bootable Motherboard diagnostic utility

Is anyone aware of a FREE diagnostic utility that will boot off of a floppy, and run under dos in order to test your motherboard for defects, etc? Since I can't get my OS installed, I need something that is completely self contained, and after 2 weeks of troubleshooting, I've come to the conclusion that it is the motherboard!! unfortunately I can't afford to go out and buy a new hardware component every time I run accross a possibility of something being the problem. I've already replaced the memory and the cpu and it only seems to be getting worse.

BTW...It is an ABIT KV7-V mobo w/Sempron 3000

Thank You
Roger

 

Hi rogvalcox... Maybe you could be a bit more specific on why your OS will not install and why you have come to the conclusion it is a Mobo fault... the more info you give the more response will be possible

 

When first setup the comp, I installed my Windows XP Home SP1 and then when I tried to install sp 2 it wouldn't install without crashing. After troubleshooting this issue for a eek and a half (checking all my drivers, etc. you know...all the common problems of installing SP 2) I finally upgraded to a 450watt psu. Now I encounter mero problems!! After setup formats the drive and then about half way through copying the files I would get a BSOD, that said MEMORY_MANAGEMENT, and a stop error code. Called microsoft, and according to some archive of information that me and you supposedly have no access to, they said it was SPECIFICALLY related to a bad memory module. So I go buy one stick of DDR 400, 256mb. Still the same problem!! I contacted AMD and they said it is possibly a defective cpu, so they give me an RMA # and I goto tiger direct and exchange it. Now it gets worse...I can't even get into setup to format the drive or anything. I boot from the XP cd, and then it starts loading the setup files. As soon as it gets all the setup files loaded, it pauses a second and then the screen goes black and then I get a BSOD that says... a driver corrupted pool memory used for holding pages destined for disk. And no Stop error code. Called microsoft again and they said it was something about a corrupt kernel driver file, that to my understanding is in a certain piece of hardware and it helps the different hardware interact with one another, but they wouldn't tell me where this so called corrupted thing was located because they claim to stay out of hardware issues. Does that make any sense? I really couldn't understand the guy too well!!

I do have another mobo on the way. ABIT agreed to exchange it for me, but in the meantime...I would love to diagnose the problem just so I know for my own knowledge. If the new mobo fixws the problem, that is great, but I haven't learned anything in the meantime!!

I also have a thread in the software forum...I probably should have asked this question there, but I wanted to make sure it was in the right place for the right people to see. If you want to read it, and maybe better understand...I have put the link below.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=59536

Thanks
Roger

 

I just tried to run my maxtor powermax diagnostic from a bootable floppy and I get this...It says that it is strting Caldera DR-DOS....then below that it pops up with....Can't load BDOS kernel file: a:\IBMDOS.COM. Then below that it says system halted.

The research i've found online indicates that this is a symptom of a corrupt bios?? The way they were talking on the forum....the only way to fix this problem is to replace the bios or buy a new board.

Does anybody have any ideas??

Roger

 

Have you tried clearing the CMOS? In the manual, it will usually tell you which jumper you need to set in order to clear it. If you don't want to go to that trouble, you can just remove the battery for about 30 secs, then put it back in. (Make sure you unplug the computer from the wall too. Otherwise, removing the battery does nothing) Other than that, there isn't anyway to 'fix' the BIOS.

And, from what you've done, it looks to me like the motherboard is the problem. So, if clearing the CMOS doesn't do anything, I'd just wait for the new mobo.

 

I've already tried that!!!!

Roger

 

First sp2 crashed the system,
this could have been caused by one of your programs.What made you think the PSU was the problem?
Later the microsoft guy told you that a kernel driver file was corupted,did he tell you that it was in a hardware?Drivers are usually softwares,did you ask him that?
Are you sure the Xp cd is not damaged?
And did you change the bios?

 

When I tried to instll SP 2 (the MULTIPLE times I tried it)...There was NOTHONG installed except for SP 1. No programs!! and windows was providing all the drivers needed in order for the hardware to function, so theoretically...there was no reason for SP 2 to not install in a stable manner!!

When you can't even get into the setup to format the drive and install the os...how in the world can you have a file/software/driver problem.

The Microsoft person walked me through some steps with the disc on the laptop, in order to determin if it was a corrupted disc. The way he talked...I took it as thought the kernel is something stored on a chip on some piece of hardware. Does that make sense??

I got the psu because my other one was not the recommended wattage for this board and cpu, and i've read elsewhere that these symptoms can be caused by an inadequate psu.


