Computer won't install OS

neocon · 28 Sep 2013 at 00:15

Computer had a BSofD recently. I removed the SSD as I thought it was the culprit.

Now I can't even get the system to boot an installation disc.

Tried Windows 7 disc, get this

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Tried Windows 8 and it hangs at the logo

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Tried Linux Mint 15 and it hangs (safe mode)

Tried memory test in Mint

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Not completely sure the integrated gpu settings are correct

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Is it the memory that's gone? I tried re-seating but no luck.

kefan77 · 28 Sep 2013 at 00:29

woa...so many errors in memtest.

first of all try the stick(s) in different slots to see if it changes anything. maybe 1 at a time.

I know it's time consuming, but when I had corrupted stick (happened suddenly) I got error warning within first 20-30 seconds of the test, so hopefully you won't have to wait for long.

Hades · 28 Sep 2013 at 00:37

Strip the PC back to bare minimum... not overclocked, nothing plugged in that isn't essential (so just thew CPU, DVD, one memory stick and graphics card. Try different memory sticks.

Can you boot onto a Linux live distro? e.g. boot off a Linux Mint DVD but not try to install it. If so then it could be your hard drive.

neocon · 28 Sep 2013 at 08:08

Tried removing ram sticks and now I've got s black screen on boot, no video output at all.

The motherboard has a built in GPU but uses system ram.

Seems like everything is failing....

Memory?
Mother board?

Efour · 28 Sep 2013 at 10:09

default everything in bios

try boot with 1 stick of memory in each different slot. then other stick of ram in each other slot. Memtest each time and halt as soon as you see bad stuff.

Not got a known stick of good ram or another machine to try?

if not RAM then motherboard.

neocon · 28 Sep 2013 at 10:28

Seems one of the sticks of memory is dead. It's Geil so doesn't that come with a lifetime warranty?

Hades · 28 Sep 2013 at 10:30

So you can boot into Mint but not install Mint to disk???

Try a different SATA cable and/or a different SATA port for the hard drive/SSD.

Do you have a separate graphics card to try (and disable onboard graphics)?

Do you have another spare PSU to try in case it failed and is not supplying enough voltage.

Could be the motherboard if nothing else works. But it's also worth checking it's not intermittently grounding on something - remove it from the case and try to boot there.

EDIT: Ah, you've identified bad memory.

bledd · 28 Sep 2013 at 11:08

Test each stick of memory individually in memtest (physically remove the others from the PC)

Those red lines = memory is bad.

-also, it's worth asking, are you overclocking? If so, for now I'd revert to default speeds until you identify the problems.

neocon · 28 Sep 2013 at 11:29

Cheers

Starting with a erased SSD I have managed to install Windows using one of the sticks of memory in slot three. Looks like at least one of the sticks is fine.

Will try and swap it for the other.

bledd · 28 Sep 2013 at 11:59

Don't install or do anything.

Just run memtest on all the sticks (one at a time).

Then test all the working ones together in memtest.

If that works fine, then install Windows again on the SSD using just those sticks.

Bin / RMA the other stick.

neocon · 28 Sep 2013 at 22:48

One stick has passed 6 times and no errors.
Now I'm checking the second and it has 10,000+ errors!

neocon · 30 Sep 2013 at 08:50

OCZ have given me an RMA number, but since only one stick of RAM is dead, do I need to send both sticks back?

Efour · 30 Sep 2013 at 08:53

neocon said:
OCZ have given me an RMA number, but since only one stick of RAM is dead, do I need to send both sticks back?

id think so yes.

linktoinsanity · 30 Sep 2013 at 11:54

neocon said:
OCZ have given me an RMA number, but since only one stick of RAM is dead, do I need to send both sticks back?

They are sold in pairs, so yes.

d_brennen · 30 Sep 2013 at 12:00

Be prepared for disappointment, OCZ are out of the RAM business (for some time), they might offer "partial credit" if they don't have a set laying about...