Intermittent Problems After XP Reinstall

[Albertjoe]

I have reinstalled XP a few times in the last couple of weeks on a Philips computer and have had intermittent problems each time.

I think the problem lies with the motherboard drivers but I am not sure.

This is the motherboard.
http://uk.giga-byte.com/Support/Motherboard/Driver_Model.aspx?ProductID=1781

XP installs each time OK. However Device Manger shows that two drivers are not installed. They are showing in  ‘Other Devices’ and are the  ‘Multimedia Audio Controller’ and Video Controller (VGA Compatible)

Each time I have installed the Audio and the VGA drivers from the above link and Device Manager then showed no problems.

Unfortunately the intermittent problems then begin. I get messages about Windows shutting down to prevent damage quoting on different occasions Graphics Card, Hard Drive, BIOS and so on. Each time XP will restart and tell me that Windows has recovered from a serious error. I also get page file and software distribution faults.

Can anyone help?

[patio]

Have you noticed it not keeping the correct time lately ? ?
If so replace the CMOS battery on the MBoard and then re-install the drivers...

[Albertjoe]

Have you noticed it not keeping the correct time lately ? ?
If so replace the CMOS battery on the MBoard and then re-install the drivers...

Thanks but it keeps good time so I assume it's not the battery!

[patio]

But it's not retaining onboard device info so it could still be the battery.

[Albertjoe]

Many thanks. I will replace the battery and let you know how I get on.

[Albertjoe]

Changing the battery did not solve the problem

I had to reinstall XP again after I got the standard message that 'a problem has been detected and Windows has shut down to prevent damage to your computer'
Sometimes this message loops and the only alternative I have is to reinstall XP. Sometimes it doesn't loop and I am able to try and find the problem which seems to get harder the longer it goes on

Ths standard messages do not seem to give me a clue on how to solve the problem-the last two quote ACPI.SYS and PCI.SYS.

I found out I was  getting a message before XP startup-'Primary IDE Channel no 80 conductor cable installed' I have changed the cable and hope this will sort out the problem.

Am now in the process of reinstalling XP for the sixth time

[patio]

2 things you can do in the meantime...
DLoad MemTest and create a bootable floppy/CD and run it for a few hours...any errors at all = bad RAM...

Second travel to your HDD manuf. site and DLoad their diagnostics...use the file to create a bootable floppy/CD and run the disk test. This will tell you if it's the hard drive...

[Albertjoe]

2 things you can do in the meantime...
DLoad MemTest and create a bootable floppy/CD and run it for a few hours...any errors at all = bad RAM...

Second travel to your HDD manuf. site and DLoad their diagnostics...use the file to create a bootable floppy/CD and run the disk test. This will tell you if it's the hard drive...

After the last reinstall I did not get any error messages after about five restarts.

 I thought it must have been the cable and I had cracked it.

No such luck

I have just switched it on again and got a 'kernel data in page error'

I will now download Memtest and HD diagnostics as you suggest. Many thanks for you help.

[Albertjoe]

Looks like it is the memory. I have never used Memtest before but from what I can see it must be in a bad way

The WallTime is showing 11mins no passes and 205 errors  

[patio]

Yep...it's the RAM.
But just in case before you go spend your hard earned memory re-install your MBoard drivers just in case.
Then do a few cold boots and re-boot and re-run MemTest.

Let us know.

P.S. How did the hard drive test come out ? ?

[Albertjoe]

Yep...it's the RAM.
But just in case before you go spend your hard earned memory re-install your MBoard drivers just in case.
Then do a few cold boots and re-boot and re-run MemTest.

Let us know.

P.S. How did the hard drive test come out ? ?

I had two 266mb sticks of RAM installed and ran memtest with them both in the computer. As XP can run with 266mb I took one of them out and did the test again with the same results. However when I put the other one in I got no errors

I have not had any problems since then (using the good stick) and have loaded firewall, AV and the rest!

Hope the hard drive test is not now required. I will let you know if it is!

Many thanks for your help and assistance.

[patio]

I neglected to mention running the test with multiple sticks...sorry 'bout that.
That means you can still use the good stick and good job figuring that out on your own.
Travel to Crucial.com and enter your system specs to find out exactly what type of RAM that machine likes...
You don't have to buy from them but you will know what to shop for...

[Albertjoe]

I neglected to mention running the test with multiple sticks...sorry 'bout that.
That means you can still use the good stick and good job figuring that out on your own.
Travel to Crucial.com and enter your system specs to find out exactly what type of RAM that machine likes...
You don't have to buy from them but you will know what to shop for...

Thanks for the Crucial tip.....their on-line scanner has told me what I need

This is the third time I have reinstalled XP. The first two times I was able to install without any problems. I have learnt the most with this one but I still do not understand the driver problem.

Is there any difference between Microsoft drivers and Manufacturers drivers? I read somewhere that XP has its own drivers for everything over a year old. Why did I have so much trouble with the motherboard drivers on this reinstall when I had no problem with drivers on the other two installs?

Thanks again for your help....I think the machine would have been out the window by now without your advice

[patio]

When it comes to drivers i always prefer the Manuf. over any others...which is why i never do driver updates thru Windows.
After all we've all seen what they can do with a few lines of code...imagine what a driver looks like after they're done with it.
Glad we could keep that machine from going out the window and best of luck with it down the road.

p.s.s Keep in mind also that the bad RAM could also be responsible for the botched installs so it's nothing you did wrong.