RC410-M motherboard troubles with Nvidia Geforce 9400 GT PCI-E

[jimbo8098]

I  have enquired about returning the product but i don't have much paperwork ... I have my returns number but that is all ... i hope its enough...

I have also asked for the details of the return , if it was actually damaged or if it was fine and was just returned or if it was replaced...

[jimbo8098]

I downloaded another update for the BIOS today but now i can't get to the windows GUI...

When the comp is switched on the nvidia bios for my GPU shows up

then the american megatrends logo comes up and information comes up about my computer , IDE Decvices and so on , and the system fan fires at full speed and doesnt stop.

It says press F1 to go to the BIOS settings.

Left alone , it goes to the system recovery screen , which says press F11 to begin system restore.

A message saying that windows did not start properly last time comes up and i am presented with five options , i can go through safe mode , safe mode with networking , safe with control panel (or something) , start windows normally , or last settings that worked correctly.

Leaving it alone , windows starts normally.

The windows logo comes up (with the little blue bar scrolling from left to right) then disaster ... the third time the bar goes by , 3/4 of the way through it stops , a blue screen flickers (with something on it but can't see because the flicker is too fast , I can make out Xs and 0s but not much else) Then the system restarts

Nothing is different the next time , same thing happens every time.



Ok so now ive told you whats going on i have to tell you what i have tried to fix the problem with. I have tried to :

1)  Set BIOS to optimal settings - the computer is restarted and nothing is changed (same procedure)

2) Remove GPU - No full speed system fan but the result is the same

3) System Restore - computer restarts , again same procedure



The installation when fine , no interruptions , any ideas what happened?

[jimbo8098]

To make this problem even worse , i dont have a CD to boot windows from so im stuck with what i have on my comp right now... i could download and burn a CD but i dont know if microsoft will let me do that

[jimbo8098]

I have read up on this problem and itseems to be quite a widfespread problem. Many people suggest a complete reinstall of windows which i cannot do because i have no CD for windows , it came shipped with the computer.

Others suggest that i use the bartPE which seems to be able to fix my problem from inside windows. I would like to install this however i do not know if this instakkation will wipe my system of windows XP.

I cannot go to microsoft to ask for support since i do not have the money to do so (£50)

[jimbo8098]

Problem was fixed by a complete system restore but the problem still persists

The card STILL Flickers...

 

should i keep trying to update or should i leave my system as it is? I don;t want to risk the heartache of losing my computer but i dont want the flickering to continue and it is driving me nuts!!!!!

[Quantos]

Is your monitor capable of the resolution/refresh rate that you are trying to use?

How are you connecting it, HDMI, VGA, or S-Video?

[jimbo8098]

My monitor is capable of the refresh rate being used ...

it is connected via a VGA port

I bought a new power supply today , thinking it might help the problem though a 2 pin connector cannot be located... the power unit can be found here:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=223827

Seems to be running fine , so far , no flickering and I believe that speed has increased slightly...

[jimbo8098]

for god sake its gone again and i fear it has died on me...

I installed new bios later today , it was definately the right bios , for the right mobo and so on but the computer wont start now... i fear its dead... when i press the power , the computer will start wirring and so on , everything inside the case is working but the screen shows nothing at all , just sits there blank nothing on screen ...

I believe it is screwed...

R.I.P. The game ruler

[Karnac]

Check your motherboard for any leaking capacitors.....they are the ones with the + on top......they must have a flat top....are any bulging...with rounded tops?

[patio]

Sad to hear...
A BIOS flash has rendered many systems un-bootable.

Oh well ...we move on from here.

[jimbo8098]

so it looks like sill be buying a new mobo ...

oh dear...

[Quantos]

A BIOS flash has rendered many systems un-bootable.

patio is right, I never recommend flashing a BIOS except as a last resort.
They are only for fixing an encountered problem with the BIOS itself.
The same with updating drivers.  If something isn't broken don't fix it.

Unfortunately there are many 'techs' who try to shove that off as a fix just to get you off the line and look like they are doing something.