Roger

 

What i mean with driver problem is what is loaded into the RAM during setup from the CD.Just checking if you knew what you were doing with the psu and all the other hardware replacements.
Maybe the hardware the driver is kept that ms told you is the RAM.

 

The kernel is part of the OS that is moved into the RAM every time you boot into your os.The RAM is a fast storage media where the cpu gets its inputs and keeps its registers.

 

Strangely enough...my Maxtor diagnostic disk won't boot, but my MEMTEST 86+ will. I know the maxtor disc works because I used it just a couple of days ago!! So now i'm currently testing this new stick of DDR 400 256mb. On the first pass, which is actually pass 0, I got over 70,000 errors, and it is brand new!!!! So i'm thinking that i'm just the unlucky sob that got a brand new stick of defective ram?????? Or is that even possible??

Roger

 

You said you had this problem before you got the new stick of RAM? If so, it's still probably the motherboard, and not the RAM. If you can find another stick of RAM laying around, try it. Otherwise, wait for the new mobo.

 

Something else came to my attention!!

The more I read about this kernel file...I'm assuming this so called file is in the BDOS, which is in the BIOS. am I on the right track so far??

Few days back, I flashed the bios to version 1.4. I did it exactly as the instructions said on the abit website. Is it possible that it was a bad flash, even though everything appeared as though it worked right!! Does awdflash utility prompt you of errors if any occur, or does it just go about it's merry little way and you just pray??!! If what i'm trying to say is a possibility, then I'm wondering if the downloaded bios revision has a corrupted file in it and therefore i'm getting the bad kernel issue, or even if the files are ok...maybe the actual downloading process screwed it up, and I flashed with a corrupted bios revision?? I did, however download it from the abit site...not some third party site. I would think that if abit has issued a corrupt bios flash, they would have fixed it by now??!!

We've obviously figured out that it is in the hardware somewhere, and being that it post ok, but It can't start anything that is involved with loading files or installing os's. So like I said before....If i'm on the right track about what, where and how this kernel file is involved with the hardware, then I'm kind of thinking that the bios is somehow been corrupted, but i've also heard that if anything happens to the bio, then it won't even post??

BTW...another guy that's been trying to help me on another forum, keeps bringing up the fact that my psu is generic and even though it is 450w, it is not stable enough and everything I bring up, he somehow routes it back to the fact that the psu is inadequate. and he talks like this is SUCH a common problem that nobody ever thinks about. The tech at tiger direct told me that even though it is a generic psu, it should be more that adequate since I don't have hardly anything hooked up to it. Every other forum i've been to...the first thing they ask me is why I put in a new psu, and that is not quite the problem like the other guy makes it out to be. So I was hoping to get somebody elses take on that??

Sorry if I tend to wright novels, but I like to try to cover all my bases!!

Thanks
Roger

 

1. The BIOS you downloaded from ABIT is perfectly fine.
2. As long as the computer didn't lose power during the flash, chances are, that's not the problem.
3. A Kernel is the core of an operating system. AFAIK, it has nothing to do with your motherboard, or any other piece of hardware in your system.
4. The PSU could be the problem. Just from personal experience, I've had more generic PSUs be DOA than name brands. (which is why I buy Antec mostly) However, I'd still guess it's the motherboard since you've had 2 different PSUs in there.
5. Like I said before. Just wait for the new motherboard. From what you've told us, more than likely it is the problem.

 

Ok...Thank You...I appreciate the input!!!

I don't mean to beat a horse to death...but like I said before...Since my mobo isn't going to be here for a few days...I was just trying to enrich my knowledge in the meantime!!!!

Thanks
Roger

 

I apologize if I came off mean (When I reread my post, it seems a bit terse), I don't mean to stifle your quest for knowledge. By all means, continue troubleshooting if you like, but I think the next step is to try a new motherboard. (Or try your processor and RAM in a different motherboard)

 

That's cool....I didn't take it as mean!!

I just was explaining why I wouldn't leave it lie. I didn't want you to think that I wasn't paying attention to what you were saying or thvt I just simply didn't like your answer and wanted another!!!! LOL

Everytime I do something like this I learn something new and so far i've gotten to know quite a bit just by accident. I was just hoping to try and figure out what it was specifically on the motherboard, that is causing it to be declared a bad board.

Don't worry...I appreciate all and any input!!!!!

Roger

 

"I was just hoping to try and figure out what it was specifically on the motherboard, that is causing it to be declared a bad board."

