Help requested for troubleshooting hardware.

Oh, I forgot to meantion, the sound that came from the fans in my pc, both on the heatsink fan and graphics card, both have stopped making obvious sounds of concern. I don't know what I did, or if the problem fixed itself. I do know that as far as sound is concerned, that my pc appears fine. BSOD still happen.

In addition, I've been cold turkey with gaming for a short while now, and while I was reading a forum yesterday, a BSOD occured. I tried getting back on the pc, to post an update on that, but it was a no go. I had to wait for today, after leaving the pc off for a while. I'm going to post the unique parts of the BSOD that were displayed in the thread I started that is in the security/spyware & malware section.

 

F.K.,

In addition to mattman's suggestions he recently posted for you in your Windows XP forum thread, I found another message Rockster2U posted for someone else in a Hardware forum thread with suggestions that seem reasonable for your issues too.

Please communicate with us to let us know what actions you perform(ed) so we are not making assumptions which may be incorrect.

 

Your right, that person's issue is uncannonly simmiliar to my problem. Should I follow the same instructions that were stated in that problem as well?

 

I would like to also meantion that when BSOD have happened, the only thing that appeared to be "hot" physically was the drives in my pc. The mother board was moderate, the same for my graphics card and memory disks. Also, the PSU didn't seem hot at all. I'm not sure if my cd and dvd drives are also at the level of being hot as my drives, but I wouldn't be surprised either way.

 

I thought my post was clear. That is why I did not respond to your question. Yes, I think you should follow the same instructions that were stated in that problem as well.

Since you have stated you are strapped for cash or otherwise cannot locate and purchase a reputable power supply with all specifications that have been suggested, I am focusing on cost-free troubleshooting steps for now so you can at least rule those possible issues out.

You also gave us no specifics (except for the wattage) about the 450 watt power supply you "tested ".

1. What was the brand/model of the 450W power supply you tested?
2. What amperage rating did it have for the +12V rail(s).

Since we do not have those details and you are not using such a power supply now, I do not believe we have the startup issue "clarified" as you put it.

hawk22 also posted some suggestions above you have not responded about.

People have asked questions and offered suggestions but I think you need to do a better job responding with details directly related to those questions/suggestions. Otherwise, I think your posts are likely to go unanswered.

I suggest you get out some paper and a pen/pencil and review all your threads. Determine what questions you have not answered. Also determine what suggestions you have not followed up on. Write that information down and then address those questions/suggestions. I expect it will take you at least a few hours and several pages of writing to review and address those questions/suggestions properly.

Please post the questions and your answers to them in an easy-to-read format in this thread.

In another post, please quote the suggestions people have provided in this thread and post details about your actions in regards to those suggestions.

==========

If you're looking for a quick fix with minimal effort on your part, then I think you should prepare to take your computer to a qualified technician and pay that technician to fix your computer. Keep in mind you may be required to pay for replacement hardware as well as labor.

 

Response.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mailman
In addition to mattman's suggestions he recently posted for you in your Windows XP forum thread, I found another message Rockster2U posted for someone else in a Hardware forum thread with suggestions that seem reasonable for your issues too.

Please communicate with us to let us know what actions you perform(ed) so we are not making assumptions which may be incorrect.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Forsaken Knight
Your right, that person's issue is uncannonly simmiliar to my problem. Should I follow the same instructions that were stated in that problem as well?

Response:
As far as what was instructed in the link you provided, yes, I followed it word for word. However, going over little detials of my pc, I've noticed some "brown" material on the top of two of the nine capacitors, that are near the heatsink on the mother board.

In the link you provided to rocker2u's post, in line two, it states, "Also check for any bulging in the sides or any evidence of a substance coming out of the top or bottom. Sometimes a darkening of the top seams are indicative of pending failure but you'll need magnifying glass to properly inspect these.
". As far as bulging on the sides, no. As far as a sustance found on the top, yes. Upon inspection, very apparent on two, and very slightly on one. No substances on the bottom of anything, including capacitors. At this point, I'll make it clear of my findings of the capacitors near the heatsink. Two are major (as described), one is so-so, three are o.k., and three (of the total, not including the major ones), have bumps. The bumps are very slight, and can only be identified if the top of each capacitors are felt. The label of each of these capacitors saids the same thing. That information is 6.3 volts, 3300 micro farads, (a rectangel) KZG.

I've checked my local radio shack, they don't have it. I'm pretty sure tiger direct is closed right now, so I'll have to check to see if it is open tomarrow, and what time. Should I be taking these steps as if I have to replace the capacitors? Or perhaps, is it not a "certain" thing that, that is the main reason for this specific topic towards my several pc problems?

