XP Home - Help please :)

[Mike]

Long story shortened

1. Family PC stops working big style

2. eventually F Disc and reinstal everything inc SP" etc.

3. Get working again

4. strange behaviour - on start up just before the welcome screen appears screen turns off and turns on again :confused:

5 stranger behaviour if machine is left for a while screen turns off, then reverts to log on screen. When you go back it reloads desktop and then comes up with error message!

Pic 1 shows error message. Pic 2 shows further details message

Graphics card is RAdeon. UI downloaded and installed all the latest drivers. Machine works OK except for above behaviours. Would welcome any advice at all :)

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/94554d4eec7142.jpg

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/imagehosting/94554d4ef339ef.jpg

tvm

Mike :)

[Tatts]

Have you been working on the innards of the PC recently?

Anyway - this is about the only thing I can find. Look for a posting on :
Jul 15, 2005, 09:39 AM

http://hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/46144/

Failing that Mike, you could always email MS. I did recently and was very pleasently surprised at the speedy and helpful reply!

[Keith]

what do you have in the event logs?

[Mike]

what do you have in the event logs?

Keith,

How do I find the events log?

Tatts, yes I have installed a new wireless pci (?) card

tvm

Mike

[BMC123]

This lot are a friendly bunch

http://www.techspot.com/vb/

they can usually sort most BCode problems...

me, I just start replacing bits until the problem goes away :D

[Tatts]

Mike, do you get the error if you remove the PCI card?

If not, try it in a different slot, and make sure the drivers are up to date too.

[Mike]

Hi Tatts.

I went for it.................

I've uninstalled all the ATI drivers and cleaned up with Drive Clean. I've pushed all plugs/cables inside the box fully home on the boards etc. Now it's stopped doing the restart :)

So I'll reload the drivers and see what happens

tvm all:) Watch this space................

[Keith]

Mike event logs - right my computer, choose manage click on the plus for event viewer, easiest thin to do is clear them all down reboot then look at appliction and system logs at the time the proble occurs let us know what it says

Gut feeling, Radeon drivers can be troublesome does the problem occur if you let windows use the generic vga driver?

[Mike]

Cheers Keith :)

It seems to be working fine with just the vga driver running things. Is it best left as is do you reckon?

Mike

[Keith]

If you have sufficient colours and resolution then yes!

Chances are though the graphic drawing speed may be slower and the range of monitor refresh rates limited compared to the correct drivers but if you don't need the extra performance then leave it as it is.

[Mike]

If you have sufficient colours and resolution then yes!

Chances are though the graphic drawing speed may be slower and the range of monitor refresh rates limited compared to the correct drivers but if you don't need the extra performance then leave it as it is.

Keith,

I need the drivers for some of the children's games etc. So I reinstalled them and it started again grrr. How can a major supplier like ATI canm provide drivers that aren't compatible with XP. It just seems daft.

Mike :0

[Tatts]

ATI? Is it a graphics card?

Which one?

Have you also tried it in a different slot?

[Mike]

ATI? Is it a graphics card?

Which one?

Have you also tried it in a different slot?

On the box it says ATI Radeon 9800SE

Hi Tatts,

Haven't tried it in a different slot - that sounds scary!

Mike

[Tatts]

I'm getting confused now - not difficult I know!

You've always had that graphics card?

You've recently installed a new PCI Wireless card?

Was the PC ok until the wireless card was installed?

[Mike]

I'm getting confused now - not difficult I know!

You've always had that graphics card?

You've recently installed a new PCI Wireless card?

Was the PC ok until the wireless card was installed?

Hit Tatts, thanks for your patience ;)

No the pc has messed us around for sometime in lots of areas, thus the f disc and start again. I have had problems with the Graphics card drivers previously (hence why I know about driver clean) but not this problem we have now.

The wireless card is not an issue as far as I am aware.

It is definitely the graphics drivers 'cos when I uninstall the ATI drivers and clean up, the problem goes away completely.

What I think I need is a set of ATI drivers that don't mess up XP and cause the restarting.

Mike :confused:

[Tatts]

Right - confusion over!

So, the ATI drivers. Are you using the ones from the installation CD or from the ATI site?

[BMC123]

I have found in the past when all else fails, the drivers from this lot:

http://www.omegadrivers.net/

are pretty good.

