Messed up BIOS?

[Rhinosaur]

Hi all, first post and i really need help. Ill start out with as much info on teh computer and then i will give a history of problems.

Computer:
Gateway
1.5ghz pentium 4
1 gb RAM
2 HDD's
Master: 20gb
Slave: 60Ggb
128mb video card
Windows XP Sp 3

Problems:
When i first bought the computer (used) it worked fine, it then started crashing every few minutes- later it worked better and i could go about an hour before crashing. I found i had some drivers that needed updating so i did what i could and then it worked prety well, crashing every 2 hours or so. Since i got teh computer so cheap i figured it was no big deal.

BIG problem: The other day i thought i would transfer some of the stuff from my old HDD onto this computer. So i uplugged the slave HDD and put my old one in its place (not knowing it was set to master) the computer didn't boot so i took it out and put the oldo one it. The computer turned on but it didn't have the other HDD there, just the master 20gb hard drive. So stupidly i went to BIOS and tried to fix somthing. Now i can't even get to the Windows XP screen, it just says "windows had a problem" (or somthing) and then a list of ways to start up the computer, safe mode, last known settings tath worked ect. None of these work and i really don't know what to do.

I tried: Resseting the bios, did this by taking out the battery on the motherboard (little round thing) i tested it and found that the battery has verrry low power so i thought maybe that is the problem? If not what can i do to get my computer working?

Anyways if you there is anything i can do to fix this comp i really need the help. Thanks a million.

[beango]

i cannot get it:
is the computer now at the same status before the big problem? or are still trying to install another hdd?

Very far away answer, but it is possible, that system crashes while replacing the hard drive with an other one.
That dont mean a loss of all data, but the operating system.

Can zou write here the exact error msg you get from windows?

Greets

[stevejohnson1958]

Since you've already changed the BIOS settings...you probably do not know what they were before you made the changes.

I'd start, first, by replacing the CMOS battery with a brand new one.  Boot into BIOS and use BIOS default settings...exit saving changes.

However, make sure you have the drives installed correctly before attempting any of this.

Keep us posted, please...

[Rhinosaur]

@beango
the comp is at the worst status ever- wont boot.

Drives installed correctly? is this somthing to do with software or do you mean somthing about being plugged in correctly? They are plugged in exactly as they were when they were working.

Im getting a battery later today and will see if it works.

[beango]

Well i don't think this is really an hardware malfunction.
Try the battery, but at this time the batteries are not as important as they were years ago.

It wont boot, OK. But what can you see, what message do you get. Where is the computer stopping to reboot.
You must give us a little bit more detailed information.

And at first, but the old battery in and set the BIOS to default settings. Should be already done by removing the battery. But do it again for test.

If you tell me what the computer what the computer is doing while trying to boot, i can tell you what we can do to repair it.

Seems like at the end we will have to reinstall windows. But that should be one of the latest solutions.

[Rhinosaur]

Got the new battery, put it in, reset to defaults ect. But nothing happend. I will try to give a detailed description of whats going on.

1. Turn computer on.

2. Screen comes up (black with white letters) "sorry for the inconvinience..." options showing: Safe mode, safe mode with networking, start windows normally ect.

3. Select one of the options (results are always the same) Gateway logo comes up and in a few seconds the computer goes down and goes back to 2.

The files on the computer arent to important so reinstalling windows isn't a big deal.

[stevejohnson1958]

That being the case...why not perform the reinstallation and let us know how it goes.

Booting from your recovery CD...or Windows CD...make sure you wipe the drive clean.

Me...I'd remove the current partition...create a new one, format...and reinstall the operating system.

Keep us posted, please...

[beango]

OK, if you are not able to enter safe mode then i think reinstalling windows is the best now.
You dint have to format the hard disk, even if it would be the clean way, if you really have the opinion that you data is not important.

Tell us if there is another problem.

Greets from Germany.

[Rhinosaur]

I tried to boot using the windows xp CD but nothing happend, i switched the boot order so the CD booted first, now the computer behaves the exact same way as before but somtimes it will turn off completly.

Do i have any options

[stevejohnson1958]

With the computer case open...and turned on...do you see the CPU fan spinning at all?  Is there a lot of dust accumulation around the fan and heatsink?

if so...it may require cleaning.

I, myself, do believe this is a hardware issue.

Let's take care of the small things...and go from there.

Use compressed air to clean the inside of the computer case.  Make sure its unplugged from its power source, first.

Then, please try again to see if you're still experiencing the same problem.

Troubleshooting may take some time...so, please be patient..as we will do the best we can to help...okay?

[Rhinosaur]

-Gave the computer a good cleaning, all fans are working. Now the computer stays on for about 4 seconds and then turns off.

[stevejohnson1958]

This could also be a sign of a failing, or failed power supply.

Take a look here:  Power Supply Trobleshooting

[Rhinosaur]

Don't think its a power supply falure. I checked the fan and it is working fine, and i used the test switch and everything powered up.

I replaced some of the "power strips" (?the long flat cables which connect things to the motherboard) and the computer didn't power off quite as much, but this is probly nothing.

Another note, the second HDD (slave) is no longer recognized in the BIOS...

[patio]

Don't think its a power supply falure. I checked the fan and it is working fine, and i used the test switch and everything powered up.

This is not a reliable test of the PSU.....

[believer]

okay...there is a lot going on here.

I would like to reply to you original post:

Hi all, first post and i really need help. Ill start out with as much info on teh computer and then i will give a history of problems.

Computer:
Gateway
1.5ghz pentium 4
1 gb RAM
2 HDD's
Master: 20gb
Slave: 60Ggb
128mb video card
Windows XP Sp 3

Problems:
When i first bought the computer (used) it worked fine, it then started crashing every few minutes- later it worked better and i could go about an hour before crashing. I found i had some drivers that needed updating so i did what i could and then it worked prety well, crashing every 2 hours or so. Since i got teh computer so cheap i figured it was no big deal.

This sounds like overheating issue....CPU fan working you said...how many other fans? Is the back fan blowing out or in?

BIG problem: The other day i thought i would transfer some of the stuff from my old HDD onto this computer. So i uplugged the slave HDD and put my old one in its place (not knowing it was set to master) the computer didn't boot so i took it out and put the oldo one it. The computer turned on but it didn't have the other HDD there, just the master 20gb hard drive. So stupidly i went to BIOS and tried to fix somthing. Now i can't even get to the Windows XP screen, it just says "windows had a problem" (or somthing) and then a list of ways to start up the computer, safe mode, last known settings tath worked ect. None of these work and i really don't know what to do.

I recommend putting in master with OS in it by itself. Make sure Bios recongizes it as master and set the boot sequence to look at HDD first. If this fails then set Bios to have CD drive first. Put XP cd in it and try repair option.
If this fails then go ahead and reinstall windows BUT keep second HDD out of PC.
If you have both in then when installing windows XP it may not recongize slave drive unless it is refomatted through disk management.

I tried: Resseting the bios, did this by taking out the battery on the motherboard (little round thing) i tested it and found that the battery has verrry low power so i thought maybe that is the problem? If not what can i do to get my computer working?

Anyways if you there is anything i can do to fix this comp i really need the help. Thanks a million.

Replacing battery doesn't hurt....