Compilation of computer problems... IT guys HELP!

[navyblue2000]

I'll just give a brief history and then what I've done to try to deal with it.

It all started when I bought an ATI All-In-Wonder 9600.
First off, some system specs:
ABIT KV7 and Athlon XP 2700+
256mb PC2700 : Generic/Best Buy stuff, gave a few errors on test 4 in memtest86
WD 80gb 8mb Spec. ed. hard drive : could this be problem...sometimes doesn't show on POST.
Onboard sound/nic, : used instead of sb live 5.1 x gamer, same for nic card.
Windows XP pro.


and here we begin:
Upon install of video card, this is before XP1, I would get Blue Screens. Generally came up as
"Page fault in non paged area" (but of course in BSOD_UNDERSCORE_WRITING)
"IRQL not less or equal"

Wipe HDD, try again.
HDD now and again does not come up in POST. Have to power off, leave for a few minutes and come back. Magic, right?

Install old GeForce2 MX400. Runs without a hitch. Do the appropriate install of Virturl GART drivers and motherboard drivers etc as always, install ATI AIW 9600. Works, eh kinda. Still gives same bluescreens.

Possible memory problems, right? IRQL and Page Fault are memeory problems.
Memtest 86 gives quite a few errors on test four with one stick, and just 2 errors on test four with another stick. I figure it's minutia at this point, because the GeForce runs error free in the system.

now some .sys files are coming up in the bottom portion of screen.

Try Windows 2000 Advanced server, just for S and G. Runs beautiful with GeForce 2 MX400, won't run with AIW.

Wipe, put on XP pro. full updates, all updated files, and now SP1. Runs awesome with Geforce 2. I say my prayers and toss the AIW in. RUns like a DREAM. Mostly. I still gets some "this program needs to be shut down" errors, but mostly ok.
My PS/2 port takes a poo on me. WOrks sporatically and then quits completely. Have to shut down and power back up, same result. Serial Port mouse does fine.

I put on the ATI TV player, it runs fine for quite some time. turn it on / off, etc as I use it. Take a nap, wake up, BLUE SCREEN with Page fault in non paged area. CRAP. is it memory? I ask at this point.

I run out and get a USB mouse and a stick of CENTON PC2700 memory.
BIGGEST MISTAKE YET.

I get more blue screens:
NPC_something something
BAD_POOL_CALL.

SOUNDS memory related, right? I dump the old stick in there, and I can hardly startup before it blue screens me to death.

I'm stumped. Here's what I'm thinking COULD BE the culprits:

Memory Problems ON ATI AIW CARD
Maybe test 4 deals with compatibility?? the new stick of CENTON showed errors.
Bad Copy of XP? : random program errors
Bad Hard drive : POST problems above
Motherboard compatibility : gaw I hope not...i know ATI isn't THAT touchy


Anyhow folks, that's the best I could sum it up. sorry it's a little long, but I would greatly appreciated any help.

[Nachius]

W/ The things that have been changed sounds like MB to me. Maybe if you get a chance to swing up this way Friday bring your mem, video card, and hd and we'll throw them in 1 of my systems to test them.

[Speedin96]

ya difinatly sounds like motherboard, most the time if your getting blue screens and you play around with ram and then sometimes it can't find the harddrive and ... you just need to get a MSI board... every MSI board i've used i've never had a problem with.

http://www.msicomputer.com/

they make great everything. I would suggest the nforce2 chipset as well. I have the K7N2 Delta-L it works great its a very fast board and has the ability to use dual channel memory. Infact I took two 256mb sticks and they were pc2100 and pc2700 and put them in the dual channel slots and the board made them dual channel and i noticed a speed difference especially on startup, i pressed the power button put on the side of the case and pulled my self up to the seat and looked it was at the user selection screen in xp... other times it would still be at the xp splash screen or still showing the bios display before that...

[Infernal]

Power supply, dude. Make sure you're pushing enough juice to the components.

[navyblue2000]

430 supply, i'm sure it's pushing enough ;)

went and bought an MSI...KT400 chipset I believe. will try now!

[98Camaro3.8]

IRQL Not Less or Equal is usually caused by a memory incompatability. I had that BSOD quite a bit with my old mobo (KT333 chipset with PC2700). To fix it, I had to slow the memory down from 333 to 266 (from 4:3 to 1:1). With my new motherboard (nForce 2 chipset) the same memory works fine.

[navyblue2000]

I'm thinkin it could be a compatibility error on the graphics card memory...is that practical?

With the MSI board, I'm using the same memory as before, and Haven't had any problems. Tried two different brands with the ABIT and got stupid amounts of errors. However, change graphics cards and it goes off without a hitch.