I tend to stick to nvidia cards these days, only as in my own case studies over 5 years, i found them to be less troublesome to work with.
(note I say less:p:)

If its an AGP card you can't put it into another slot, if its a pci card then yes it could be an irq conflict (back in the good old days of DOS, windows 3.1 etc they kept me busy) :cool: although XP is supposed to handle that by itself.
Best way to check is to remove all cards (except the graphics card) reboot and see what happens. its also possible your card has developed a fault, and i would not rule that out either.......


but do give the Omega drivers a try, they have worked for me in the past :lol:

[Grey Ghost]

Standard practice with add in PCI cards, remove and reseat or try another slot. In my experience a non working or fault situation can be resolved by this method. Two years on the phone with a reseller doing tech support :( Yes I know my phone bill must have been enormous :)
I would also aways get the latest driver available. We have no idea how long it is since the manufacturer last updated their installer CD. HP are particularly renowned for this.

Best of luck Mike, as you know I have a permanent solution to this sort of issue. :) I'll get my coat.

[Mike]

Cheers chaps -I'm using the latest drivers off the ATI site :(

I'll check ATI again, otherwise I'll try that Omega place (tvm :) )

Never give up is my motto- thanks for all your help

Mike

[Mike]

ps the graphics card is an AGP (afaik)

[Tatts]

The BROWN slot is AGP
The WHITE slot is PCI

If it's AGP, I'd still take it out and then re-seat it. Just to make sure all the connections are doing what they are meant to do.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b106/Barnsley_Tatts/agp_slot.jpg

[Grey Ghost]

ps the graphics card is an AGP (afaik)

Wot Same applys, remove and reseat, different type of slot that's all. Do you have more than one AGP slot? Most Motherboards only have one. Specifically for graphics. Don't try it in a PCI. It wouldn't fit anyway.

[Mike]

Yup definitely AGP then. Does it just pull out or is there a knack to it?

Mike

[Tatts]

Push down on the white clip, gently but firmly whilst gently assisting the card out with your other hand.

[Grey Ghost]

Yup definitely AGP then. Does it just pull out or is there a knack to it?

Mike

You must earth yourself before tampering. Elctro Static Discharge can damage your computer components.
Leave it plugged into the mains but with the mains socket switched off. touch any metal part on computer casing to effect discharge to earth,
Grasp the card with both hands on either end and wiggle gently end to end while pulling upwards. it will release easily.
Refit is reverse of removal. When you think it is fully home hold the card with both hands thumbs on top and wiggle push fully home. It will seat with a stiisfying clunk when it's right. Bit like the feeling from a gear knob as it seats properly.

Don't have white clip on Mac :(

[Tatts]

Ah.... are we talking about a MAC here or a proper PC? :D

[Grey Ghost]

Ah.... are we talking about a MAC here or a proper PC? :D

Mikes machine is a proper computer not a toy :)

[Grey Ghost]

This is a toy, Just like mine only I have an extra 250Gb SATA drive and 2GIGs of RAM installed. Dual 2 gig PPC

http://homepage.mac.com/mgzt180/mmcars/Pics1/g5_unwrapped.jpg

[BMC123]

I like them... nice ornaments ;) I have a just a little P4 3.2 GHz PC that I built myself, bog standard beige case - no fancy case mods (I'm the only one looking at it so why bother with flashy lights) 2Gb ram, 2 X 300Gb SATA drives, 2 X 16x DVD burners, 512Mb Geforce 7800 graphics card, SoundBlaster Audigy 2 platinum, Artic cooling fans, Logitech G5 laser mouse and a Saitek eclipse backlit keyboard, and i stare at a nice Acer 19" widescreen LCD monitor :D I think i may have contracted geekitis.

[Grey Ghost]

I like them... nice ornaments ;) I have a just a little P4 3.2 GHz PC that I built myself, bog standard beige case - no fancy case mods (I'm the only one looking at it so why bother with flashy lights) 2Gb ram, 2 X 300Gb SATA drives, 2 X 16x DVD burners, 512Mb Geforce 7800 graphics card, SoundBlaster Audigy 2 platinum, Artic cooling fans, Logitech G5 laser mouse and a Saitek eclipse backlit keyboard, and i stare at a nice Acer 19" widescreen LCD monitor :D I think i may have contracted geekitis.

Oooo I think my knickers just became a little damper than usual :)