As far as troubleshooting goes, the motherboard is pretty much a black box. Either it works, or it doesn't. And if it doesn't work, the solution is to get a new one. Without an intimate knowledge of how that specific motherboard functions, it's hard to figure out exactly what is wrong with it. You can kind of guess. For example, in your case, it could be a bad memory slot, or something relating to them. That would be my guess.

So, anyway hopefully your new motherboard works fine and no further troubleshooting will be needed.

 

Something else I came across!!!!.....My memory says it is CL3, which to my understanding....is the cas number in the bios???? am I on the right track so far???? I read elsewhere that if your memory states that it is CL 3 then you the cas in the bios to be three!!?? Is that right???? If not would it possibly cause errors??

The reason I bring this up....I have read where a couple of people had problems with the motherboard being compatible with the memory, and they switched there cl3 memory for some cl2 memory and everything was magically healed!! My motherboard says it takes DDR 400. but it doesn't say anything about the cl # compatibilty!! So i'm thinking that it shouldn't be an issue because you can adjust the cas # in the bios.

Does this make sense??

Roger

 

Here is a basic rundown of Cas Latency.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/main/trg-cas.html

And, yes, if you run CL3 memory at a faster speed (CL2) you are in essence overclocking it. Therefore, you can run into stability problems because the RAM is running faster than what it is rated to run at.

And, for the record, motherboards are not incompatible with CL2, CL3, or any other Cas latency setting. As long as the BIOS will let you change it to that number, it will work.

So, find out what memory you have (3 should work fine if you can't figure out exactly what yours is) and set it to that. If 3 doesn't work, start bumping it up one notch at a time until it works right, or until you get to the highest number. Also, keep bumping up the other numbers, because they can cause problems too. Keep the first three numbers about the same, and the fourth one a couple numbers higher. (i.e. 2-2-2-5, 3-3-3-6, 2-3-2-6, etc.)

I just noticed you said it is CL3. So, set it at 3-3-3-6 to be safe. It should run fine at that speed. If not, the memory probably isn't the problem.

 

Thanks a million wyatt!!!! I'll investigate that further after dinner!!

In the meantime......

Just got my new board.....abit KV7-V. You know...the one I did the rma on!!??

It has onbaord sata raid 150. Can you set up raid with just one sata drive and no other hdd's?? If you can....can someone get me going here?? When I boot...after the bios scans, It comes up like how I've got it listed below...

Scan Devices, Please wait....
Raid
None Define
None Raid
Serial_Ch0 Master: ############(hd serial #)
Press < Tab > Key into User Window!


Ofcourse I hit the tab key, and then it goes into the raid, then it tells me something about the drive # or the raid # is wrong...or something to that effect!! But ayway...I can't access any of the features to setup the raid chipset stuff in the tab key!!

I'm COMPLETELY new to this raid thing....so please....bear with me!!

Thank You
Roger

 

No raid with one HDD.

For raid setup, you need at least two HDD's

 

Ok...maybe I didn't mean raid, so to speak!! I'm guessing that running an sata hdd is different than running raid????

But can't you still run the sata hdd, though right???? If so....anything special or different to set it up?? Or do you just let the OS (Windows XP Home) Install just like it was an ordinary computer setup?? To my understanding sata is faster than an ata133 drive connection?? I would hate to find out that I had to take this drive back and exchange it for a typical IDE drive!! Incase you couldn't tell.....I don't care to be running the raid right now(obviously...since i've only got one hdd) but I would like to use the sata drive that I bought!! Especially since my old IDE hdd shot craps....which is why I ended up buying this one!!!!

 

By the way.....the new motherboard didn't get rid of the problem I had earlier. Which is one reason I want to make sure i'm installing this sata hard drive correctly, so hopefully that might explain that the old hard drive was bad!!

I'm all ears!!!!

Roger

 

No, you don't need to worry about the RAID. However, you'll need to put your SATA drivers on a 3.5" floppy disk. Then, during the Windows install, you'll need to press the F6 key when, at the bottom, it says "Press F6 to load 3rd party RAID or SCSI drivers." Or something similar to that. This is where you'll load the SATA drivers that come with your motherboard.

If you don't do this, your hard drive won't show up when Windows is looking for a drive to install on.

 

Well....like I said a couple of replies ago....the new motherboard is posing the same problems!!!! When I boot from the XP cd in order to install the os ofcourse....It prompts you to hit F6 to install raid driver. I do that, then it continues to load the setup files, then it ask me to choose what raid driver I wish to install off the floppy in A: drive. I choose the one that is related to my mobo with the VIA chipset. By the way...I bought a new sata hard drive and it is installed as the only hdd!! Then it continues to load some more setup files. Then it pauses on "starting setup", and after a few seconds, the screen goes black and I get that famous BSOD that has been haunting me forever!! You know...A driver corrupt pool memory for pages destined for disk...or something like that! It's the same one I quoted in one of the earlier posts, however it is worded!!

