New build, not sure if parts are compatible

Can someone look at my build and tell me if the parts are compatible?

Here's what happened:
After I put this system together it took me 6 tries to get Windows installed, it would stall at different points each try. Finally after I was able to get it installed I was able to browse the web and open stuff. When I went to reboot I could not get it to start. I would get a blue screen as soon as it came out of POST. The blue screen was so fast that I couldn't see the error.

After some tweaking in the BIOS I was able to get windows to load. It ran fine. I rebooted it several times and everything seemed OK. I went back to the BIOS to get rid of the Gigabyte logo on boot, that's all I did in the BIOS. When I tried to boot up it was back to the blues screens.

I went into the BIOS and did some tweaking again then it booted fine. Now I've been running the system for a couple days and I've rebooted several times and everything seems OK....

There are settings I'm not sure of and I wonder if my BIOS settings are what fixed the problem or is this a bad combo of parts.

The mother board takes an 8 pin power connector instead of 4 and I put a pci-express 16x when the board called for a pci-express 2.0 16x. I called Gigabyte and they said that the 4 pin connector was all that was needed for my CPU. Also they said that the board is backward compatible so I didn't need a pci express 2.0.

 

Try this:
try a program like memtest to test the ram for errors.
Set the bios to optimized defaults.
disconnect cd/dvd rom and see how it runs.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/Memtest86_d4226.html

 

Sorry, I should have mentioned what I did.

-I set the BOIS to optimal defaults and that gave me blue screens, I also tried the other default, failsafe I think and that didn't work. I think the settings that were screwing things up were the HDD, sata-raid-ide. He has sata and I think I had to set something to make sata controller to run as ide. I can't remember and I'm not going into the BIOS again because last time I did it screwed it all up again.

-I ran memtest 86 from boot twice and no errors

-I ran CPU Stability test 6.0 for about an hour and no crashes

-I tried a different (new) DVD burner to install and no difference but once I tweaked the BIOS I was able to install with no trouble

-I ran 2 different video card stability tests and no problems

the system is running fine right now. I believe my trouble was the BIOS settings but I need to be sure. I need to know if the parts I put together are compatible so this trouble don't happen again later.

 

If the system works at all they are compatable, to an extent.

I can only hazzrd a guess that the PSU is rather weak, are there any funky smells just before it blue screen's?

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

never noticed a smell.

It's been 3 days since I tweaked the BIOS and I haven't seen a blue screen. I've been doing as much as I can to test this. I've re-booted several times. I think it's stable but I just don't want to hand it over to the guy I built it for and have it screw up. He paid for the parts on my recommendation then I built it for him so I am responsible. I've got a limited amount of time to return the mobo or PSU to Newegg.

 

There are a number of stability tests you can run on all the parts, GPU, CPU. I use them to test overclocking but I don't know what to suggest in this case. Maybe Video Memory stress test, it's a good one : http://www.majorgeeks.com/download5896.html

Hrm, CPU burn in is a good one but beware it really heats up your cpu: http://www.majorgeeks.com/CPU_Burn-in_d3921.html


They should give your primary hardware a good workout, it something is wrong these are bound to identify which hardware is the issue.

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

I will run those apps as soon as the system is up again, no PSU, I just returned it. Newegg was nice about it, no restocking fee and a free return shipping label.

I chose this one: Thermaltake Purepower RX W0143RU 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready Modular Active PFC Power Supply
This should be plenty of power.

Thank you for your help.

 

Power is not the issue if it is the PSU, the 12V rails could be the problem.

But luckily you have chosen a good brand there and the Rails look good

Well keep us posted, once you have run all those tests.

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

I didn't mean power as in watts (P=VxI P=watts), I meant power as in powerful the opposite of weak.

 

That PSU should be fine.

It has 3 12V rails & 75% efficiency, it looks very good

:major2-Bit-Geek:major

 

Thanx for the advice, I've been building systems for years and it just keep getting harder to keep up with the changes. :confused

It sure was easier back when memory was pc100

 

I know, I hear alot of people having trouble with all the new GPU's not because they don't work but because they are too long, my 4870 1GB is nearly a foot long :-D

Either that or they melt these people's PSU's LOL

:major2-Bit-Geek:major