24 replies to this topic

[TheL3gend]

Hey all, I have 2 problems I need help with, they don't have anything to do with each other though.

Problem #1:

I am typing this post from our family computer. Earlier this morning, I was on my comp and suddenly I heard something in the case power down, and then the screen froze. I shut it off, and then turned it back on. Once the logo for my motherboard comes up it freezes there forever. I unplugged the hard drive, and after doing so, the logo would go away and then proceed to say "Boot Device Not detected" (because I had unplugged the HDD at this time). So I tried it several more times and I came to the conclusion that, when my HDD SATA cable is plugged in to mobo and disk, the logo will never go away and it all freezes. When I unplug it, I am able to get by it, and access the BIOS.

I'm thinking my hard drive has died...

Anything else that can be done to get booted in Windows at least? :/

Problem #2:

Now this is different but occuring at the same time as my issue. My friend across the street is finally able to (kindof) play BF2. He had an old computer which we've been upgrading for the last several months.

His specs are now as follows:

DFI Lanparty Mobo
A 500w case fan
AMD Athlon 64 4000+
2GB of PC3200 Patriot RAM
Some old HDD that uses IDE connectors (not SATA).
Integrated Sound from mobo.
XFX 7900GT Video Card

All of that should be enough to play on medium, and most likely high. But whenever he joins a game he can play for about a minute until the screen flashes black very quickly and BF2 crashes to desktop. It happens everytime, and we aren't sure what is causing it.

Any help/suggestions with these two issues would be greatly appreciated.

It's safe to say I may not be ingame or on TS for a week maybe.

[Limpnoodle]

Hey all, I have 2 problems I need help with, they don't have anything to do with each other though.

Problem #1:

I am typing this post from our family computer. Earlier this morning, I was on my comp and suddenly I heard something in the case power down, and then the screen froze. I shut it off, and then turned it back on. Once the logo for my motherboard comes up it freezes there forever. I unplugged the hard drive, and after doing so, the logo would go away and then proceed to say "Boot Device Not detected" (because I had unplugged the HDD at this time). So I tried it several more times and I came to the conclusion that, when my HDD SATA cable is plugged in to mobo and disk, the logo will never go away and it all freezes. When I unplug it, I am able to get by it, and access the BIOS.

I'm thinking my hard drive has died...

Anything else that can be done to get booted in Windows at least? :

Can you plug that HD into your famuily computer? Does it work?

Windows is on that HD, if the HD is gone Windows no werky.

All of that should be enough to play on medium, and most likely high. But whenever he joins a game he can play for about a minute until the screen flashes black very quickly and BF2 crashes to desktop. It happens everytime, and we aren't sure what is causing it.

Any help/suggestions with these two issues would be greatly appreciated.

It's safe to say I may not be ingame or on TS for a week maybe.

A few things to try:

1.Make sure he D/L the full patch, incrementals SUCK.

2.Update his drivers on the Video Card. I have an XFX and the Drivers on the CD would not run BF2, I have to d/l the latest from Nvidia.

3.Lower the settings to all Low. If this works slowly up them from there.

4.If all else fails check for heat inside his case. Remove the side panel (or however it opens) and put a small house fan on it, see if it works.


Hope it helps. HD problems are teh suck

[TheL3gend]

Thanks for the quick reply Limp.

But yeah. I tried plugging this HD into my friends comp, and it did the same thing. Wouldn't go past the mobo logo (lol) screen. But all we did was plug it in, we didn't disable his main one, it was still in there.

I also was touching the hard drive when we did that; when it turned on I didn't feel any disk vibration that you normally might from a HDD spinning up, but it did get very hot very fast.

[Limpnoodle]

Opps?

Might start shopping for a new HD until a HD expert comes in an confirms my fears (I am no expert on HD's)

[TheL3gend]

"opps?" ? 0_o *doesn't understand*

*goes to newegg.com *

[Kilo-Wiskey]

Hard drive possibly, if you have ur windows CD try to get into the BIOS and change ur boot sequence to CD first, take the HD out of the picture. Save and insert the windows CD in. When u get to Windows install go thru the motions and if it says "Detected Windows XP" goto the repair mode. It may be a broken link in the operating system.