So...I thought I would pull the Dual Layer DVD burner out and play with the jumper setting. I put it on CS instead of master. Still the exact same story only this time the BSOD says "IRQ_NO_LESS_EQUAL"!! So I try the same thing with my DVD rom drive...Put the jumper on CS instead of master, and the same thing!!!!

Last night I also bought another new stick of PQI DDR 400 256mb. Thinking, that since I had heard some stories that sometimes, some motherboards don't like just one module!! That didn't make any difference. Even ran memtest 86+ and it also showed thousands of errors on the new module on test 5, just like all the other 4 modules did!! So that has kind of got me suspicious!!

So either i'm still missing a hardware problem or some setup file on the XP cd is corrupted!! I'm thinking anyway!! If the install cd is corrupted, then why have I been able to install off this very cd before and it worked fine????

Any ideas???

Thanks
Roger

 

Try with minimum components.
psu,Mobo,1cdrom,1 module of ram,1hd etc.

 

And try another xp cd.

 

I am down to the bare minimum components!! I have been trying to install my Windows 2000 Professional (Since I don't have access to another XP cd) and the 2000 won't work either!! Right after you hit F6 to install the raid driver...it loads a couple more setup files and then comes up with....

File \i386\ntkrnlmp.exe could not be loaded.
The error code is 4

Setup cannot continue. Press any key to exit.

So naturally...that would kind of eliminate the odds of the XP cd being corrupted!! I know the 2000 cd works, because I just did a new clean install of it on my laptop just 2 days ago!! So it has to be hardware!! So I tried to start the 2000 cd while moving the one memory module to all three differnet dimms (even though the manual says you have to have one module in dimm 1) and after trying 4 different modules like that...I find it hard to believe that they are all bad all of the sudden, especially when 3 of them are brand new!! It would most definately suck if the second motherboard is also defective!!

I did read elsewhere that when you get into the upper numbers of the amd processors like the Sempron 3000 as opposed to the 2100...you will have memory problems if it's not a good quality brand (absolutely no generics!!), Even the MEMTEST 86+ website comments on this issue, and that if that is the case...you will get LOTS of errors on test 5, which I do on all of the modules!! I was under the understanding that Spectek and PQI both had pretty good reputations!! Maybe they are generic after all!!!!

Still up for suggestions though!!

Thanks
Roger

 

Tell me:Has your pc ever worked?

 

Kind of!! When I first built it with this board and cpu, I was able to run XP SP1...but whenever I tried to install SP 2 (No matter how I did it!!!!) It would crash the system.

The guy at the abit forum, insisted that it was the psu, and since it was only 300w, that it would cause it to not work right and it could appear as though it was other problems when really it was really the psu!! So I put in a 450w psu with the auxilliary power connector, and that didn't do anything!!

Then he though maybe since my ram was pc2100, that it could be an async issue with the cpu having a higher fsb than the ram!! So I put in some PQI brand DDR 400, and that didn't work, and the MEMTEST 86+ was showing errors on all 4 of my modules, new or old!!

In the meantime I got the cpu exchanged...then I couldn't even get the setup to start!! as soon as it loads all the setup files...it pauses for a second and then I get the bsod!!

In the meantime, I get the replacement board from abit, and swap it out of my case!!

So then I decide to get a new hdd since I wanted a serial hard drive!! That didn't change anything!!

Then i'm doing a little reading on the memtest website...I notice a comment about the fact that if you have an amd processor that it in the upper model number...like my Sempron 3000, which it used for an example...then generic ram will repeatedly show errors on test 5 and 8, on the MEMTEST 86+ program!! Guess what...everyone of the modules show thousands of errors on test 5, whether they are new or old!! So I go exchange the PQI memory, for some KINGSTON ddr 400, and that made no difference.

From begginning to the point i'm at now....it seems as though after each step of trying to eliminate the problem...my situation went further down the hill, until I am where i'm at now!!

Roger

 

Have you tried upgrading the BIOS to the most recent version?

 

It came with the latest version....."14"

The board that got replaced was "11" and I flashed it to "14" and it still was no difference!!

Roger

 

Quoting rogvalcox:
Kind of!! When I first built it with this board and cpu, I was able to run XP SP1...but whenever I tried to install SP 2 (No matter how I did it!!!!) It would crash the system.
END OF QOUTE

Give us exactly what hardware you have,every single one.Give the brand and the specs of each components.You have given us the details but you have changed a lot and your replys are scatered.

