New pc build dead - please help!

Morgy

Morgy

Morgy

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29 Nov 2007
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After following advice on this forum, I ordered the following specification:

Corsair HX 620W ATX2.2 Modular SLI Compliant PSU (CMPSU-620HXUK)
Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 & DDR3 Motherboard
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775)
Coolermaster CM-690 Dominator - Black (No PSU)
Intel Core 2 Quad Pro Q6600 "Energy Efficient SLACR 95W Edition" 2.40GHz
OCZ 2GB (2x1GB) PC2-6400C4 Dual Channel Platinum Revision 2 XTC Series DDR2 (OCZ2P800R22GK)
PNY GeForce 8800 GT 512MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express) - Retail
Samsung SH-S203D 20x DVD±RW SATA Dual Layer ReWriter (Black) - OEM
Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 500GB SATA-II 32MB Cache - OEM (ST3500320AS)
Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-Bit Edition DVD - OEM - 1Pk (66I-00788)

Today I put it all together, but I have not yet even been able to install the OS. After setting the dvd drive to boot priority I tried to install Vista. After it got to the end of the loading bar, I got a BSOD saying "irql_not_less_or_equal". I looked around the BIOS settings and found something that was set to 32-bit, and so I changed that to 64-bit and tried again. This time I managed to get as far as entering the product key, then start it installing. With relief, I went downstairs to have some food.

I came up a few minutes later though to find another BSOD, this time saying "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA". I reset the BIOS, and tried to install again which resulted in the pervious error, except this time it occured while trying to choose regional settings.

Browsing the net I thought that the problem is most likely the memory, so I changed the voltage settings very slightly, but with no effect. Then i changed to the clock memory clock settings (or at which I think they were clock settings) from 5-5-5-15 (IIRC) to 4-4-4-12. As soon I had saved the settings, the computer switched off. Now any time I try to restart it I can no longer get any POST screen. The PC turns on and fans whirr, but there is no monitor output. Also, the fans spin quite fast, which happened before but only for a few seconds before the POST screen. Obviously it didn't like these settings, so I am considering resetting the BIOS by shorting the CMOS jumper pins on the mobo, but as you can imagine I don't feel very confident doing so right now.

I guess shorting the CMOs pins to reset the BIOS (as instructed by the mobo manual) is the next logical step, but is there anything I need to be wary of in doing so? Also, if I can get back to where I was before, what could the problem be? Does it sound like my memory and/or mobo is fried?

Any help would be very appreciated.
 
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It sounds like memory is a good starting point. That memory is supposed to run at 15-4-4-4 at between 1.8 and 2.1 v depending on the board. Clear your CMOS and set the timings to above and voltage to 2.1 and try then
 
Well, it was changing the settings in the first place that got me into this situation. When you say 15-4-4-4, what parameter is each number referring to? I may very well have changed the wrong values in the BIOS. However, the I did change 5-5-5-15 to 4-4-4-12respectively, so it would appear they were the right ones. Could the last number have made that much of a difference?
 
Yeah, having that last timing set to 12 instead of 15 will cause instability, or even prevent it booting all together. Since you had some instability to start with the voltage may well be too low, ad thats only going to make the situation worse. Try clear CMOS, set the timings correct and whack it up to 2.1v for safety sake, if it all works you can try and bring the mem voltage down again in future, but for now just give it 2.1 to check it works

edit: sorry timings should be 4-4-4-15, I always list the wrong way around for some reason, I think it was my old Abit NF7-s used to make you put them in the wrong way around
 
Ok, thanks for your help Ben, I'll try that tomorrow and let you know how it goes. If anyone else has any insights though please do still post and let me know your thoughts. :)

edit: Although I found a setting to add voltage, I couldn't find what the actual end resulting voltage turns out to be. Can anyone who's familiar with the BIOS of my motherboard let me know where it is, if it indeed exists? Thanks again.
 
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I have a pretty much identical pc to build at christmas.
Although the case is different and 520w psu. & and a noctua HSF.

Lowering the memory timings will make it have to work harder, slackening them ( higher ) would make their job easier.

That'd be why it messed up:p
 
Well, I cleared the CMOS and after one or two restarts I was back into the BIOS. I changed the timings to 4-4-4-15, but then the same thing happened again. However this time when I after clearing the CMOS, every time I powered up I got the same problem as before. I cleared the CMOS again just to make sure, but it hasn't helped. Any one got any ideas? This is just driving me mad!
 
Update: I've taken out a stick of RAM and now the computer is alive and well again. I can get get to the start of vista installation without any problems either, however it does take some mins for the first window to appear, which is understandable given that it's vista on 1 gig of RAM. I'll see if I can find my old OEM copy of XP. I wont be able to activate the copy, but hopefully I'll be able to see if the hardware is fine.
 
It sounds as if you may have a dodgy stick of RAM if you're sure the timings and voltage are correct. Problem is you'll have to send back the pair to get them replaced. get Vista installed and then download and run memtest to check the memory
 
Well I switched over to the other stick of RAM, same problems as before. Switched the sticks back again and it appears to be ok. No need to memtest I think, it's pretty clear that particular stick's dodgy. I tried to install XP, but it had trouble copying any .xml files. After some browsing I think it's to do with the partial Vista installation it had on there before, so i'm reformatting now. If that doesn't work, I'll see if I can install Vista.

Update: XP installed fine, everything appears to work fine - sound, graphics, dvd drive, usb ports etc. I installed ARMA, which before was unplayable for me even on lowest settings, now runs like a dream on the highest possible settings. I'm very relieved :). Just a shame that I now have to go through the RMA process.
 
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