Serious Problem Help Appreciated

Okay, so I installed an extra 512mb stick of SD RAM 266Mhz non ECC non reg etc. into my wifes computer along with a 256Mb stick that was already there.

So I power on and the gfx card wont boot as in wont show a picture. I try a few things then I put the system back how it was and it all boots up to the CD prompt but the HDD wont boot. okay I think, the O/S is damaged, fair enough. I go to repair the O/S and its not listed nor is its partition, and the second partition comes and goes. I am really stumped. What next? I dont want to erase it all and start over.

I cant remember the spec of her machine I know its an MSI running a 1.7Ghz celeron processer, the gfx card is a creative something or other 64mb. One 80gb drive, a DVDRW etc. Running XP SP2.

 

Should have mentioned these are DDR SDRAM PC2100.

 

Hopefully you installed the new RAM with the power cord unplugged from the PC. Many motherboards stay 'hot' even if they're turned off but still plugged in. Unplug the power cord and go thru the PC: re-seat all cards, reconnect all data cables and all power cables. Maybe something came loose whilst installing the new RAM. Try to get the PC up and running with the original memory only. If that works out OK, power down, unplug the power cord, remove the original RAM and install the new RAM. If you get nothing, power down and unplug the power cord (again) and clear the CMOS/BIOS by moving the on board jumper for about 1 minute or remove the battery for a mintue or two. Move the jumper back (or replace the battery) and try to boot again. If you still get nothing with the new RAM, it may faulty or not compatible. If possible, try the new RAM in a different PC and see what happens. Let's hope you kept the receipt

hopperdave2000

 

Dave was right to suggest the bios, although you probably dont need to reset it. Just enter the bios at power up, let it detect he new memory, save settings and exit. Since it has lost the HDD, you will probably have to redetect that as well.

Studio T

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

Firstly, therein is the problem. When the new memory is in, I loose power to the gfx card, and so I cannot get a screen up in which to access the BIOS.

I have also been over all the cables, cards etc and everything is fine except for the HDD with the old memory card, the HDD is just living in a wibbly wobbley world of its own for some reason. the RAM is spot on right for the board, so I am guessing it is defective. But i still dont get why it has trashed the HDD. the partition detect is a real problem becuase normally I partition drives in two parts, one for programs, one for docs, but here, when I come to re-install the o/s it will take the document drive with it as the partitions appear corrupted somehow. confused

 

Surely you can get to the bios like this ?

Studio T

 

This is exactly the same thing I am having. Except I can start up the PC. I have lines in the OS everywhere and textures in games are all over the place. It says the Hard Disks are corrupted although I can browse through them and they work OK.

I'm getting a new PC, but did you try starting it with only the old RAM?

 

Hello Vlad, if you are having hard disk trouble run check disk.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=123520

This won't help our Druid here but it might be wise to do anyway when he gets his hard drives back.

Studio T

 

Sorry me being thick, you meant with the old memory. yup good idea I will give that a whirl tonight.

 

Right BIOS is a no go. Why? Because for some reason even though I have not put a password on it, it is now password protected. I dont know what happened to this system.

 

You are just going to have to do like the man says and reset the bios by jumper or battery removal then, sorry. Its no big deal, just a bit more effort.

Studio T

 

I tried using a few codes to gain backdoor access to the BIOS, no go dang it. Have removed the battery will leave it a few hours and see.

 

A new battery wouldn't hurt while you are at it.

Studio T

 

right BIOS password is gone, thought he old battery is back, everything redetected, but still no partitions. Think i am just gonna have to blank this drive and start over which is v annoying. As this computer has not got a floppy drive, any ideas on where I can pick up a formatting utility with an inbuilt partition killer and with an iso that I can burn straight to CD?

 

Have you thought about one of the MG partition undeleters?

Lookin in drive utilities for partitions, data recovery for files.

Studio T

 

Yeah, but the partitions were off in a world of their own. In the end I flamed the lot and just reinstalled it all. All problems solved except for a string of audio driver problems for some reason, and a loss of data :cry Of course if I followed my own rules I would have backed up a bit better and pulled out the removable HDD before testing the memory. Ahh next time.

 

all sorted, but geesh memory install? Thats supposed to be one of the safest upgrades.

 

I have never heard of memory affecting hard drives. Can't even see a mechanism for it.

Of course, if you want to be ultra cautious in future you could disconnect the hard drive before you prove the new memory.


Studio T

 

Exactly, I just dont know what went wrong. Can only think deffective memory. Moreover all the HDD's on any of my systems are in caddies which makes this all a bit silly. If I just pulled the drive then booted up, all would have been okay. But I thought memory what can go wrong. Mind you given the CMOS problems this may not even have been enough.