If you are using another forum,tell us what they tell you.

Maybe your components where never meant for each other.

 

I'm sorry if my posts tend to reflect my tendency to be scatter brained!!!!

Here are the specs...

Echo Star 450w psu w/aux power connector
Abit KV7-V motherboard
Sempron 3000 cpu
Hitachi 40gig sata hard drive
Thermaltake Tornado Heatsink and fan
256mb Kingston DDR 400 (1 module)
nVidia GeForce 2 MX/MX 400 64mb
Aopen DUW1608/12x Dual Layer DVD burner
Generic DVD rom
Generic Floppy drive

I believe that sums it up...if there appears to be something that I might be forgetting, please let me know!!

I know the psu is not the best brand in the world, but both technicians at tiger direct said that it should be plenty adequate since I don't have anyting in the case at the time!!

I'm going to put in the old 300w that came with the case, just to see if thvt makes a difference!! It appears as though that was when I was able to atleast get SP 1 installed!!

I'm also in the process of trying different outlets in the house!! Since the building I live in is over 100 years old....i'm wondering if i'm not getting enough power from the outlet?? I've heard of a couple of people that had that problem!!

Thanks for anything you might come up with!!

Roger

 

Qouting Abit

AGP,PCI-1, LAN and SATA share an IRQ signal
PCI-4 and PCI-5 share an IRQ

If you want to install two PCI cards into those PCI slots that share IRQ with one another at the same time, you must make sure your OS and PCI devices’ driver supports the IRQ sharing function.

Manually assigning the IRQs is possible in BIOS "PnP/PCI configuration" submenu.


PIRQ_0 is for AGP, PCI-1, LAN and SATA.
PIRQ_1 is for PCI-2.
PIRQ_2 is for PCI-3.
PIRQ_3 is for PCI-4 and PCI-5

END OF QUOTE

Does your hardware in these slots etc support shared IRQ.

 

Ok...that's cool!! I can see how that could possibly affect something!! Unfortunately...I'm not that firmiliar with IRQ's , other than it sort of an address assignment!!

I found where I can assign certain IRQs to certain devices, etc. but how do I know what IRQ's are assigned to what devices?? If i'm going to assign an irq to the agp slot because my video card is not capable of sharing an irq...then I sure would want to assign one that is not going to be used by something else!!!! There is nothing in the bios that shows the assigned IRQ's and where to!!

If I can figure this out then I will just assign a lone IRQ to the agp, since I can't seem to find anything on whether or not my video card is capable of IRQ sharing...and that is the only add on device in there other than the drives!! Everything else is integrated into the motherboard!!

To make a long story short....If I assign a specific irq to the agp...then which one should I assign!!??

I appreciate any help I can get!!!!

Roger

 

Well...I put the other 300w psu in just to see what would happen, and now it has started hanging on post!! Sometimes right after it verifies the memory count and sometimes after it says....verify DMI Pool!! By the way...this seemed to start happening when I loaded the fail safe defaults in the bios!!

For anybody that is interested....I am going to tiger direct here in about 20 mins to get a new GOOD quality psu. I let you know if that makes any difference!!

Roger

 

I went today and bought a new 500w modular psu by Ultra!! Swapped out the generic 450 in order to just rule out the possibility of a sheap unstable psu making it look like it is other problems!! Ofcourse that did nothing!!

Now that i've done that....i've officially replaced EVERYTHING in there!!!! I've now turned it over to Tiger Direct!! Took it to ther Tech guy just a couple of hours ago...and he said he should have an answer by tuesday at the latest!!

For whoever is interested for their own sake of knowledge....i'll be back with there answer to my problem as soon as I hear from them!!!!

In the meantime....Just Keep on Livin'!!!!

Roger

 

Well...after getting the computer back, and everything was supposed to be good to go, and I got home and it was the same story...so I took the comp back 2 more times, and the they finally came to the conclusion, that...

Even though the specs say this mobo is Sempron compatible...apparently it is a bunch of bull malarchy, atleast with the 3000!!!!

So I called Tiger Direct again today and told the manager and the tech that helped me yesterday, that I was still having problems!! The tech said that was the end of the road and that this board obviously does not like that cpu, and the only thing I could do is to exchange it for an athlon xp!! So I got an XP 3000 for 139 dollars, exchanged with money on top ofcourse...came home, put it in....been running now for about 3 hrs with absolutely NO problems, and it is running like a striped ass ape on top of that!!!!!!!

Bottom line....This board does not like the Sempron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roger