Anyways, my next post will be here as a follow up as to what was asked of me.

 

Addition.

I would like to add that during inspection, the above posts' detailed area of concern points out the only area which shows any area needing concern, (on a physical, hardware level).

 

I'm not sure what you are trying say, but I would term this assessment as very naive. Most readers know you have several unresolved hardware and software issues. I would add that you have not been very responsive to many of the questions that have been asked of you by those who have attempted to provide assistance. This is your choice but it must be stated that the quality of any assistance you recieve is predicated on your ability to supply accurate and thorough information on a timely basis. Having said that, I will address your observations and comments regarding your capacitors. That is not to say that this is your only hardware issue.

You would be well advised to consider that your own knowledge and ability pales in comparison to the collective knowledge and ability of the members of this board. You are your own worst enemy in this regard.

Do not attempt to replace any surface mounted board components yourself. This requires someone with considerably more skill, knowledge and patience than you have demonstrated. You can send your board out for capacitor repair.

 

In response to the last to posted users.

Just so you all know, I tried to reply like under thirty minutes after rocker2u posted last here, but the BSOD happened during my typing. For that whole day, I couldn't get my pc up and running, no matter how patient I was with it. Now, onto my responses. Oh, and I'm still compiling that list mailman asked of me; but because of major quarter/semester assignments that I needed to finish up last week and this week, personal pc time has been scairce.

To Rocker2u:

... I was trying to be as thorough and clear, like what was asked of me. I guess that still needs work if that is what you truly think.

I agree; however, from what was observed for the past four or so months, from my point of view, the main cause is based on a software issue. Without multiple attempts, BSOD, and turning on and off of the pc, (which at some point, became a requirement), such strains on my pc's stability possibly would not have been compromised as it has come to thus far.

I'm trying to improve on that, but, like most aspects of myself, it takes more strain than what is originally thought for me to "grow ", so to speak.

Thanks, I apprieciate your help, truly. I am open to the possibility of multiple hardware issues, but obviously, I would only completely con-cur with that if there is proof of such. That is basically the intent behind my last post of mine in this thread. This is why I have given the "view" of mine, from my end of this problem. In order not to hold back the possibility of a hardware source for concern, but rather give what detail I do come across.

Well, duh, I don't need to be told that. I'm well aware that I'm not nearly at the level I'd wish to be at, when it comes to pc/electronics. Don't get me wrong, its not like I came here thinking that there was only one male wolf in the pack, but rather a various assortment of a collection of people, with a variety of knowledge to boot. I hope you haven't come to this conclusion just based on that I've stood next to some areas I've felt needed more attention. I got an opinion too, and this apply's to the responses I recieve as well.

Don't worry, I wasn't planning on doing it all on my own in the first place. The way I work is, I get everyone on the same page as possible, find what or which aspects they can go at, and execute the job as best as possible. I can do it, but I'm pretty sure I can get some help from a friend from the school I go to. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that I've replaced components on a board. On that note as well, I might very well be able to solve to capacitor thing, like two birds with one stone. In both sense's, the location, and the quantity.

One good thing I have taken thus far from this event of streanous events, is that I've gotten more "responsible" and "aware" with my pc and its needs. In the past, all I've concerned my self with maintainance of software basics. Hopefully, I can recover from this, and be better for it.

To PeteC

I have a the following disk drives and their types. IC35L060AVER07-0 (DISK DRIVES). SAMSUNG SV0602H (DISK DRIVES). HP PSC 2210XI USB DEVICE (DISK DRIVES). Floppy disk drive (Floppy disk drives). HL-DT-ST DVD-ROM GDR8161B (DVD/CD-ROM drives). LITE-ON DVDRW LH-20A1P (DVD/CD-ROM DRIVES).

I've Looked up downloads for some of the drives, but I don't remember if I downloaded anythig for it. I've saved what i've found to my favorites, (I'm forgetful). Here is what I have, tell me if I should revisit any of them in order to download updates or dianostic tools.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Home.jsp

http://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=HL-DT-ST+DVD-ROM+GDR8161B&btnG=Search


http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/welcome.html

http://www.oakti.com/

http://www.opendrivers.com/category...on-technology-free-driver-download-page1.html

http://ati.amd.com/products/radeon9600/radeon9600pro/specs.html

http://www.kztechs.com/eng/download.html

The last one I think I found it through this site.

Sadely, I think that is becoming more and more the case. Although, I hope that with the help I get here, I can stop the problem before it is irriversable.

