Topic: computer problem

[W7RE]

for a few weeks now, my PC has been locking up, crashing, and what I think is the GPU crashing. I'm getting 3 things from time to time:

1) the computer restarts itself (BSOD flash followed by a reboot)
2) the computer locks up completely and I have to hit the reset button
3) video goes black but I can still hear audio. video usually comes back after 30 seconds or so, and is followed by an error message "you GPU has recovered from a serious error"

Now I've got a new problem. During bootup it normally lists my CPU, then does the RAM check. It now stops right before the ram check, so it's just showing my CPU type. I tried reseating my RAM and that fixed it the other day. Last night I got this issue again and reseating my RAM didn't do anything for the problem.

The video card is less than a year old, so I'm hesitant to think it's the problem. Maybe instead it's the AGP interface on the motherboard or something. With this new issue though, it makes me wonder about the processor. I have no idea how to pinpoint what it could be, and the system is so old that I doubt I could really replace anything without buying a new system. I guess my worry is that I'm just gonna have to be computer-less until I have the money to buy a whole new system.

[scottws]

Here's what I would do.

1)  Remove every PCI card, disconnect any unneccessary USB devices, and remove all but one RAM module, then try to boot.
--- If it doesn't boot, try another RAM module in its place.
2)  If it boots, I would shut down, put another RAM module in, and then boot.
3)  Repeat step 2 if have more than two RAM modules.
4)  If it still boots, I would shut down, insert a PCI card, and boot.
5)  Repeat step 4 if you have more than one PCI device.
6)  If it still boots, add a USB device, and boot.
7)  Repeat step 6 if you have more than one USB device.

That helps isolate it to a potential problem device.  But it might also be the motherboard or potentially the PSU.  CPU is unlikely, but a possibility.  If you go through all those steps and still have the problem or you can't get past step one, then you're probably going to want to see if you can try another known working PSU that will support the load you have there.  If you can't do that... well you're looking at probably having to get a new motherboard (and with it a CPU, RAM, and videocard since all this stuff has probably changed).

[W7RE]

ok, I got it working. I unplugged my iPod docking station and my USB headset leaving my mouse as my only USB device. I had no PCI cards installed (Shuttle XPC system, mostly onboard stuff). Here's what I did:

1. Removed iPod and headset, and ram from seconds slot. Shut down completely, booted up fine.
2. Switched out the ram for the stick that I just took out. Shut down completely, booted up fine.
3. Put the other ram stick back in, in the second ram slot. Shut down completely, booted up fine.
4. Plugged in the USB headset and tested it with Winamp to make sure it was working. Shut down completely, booted up fine.
5. Plugged in the iPod docking station and put the iPod on it. I didn't test it, but I did get a popup in the taskbar "this device could be preforming faster if it was plugged into a USB 2.0 port". Shut down completely, now it won't boot up. Same issue as in my original post.

Apparently when I reformatted about a week ago I didn't get my USB 2.0 drivers installed, but the only thing I've noticed with it is that iPod message (and I'm sure copying data to and from it is slower too). I have been able to shut down and reboot my system with the iPod plugged in and without proper USB 2.0 drivers though, so it seems odd to me that it could be the issue.

I'm going to try the iPod in a different USB port now, to see if it could be that specific port.

[W7RE]

Right after my last post I turned off the computer, unplugged the iPod dock from the rear USB port that it was, and put it in one of my front USB ports (right nexto my USB headset). The moment the power came on, I heard a loud buzzing noise. I thought at first that it was a fan, maybe the one in the PSU, but it turned out to be my USB headset. I immediately unplugged the iPod dock and the headset. The computer was stuck just before the memory check, again. I hit the reset button and it booted up fine.

It looks like the problem is either the iPod, it's dock, or the combination of them and a lack of USB 2.0. I guess my next step would be to get my SUB 2.0 drivers installed and working correctly and test again.

[scottws]

Yeah, sounds like its definitely a problem.  I would do what you're thinking and try to install the USB drivers.  But it's certainly possible the dock has gone bad.

Also, did you install your motherboard chipset drivers?

[W7RE]

Yea, I installed the motherboard chipset drivers. The driver CD that came with the motherboard has 2 options: mainboard drivers installation, and USB 2.0 driver installation. I always install the mainboard drivers, because otherwise I get no sound or network adapter. At the end of that installation it tells me to install Windows XP Service Pack 1 for USB 2.0 drivers. I installed SP2, and assumed that would get me the drivers, but apparently it didn't.

I just put in the motherboard driver disc and clicked "USB 2.0 drivers", and it just gave me a readme.txt that told me to update through Windows Update, but there is no USB anything listed in my available updates, so maybe I'll have to search microsoft's site for it.

[W7RE]

I was able to update my USB drivers through the device manager. Now when I plug my iPod in, I don't get the message telling me it's not plugged into a USB 2.0 port, so I'm assuming the ports are operating at 2.0 speed.

If I restart the computer with the iPod plugged in, I still get the lockup during startup. Something is wrong with my iPod and I guess I'll have to get it replaced. I can still listen to songs on it and copy them onto it just fine, the only problem is if it's plugged in while my computer is booting up.

I'm wondering if this has anything to do with me messing around with it in Winamp, because I wasn't having this issue until recently.

[scottws]

Hmm, I wonder... On my PC, if my printer is turned on, it takes a real, real long time for it to post.  It doesn't stick at the same place yours does though.  It sticks at something like "Probing USB:1 Mass Storage Device."  If I let it go long enough (like 5 minutes), it will eventually say something about HP Photosmart 3100 Series and move on.

My printer has slots for various memory cards, so I think it has something to do with that.

You just started using Winamp for your iPod right?  I wonder if it sort of changed something with the iPod and you are getting something similar to mine where your BIOS is looking at USB contents or something like that.

[W7RE]

Well, I was wondering if it had something to do with Winamp and my iPod. A few days ago though, before I started having issues, I went back to iTunes so I could actually move songs around that were already on the iPod. It had me reset the iPod to defaults and wiped it of all music. (This was before I ran into the issue, but then I don't restart my PC often)

Interestingly though, my brother just told me he used to have the same issue with his iPod, which is a different model than mine. He just got used to making sure his iPod wasn't plugged in when he restarted or booted up. Sounds like it may be a general iPod/PC issue, and mine may not be malfunctioning.