[TheL3gend]

Tried that, I hit the "Repair" option and then it said for this to work, you need a hard drive. The problem is, I can't get into BIOS while the HD is in, but if I take it out, it isn't recognized when I put it back in while everything is running. :/

[Kilo-Wiskey]

Hate to say it, your hard drive is toast or its a problem with your mobo.

[TheL3gend]

Yeah, that's what I thought. >_<

I don't think (hope) it's the motherboard, because when the HD is out, I am able to get into the BIOS just fine and everything works.

*orders new HDD*

[iceman0684]

Yeah, that's what I thought. >_<

I don't think (hope) it's the motherboard, because when the HD is out, I am able to get into the BIOS just fine and everything works.

*orders new HDD*

it does sound like your hard drive. How long have you had it for? well i'm usually on teamspeak so just remind me when you see me so we can discuss the issue. If not you can send me a msg on aim icemanremix

[TheChozeLa]

1st problem : hdd is dead! buy a new 1!!!(i hope you put all youre pron on a dvd!! )
2nd problem : for ALL 7900 gt/gtx use diver 91.3X older driver dosent support!!and with this kind of comp he should be able to play at high!!

[TheL3gend]

Well, thanks for the help guys.

I got my new HD yesterday, and all was well until just after I installed BF2. Comp crashed and said the drive was currupted and it wouldn't load Windows.

At this point, you must realize, I was about litteraly take the computer and chuck it out the window. So I calmed myself and tried several things... Failing to get it working, I decided to reformat at try again.

Now here I am. All is well (almost). But now to my dismay, my sound card seems to have died. >_< When I put it in, turn on comp, it's fine, I installed the drivers, fine, and when I plugged in the mic, and headphones, comp crashed, not fine V_V . Then I have to take out the card, get into Windows, uninstall the drivers, and then I can put the card back in, and install drivers and everything... but the second I put in the jacks back in.. it all goes away... 0_o

I don't know what to do about that...

I'm also downloading the nice little 1.3 patch right now.

[TheL3gend]

DAMNIT. WTF is going on here...

This is really starting to piss me off.

Okay, everything was fine except the sound card not letting the computer boot up. And now I just restarted my computer and didn't see the motherboard logo. It then made a very nice long BEEEP at me, indicating that the RAM is FUBAR. So I messed around a bit with the RAM, and now only one of my two 1GB sticks lets the system boot up. So now is this stick dead too?

All this crap seems to be killing off my hardware one at a time. >_<


Like I said, this is making me extremely angry right now. Because if this RAM is fried, and the sound card too, there goes another 200 bucks to replace them...



*not happy at all*

[Kilo-Wiskey]

go under microsoft and find the ram tester. download it and it will run tests on your ram. it will tell you if its fubar. it sounds like ur mobo my have issues. try the soundcard in ur other puter and see what happens. i think its time for a new mobo.

[TheL3gend]

Well, when I have the "bad" RAM stick in, nothing will start up. :/

I wish there was a "motherboard tester"...

[Limpnoodle]

Well, when I have the "bad" RAM stick in, nothing will start up. :/

I wish there was a "motherboard tester"...

Might not be the stick, could be a problem with the motherboard reading that DIMM slot. I have only heard of this happening one time but it is a possibilty.

Note: Never throw "bad" things away. Wait and fix the problem, when it is fixed try the "bad" item again and see if it works. If it still doesn't work, have fun with it! Blow it up, run it over with a car, use it as a anchor for a remote control boat, or anthing else fun.

[TheL3gend]

Or throw it at Limpnoodle.

Well, I got the ram working again, just put it in and restarted and it works fine.

Btw, I have a question about the dual channel config.

I have 4 DIMMs, two are orange and two are yellow. They're grouped in twos, with one of each color in the group. Now, to get dual channel, do both sticks need to be in one group, or is it on on orange and other on orange (and then the same for yellow)?

And I think ym sound card really is fried. Whenver I put a jack into it it kills the computer. SO, I'm using onboard right now, debating wether to get another Audigy2 or an X-Fi.

[Kilo-Wiskey]

It should work with them side by side. Get the XFI sound card its great.

[TheL3gend]

The only thing I've heard though, is that sometimes the X-Fi on an nForce 4 motherboard chipset, can produce some bad snap, crackle and pop noises.

[Limpnoodle]

It should work with them side by side. Get the XFI sound card its great.

They need to be put together, both being in orange or both in yellow.