I think that is inevitable, but I want to exercise every possibility. I also want my pc to be perfectly stable, so I can make a recovery file that I would have off of my pc. Just so if I have to, or want to wipe out my pc, I can go back to this format which I like very much.

 

Response to PeteC.

To PeteC:

I tried the one for the hitachi site. From what I gathered, they have no downloadable drives at the location you specified. I tried using the oct diagnostic tool you can download from that web page, but it didn't detect my drive.

I also tried the samsung link you provided. Its a dead link. When the page fully loads, you are given the message of "page not found" on the web site. I then looked un download center, and after a bit of digging, I thought I found a diagnostic file for the type that I have. After downloading it, I found that it didn't work (Its not for what I have). So, after much searching on the site, I sent an e mail from the site through the "contact us" link in the home page, (which after thinking about it, contact info is scarce; if its reliable, thats amazing). So, now I'm just waiting for a reply, (if there would be any).

So, any other ideas?

 

In Response to PeteC last post.

I followed the link you provided, and downloaded both items. The link is very similiar to that which I found on an earlier date. I did not do both at the same time, but rather tried one after the other when one of them did not work. I followed the directions on the web page that appeared, and tried downloading each one, to the floppy drive, and to the desktop. Both attempts, one after the other, showed no activity. I followed the direction, and all that appeared on the screen, after rebooting and going into windows with command prompt, is an aborted attempt to activate the exe file. I tried a floppy with the files still in the zip folder; that didn't work. I tried downloading the zip file to my desktop, and then un-zip the files to a blank floppy disk, that didn't work as well. After different attempts, and logging back in, I started to wonder what to do. I then noticed the hutil creator on my desktop. I don't recall that file being created with these recent attempts. Which I may add are in a days time past. It must have been from that other link that I found going through the other "page not found" window. I meantioned that I found something familiar, but I didn't know what to do with it. It was on the global site, just in case any one that reads this is wondering. If you want me to re-look for the path that I went through to get that one that gives you the creator, then please ask for those "web page paths ". It will take me a bit of trial and error to find the same path I used last time, (I'm saying this cause I am writing this fast cause I have to go soon, but since I haven't responded here for a while, I thought I should post something). Anyways, from that creator, I was able to format the enabled hutil.exe file to a blank floppy disk. I can run the .exe file from normal windows, but it doesn't detect any drives. and, when I try other aspects of the program, I get a message stating that the program is locked. I then tried the floppy disk that works form the windows in safe mode with command prompt active, while following the instructions from the site of which you provided a link to. It turns out the program can run, but its still locked as well. I don't know why, so, if anyone know how I can remedy this gap, please post instructions on doing so.

As for the hitashi drive fittness test, I did that a few days ago. That wen't comparitivily easy in compare to the samsung diagnostic utility. It was able to detect both drives on my pc. I was able to run scans on both of the drives through that program, one drive after the other. I ran on the samsung first, and then the one specified for hitashi. Samsung is the master, and the hitashi one is the slave. I ran the quick scan on both first. Then, I ran the advance scan on both, with 2 loops for both scans. I then ran the exerciser for both drives. After which, I looked at the drives info. that you can view from that program, and saved a copy to the floppy disk. I then exited the program, and rebooted the pc. I then logged in normally, and tried to view the logs of each scan I did that afterwards, was stated to be saved under 0X00. I looked in the data folder, and the only thing there is the drive info I personally saved, and these other files stated as "FW104551.BLZ" and "SZL87338.BLZ ". I thought the program made a log of what you scaned, and the results. If this is true, or I needed to have done something different, please state so in a post.

Oh, and before, when I found the other file path to find the creator.exe file, and did the hitashi thing, I ran the creator thing while I was still logged in. It ran well, but it was locked then, now that I think more of it.

Either way, if anyone gots any ideas or thoughts, please post them.

Oh, and BSOD are still common, just in case anyone was wondering after running either of the programs.

There, nice way to spend ones own lunch break.

 

Response to PeteC.

Yes, I have. The problem is not the drive fitness test. Its the Hutil.exe program being locked. I am not sure How I allow the program to detect/unlock. Oh, and if I forgot to meantion it, when running the DFT, and all of the scans that are available from it, no problems were indicated from the scans. From this, I can either say, that the program can not dected the fault in the drives; or that the problem is of another nature.

 

Bump,

still looking for help in the hardware department.

 

I'll post the specs of my motherboard tomarrow, (if I haven't done so on a previous date already that is), because I am tired right now, and I don't want to mess up my sleep cycle. I got into a good routine, and its hard for me to get into a good sleep cycle. If anyone wants, post what you want/feel. I'll look at it at the crack of dawn tomarrow.