar with the variant of UBCD you downloaded, I'll grab it and have a look tonight and get back to you. Given its name it CAN'T be all that bad!

Enjoy your shift.

WildeFalcon

Solitaire

Could be a bad voltage setting has creeped in and made the RAM unstable - some memtests actually loosen timings before the run, so you get a false negative

Try yanking out the CMOS battery (for a minute, and press the CLR_CMOS button/jumper if any) to wipe the BIOS then try again. Get back into the BIOS and double-check all bus frequencies, part voltages and the memory latencies. Underclccok them if neccesary and try to boot yet again.

Personally I think it could be a fatal issue with either the SATA or the CPU's memory controller. One of them is clearly unstable and/or dying, and IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is BSoD gibberish for "an unpalatable driver or resource configuration has given Windows explosive diahorrea" As the OS isn't even loading close enough to run any offending driver I'd guess the BIOS is acting the twat or a vital hardware controller has cooked off

wildefalcon

Hirens has a number of diagnostic serivces on it.

Basically do a selection from each category, focusing on cpu and mobo for now, and moving onto hdd and memory.

I'll get more info once I've downloaded the cd - my connection is doing the Sunday evening thing at the moment, part 1 of 5 just finished.

If nothing comes up then I'm out of ideas! Intermittant faults are a PIG to diagnose.

As for the PATA SATA channels - if I recall correctly - data from drives comes in on a channel - usually controlled by the chipset on the MOBO - if this chip is not doing its job, or if the cable is damaged, then the data will be corrupted.

As both live cds and hdd installations were causing problems it is unlikely to be BOTH sata cables at fault, thus the controller chip for the channels are my main suspect. Or the power leads to the drives.

As I say my gut feel on this is a mobo/cpu fault, running for 24 hours on a prime torture test should show up any weeknesses.

WildeFalcon

heliguyheliguy

I have removed it all from the case and set up on the bench. no change in behaviour.
tried to boot os from hdd on different sata ports, with and without dvd connected and different sata cables

ubuntu live is now running from a usb dvd drive

prime95 errors as it starts it says cannot access temp file / cannot create log

cleared the cmos as described - no change

I have contacted komplett about returing for replacement

would like to run cpu and mobo tests but cant get anything to run from that ubcd so will download another version and try that.

heliguyheliguy

the bios lets me choose how many cpu cores to run, if I select all fail! if I select 2 fail! but guess what if I select just 1 core all is well, a bit slow but all working ok.

so I'm thinking cpu if fubar

I have down loaded another version of ubcd, I will boot it and try cpu test

any feedback appreciated ( am i on the right track)

wildefalcon

Yes, that FalocnFour version is rubbish. I couldn't get it to run tests either.

I use this one:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

It is only dos/comand line but it WORKS. Mostly.

Load up the prime 95 test and let it run.

Even so, I think you are right to return the mobo and the CPU - something isn't right.

WildeFalcon

Komplett-Tech: Ryan

Certainly sounds like a damaged motherboard or CPU to me, could even be a corrupt bios. We will be happy to take the items back, test them and replace them for you

heliguyheliguy

Items returned to Komplett pup for diagnosis , thank you Ryan (komplett) a pleasure to deal with as always.

wildefalcon

Komplett-Tech (Ryan) wrote: »

Certainly sounds like a damaged motherboard or CPU to me, could even be a corrupt bios. We will be happy to take the items back, test them and replace them for you

NOW THEN! well done, Ryan! And Komplett, for employing such sensible people.

Credit where it is due.

A bit more of that in the world and we would ALL be living in a happier, more profitable place.

WildeFalcon.

heliguyheliguy

Well komplett just informed me that they could find no fault and are returning the mobo and cpu. I just hope they thought to enable all cores; and weren't testing it on one core, I know not likely.

Of course the big question is what next psu? could it still be memory after all that testing? I swapped or disconnected everything else. So i guess if still not working for me I need to buy different memory and a new psu.
Any other suggestions?

Jonny7

I had a similar strange problem recently, I don't think its 100% resolved but I finally got an OS working on the PC.

By a process of elimination, from your description, it could possibly be the HDD and its setup.

Theres a 'false' IDE mode that can run, basically tricks the PC into thinking your sata HDD is running in IDE just for purposes to get the OS up and running. This can be enabled for the process of getting the OS onto the HDD then disabled later automatically, however when setting up a new PC can cause headaches if the wrong BIOS settings are chosen or present.

I'd say just focus on the HDD for awhile, try different BIOS settings, read up on google (sorry I'm not too technical and can't remember the precise solution, but it involved a few different boots and bios default resets) or perhaps pick up/borrow a diff sata hdd somewhere.

Komplett-Tech: Ryan

This annoyed me last night when I got home, as everything you have done pointed the problem to be with the motherboard or CPU. Thankfully your items had not been sent back to you yet, so first thing this morning i decided to do more testing.

So first thing i decided to do was to use my own 1156 motherboard with your CPU ( I have the Asus forumla III which has the ability to connect a laptop to the motherboard to monitor all voltages and whatnot) While your CPU was in my board I noticed that the voltage going to cores 0,2 and 3 were constantly fluctuating. The system would not crash, but the performance was horrendous. So we have found one problem, your CPU is Fubar !

Next was onto the motherboard its self, not willing to risk my engineering sample chip I used your chip and a voltmeter to measure contact voltage going in and out of the VRM's. This is where another problem was found, it seems the VRM's on this board are not able to supply a steady signal. At this point I’m unsure if it was the CPU that broke the motherboard, or the other way around. But the good news is, I’m going to replace both the motherboard and the processor for you ! Also, I would suggest you to change your PSU, as this could of also caused the problem.

I hope this helps

heliguyheliguy

Thank you for taking time to have a second look, breathing a bit easier again now, I have ordered a new psu, as I'm am not willing to risk it being the cause although it ran fine on the old system. Is there any way I could test it before slinging it?
Anyway thanks again