Viewing Thread:
"Why oh why does it always happen when "I" upgrade!!!!"

Hi guys

I have just got myself a nice ABIT KV8-MAX3 motherboard, AMD64 3200+ CPU and a Radeon 9600XT graphics card to upgrade my system, First of all i had major problems with the fact that the motherboard BIOS was not compatible with my 2 sticks of 512mb PC3200 Twinmos Dual channel DDR which i sorted with a bios update, Now i have install windows xp pro but after a while it blue screens on me, i have tried putting a couple of spare 256mb PC2100 Crucials that i have lying around and the same thing happens, I have a sneaky suspicion it could be something to do with the graphics card and\or it's drivers (just a hunch) it is really anoying as when i do stuff like this at work and repair pc's it is pretty easy and i very rearly have any problems of this magnitude but always have problems on my own pc's.

Does anyone esle have this problem when they upgrade? also does anyone have any suggestions on my blue screening problems?

Cheers

Colin

Hi guys

I have just got myself a nice ABIT KV8-MAX3 motherboard, AMD64 3200+ CPU and a Radeon 9600XT graphics card to upgrade my system, First of all i had major problems with the fact that the motherboard BIOS was not compatible with my 2 sticks of 512mb PC3200 Twinmos Dual channel DDR which i sorted with a bios update, Now i have install windows xp pro but after a while it blue screens on me, i have tried putting a couple of spare 256mb PC2100 Crucials that i have lying around and the same thing happens, I have a sneaky suspicion it could be something to do with the graphics card and\or it's drivers (just a hunch) it is really anoying as when i do stuff like this at work and repair pc's it is pretty easy and i very rearly have any problems of this magnitude but always have problems on my own pc's.

Does anyone esle have this problem when they upgrade? also does anyone have any suggestions on my blue screening problems?

Cheers

Colin

well, u didn't say what you were doing when the BSODs occur, but maybe these ideas my help:

-Update Graphics Drivers to latest ATI Catalysts.
-Update Nforce/VIA Drivers (Motherboard Chipset Drivers), usually found on the manufacturers website.
-Install all Windows XP Pro Updates.
-Run one stick of RAM at a time to test each one (I know you said you have tried different RAM so...)
-Test all DIMM Slots (Some motherboards need them positioning like Dimm 1, Dimm 3 for double sided and Dimm 1 and Dimm 2 for Single, etc).
-Run Memory Check software (google.com search)
-Reset CMOS.
-Up CPU Voltage by 1.
-Up Memory Voltage by 1
-If no success with upping voltages, restore them.
-Check to make sure Heatsink and Fan are positioned correctly on CPU
-Use a decent heat transfer material, i.e. not the gunk that comes pre-"installed".

Bluescreens? Wearing a jockstrap?? At 3am in a girls dormatory??? With VIAs reputation????


By and large, I tend to get stiffed while building my own computers. I have never owned a motherboard I was entirely happy with. Building your own PC is in theory very easy, but you need an expert close by when it goes wrong. Not if, but when.

Without trying to sound bigheaded "i am an expert" i do it for a living but there are always things to learn and the only way to learn is by trial and error, which is what i am doing with my pc at the moment as i am sure it is a driver problem but im not sure which one or one's it actually is, I have re-installed xp pro now and installed the cable modem, i am currently downloading the XP Service Pack 1 and all seems to be going well, I think i am going to have to try installing each driver or a small set of drivers and then wait for a while and if all is fine i will then try another driver and so on, i will also have to set reset points, i am going to crack this if it is the last thing i do, Why do you think i am posting at 5:55am? i could not get any sleep but that could have a little to do with all the red bull and vodka i have had tonight :).

Oh and it does not blue screen when i am doing a specific thing, i can leave it alone and it will blue screen, i have tried differant makes, amounts and speeds of memory, i have tried a differant video card i have removed all other cards, i have kept an eye on the cpu temps, i am not at all worried about the PSU rails as i have an Antec True 550 watt PSU, i think it is just one of those typical things.

Colin

One of the most knackering drivers people over look is your broadband modem or Networking Cards. Linksys and D-Link are the 2 most infamous for their drivers giving BSODs on XP and 2000.

It can happen any time with these (like your computer) cos they are constantly active. I would recommend you downloaded the latest XP Compatible drivers for your card and that shud sort it.

Are you using the onboard soundcard? My POS VIA motherboard at work BSODs about once a day on average (Win2K), and I'm 60% sure the onboard sound drivers are what's causing it. Try disabling your onboard sound to see if that causes the problem.

Also if you're using onboard LAN, disable that as well. I'm still of the opinion that any driver VIA touch goes to hell :0/

Well what does the blue screen say?