Hi all. Thanks for reading this, and helping me...
I have a big problem - I must fix one computer for one of my important clients, but, everything seems to be fine, until you turn it on (really )
ehm, anyway, when computer is turned ON, it boots and when it comes to login screen just blocks, and freezes, and there's nothing to do there. Sometimes I can manage to click on user to login, but then freezes again.

...Now, You will probably think that the best thing to do is reinstall windows. but that's not the case. I tried that, with latest winxp + sp2, but it freezes during installation.

I tried to install, winxp with sp1, and win2000, and win98 and all gave me the same freezing while installing.

Now, probably is some malfunction with hardware. But what is the simplest way for me to determine what hardware is malfunctionig. I tried to replace memory module, But there was no luck, I tried to replace HDD. Also no luck, and VGA card seems to work fine too. Any all that was left was MBO and CPU. So what to do now?
...After countless hours of thinking I tried to disable L2 Cache for CPU, and w.t.f.?! It boots, and loads windows, and log in, and everything works fine - slow like hell - but FINE.

Im not sure how is that possible ??

So, to sum this post, here is info about computer:
-----------
MBO: Pc Chips M950 V.3.3. (Via Chipset VT8235, Amibios)
CPU: Intel Celeron 2,4 Ghz (runs at ~ 42° constant)
Memory module: 256MB, Nanya NT256D64S8HA0G-7K, 266Mhz-CL2 PC2100U
OS: Windows XP, SP2
-----------

If anyone has solution for this problem, or any info how to get this computer going, please reply its pretty urgent now, thanks in advance.

This post has been edited by microscopic^earthling: Nov 1 2005, 06:17 AM

Well, this is a new one. I've come across quite some problems with windows xp, in both mine and my friend's computers, but rarely is there something that a re-install can't fix. After reading the first half, I was inclined to suggest you do a "chkdsk /p /r" on all the partitions using the recovery console on the Windows XP bootable CD.... but since you tried changing the hard disk without any use, I don't think that's the problem. With faulty hardware, Windows XP is more likely to give you a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) than hang up in between.

Have you tried to 'reset to defaults' in the BIOS setup? Sometimes, changing the shadow settings or enabling/disabling the caches will make it work strange. I had a problem with a friend's comp in which it took 3 hourse to install windows. After searching for a while, we found that the L2 cache was disabled and that was why it was taking so long. We fixed that and it worked fine. But your case seems to be the reverse.

Are there any other PCI cards? Ethernet card, TV tuner card or anything which aren't inserted properly? You might check them out.

Also, if you want to make sure the memory isn't corrupted, try memtest. It helped me find that one of my modules was screwed up.

Hope you find this info useful .

I've had a similar problem to this one once and it was my processor overheating. You might want to try putting a diffent heatsink/fan on the processor. Also you might want to check your RAM. Make sure it is pushed all the way in and clipped. If you have the spares hanging around try isolating these parts first and see what happens.

The problem sounds like one of the answers I wrote below but then I thought there are a few more things that could be answers. Test the Hard-Drive, there may be a disk scratched, or some information not able to store correctly. Check any PCI/AGP slots, if there are cards try removing them and or replacing them with somthing else. And finnaly for this part, what kind of power-supply do you use? I doubt it, but it might be the power-supply (I have had some problems with the power-supply being broke and the computer would only be able to make it so you might want to test it)
Ronald is correct, and sorry Abe the XP and BIOS config. are not the problems. With the descriptions that you discribe I can predict that the problem lies within either he RAM or the CPU. (If the computer runs at 42 degrees it is deffinantly not the cpu overheating) If there is more than one RAM chip installed, take one out. If it still happens try taking the other because it might be that your client gave the P2 more RAM than the mobo could handle. If there is one RAM chip, try replacing it with a extra 512 (or any other, above 8 meg, if you have it). If replacing that dosen't work, change the CPU (You can get a P2 for less than $10 online, try pricewatch.com). And if that all else fails, replace the motherboard.

But any way, you are correct with it being a hardware problem Enjoy.


P.S. If that dosent fix it, Msg me and I will see how else I can help.

THe problem may be based on exactly what a Celeron chip is. Intel Celeron chips are really Pentium chips in which the L2 (or if the chip has it, L3) cache did not check out as working properly. The bad cache is disabled, and renamed to Celeron and sold, it is simply a way of making money off of defective hardware. If the L2 cahce was enabled on this chip, it was probably a defective L2 cache that caused it to be sold as a Celeron, so as soon as L2 cache is attempted to be used by the processor, it would have a fatal error. So probably the situation is bad L2 cache somehow became reenabled and is causing problems, and just needs to be disabled again (which seems to be what you said happened, disabling the L2 cache it worked fine). So if the person wants a processor with L2 cache, they need to go with a Pentium, not a Celeron.

~Viz

Hmm, seems logical to me, but, it was working fine before, Im not sure I want to disable it, because it's a Celeron on 2,4ghz and when I disable L2 cache, it works like its 0,2ghz processor.

Anyway, thank you all for trying to help, after I tried all that's in my power, I will check memmory modules with Memtest86 (abhiram thanks for the link ) and see what happens, and I have some spare MotherBoard, so I will try to replace them, and see what happens, I just pray it's not dead CPU In - that case, I will need to buy a new one, on black market. well, I'll inform you all, if I'll fail to repair that computer.

Have you bothered to try replacing the power supply? I di not see any mention of looking at that, power supply problems can cause really strange behavior.

Houdini, from what he described it isn't a powersupply malfunction. I have only had once case of this where it was the power supply, but that was 1 out of 20 that I've fixed with a problem like that.

Try doing this. Put your XP disk in. Go to the repair console. And type chkdsk /r If that dosen't work, go back into your repair console and type fdisk /mdr. one of those will do the trick if the hardware that I explained before isn't the actual problem.

Hey! I did it! I replaced Motherboard, and it works fine, I will just test it a bit now, to see how it's going... but i think it will be fine... Anyway thanks all

M950+L2 disable
Problem: I Need Urgent Help. Can\'t Boot.

Hahaaa, the same here! �PCCHips M950, and if I disable L2, everything is fine. Tried different CPU, RAM, PSU, and even no HDD-WinXP install freezes when it tries to detect disk drives. Installed XP also reboots when gets in GUI. I have tried to recap critical areas, reheat CPU socket, RAM, AGP slots but no avail. This board is a dummer. I will try a BIOS update (there's no any newer than the 1.0) and see if it changes something.

-reply by didyman