trouble shooting help - what next?

[jerzygurl]

I have put together a system from new and old componets, I've installed:

Epox MVPG5 2mgs cache
128 mgs ram
my old amd k6-2 300 (100 not 66)
new Matrox Millenium G200 AGP 8 mgs (business computer)
a new floppy drive (replacing a 7 year old floppy drive)
an old quad speed cd rom (rarely use it)
ensoniq pci sound card
us robotics modem (isa)

with a freshly formatted hard drive (WD Caviar 3.1) and installed Windows 98 clean (retail verson)

I have done this -
updated the bios
updated the agp card's bios
updated the motherboard drivers
updated the graphics card drives
updated the sound card drivers

I am crashing when I try to update my Windows 98 (retail upgrade version - not second ed)
- get an error at krnl386

I can't install IE 5.0 to try to avoid the Windows updates crashes. I crash - and when norton crash guard comes up I can't save the error message - the screen halts.

A couple of times when I've tried to change my bios settings my computer freezes and I have to reboot and then it's fine.

I'm getting vmm.vxd (1) errors frequently and others, I'm absolutely frustrated, and don't know what to check / do next.

Please help!

TIA

[This message has been edited by jerzygurl (edited 02-10-2000).]

[This message has been edited by jerzygurl (edited 02-10-2000).]

[daveleau]

What type of RAM do you have (PC100 or regular SDRam)?
What is your voltage at for the CPU?
Have you tried reformatting (assuming there is no important data there yet) and starting anew?
Just a couple of questions to get the whole picture. Will get back later-
Dave

[scotter]

#1 get rid of notgood crash guard unistall it completely it's **** and couses more problems than it's worth
#2 check your chip temp if your board does not have monitoring reach in and touch the bottom of the heat sink after it's run for a few min is it really warm ? for AMD chips try to keep them below 50/c 122/f
#3 check all your jumper setting's are they correct FSB, mulitplier, voltages ?
#4 check all your cable's and cards for complete insertion in there spot's
if that all dont fix it try for a clean reinstall of windows

[daveleau]

As usual I concur with Scotter. Crash Guard or any software like it causes more problems than it helps. I rarely recommend using any of them.
Dave

[jerzygurl]

I did shut down all background tasks when I tried to update windows - from the task menu. I've been able to update windows 98 from MS' site with my norton programs running before without problems

I took out old ram and am presently reinstalling win98 with freshly formated drive + no other cards but my video. So far it's going okay

I think it could be one of three things
1) ram,
2)when I crashed during windows update only part of directx 7 was installed it looked like - when I checked the directx diagnostics there were no problems but under the info section it said to reinstall - I didn't notice that 7 was listed and reinstalled directx 6
3) when I updated my motherboard drivers with the 4-1 update I forgot to uncheck the ide drivers - that has caused me problems with another amd via system.

I have a new case with two fans, and the temp reports for the cpu etc are fine.

oops I just got the blue screen of death after starting windows for the first time - the error
exception 0e at 0028:c1432949 in VxD ---. This was called from 0028:c14324a4 in VxD --- it maybe possible to continue normally, click, I've got the getting ready to run win98 for the first time screen and its frozen, rebooting, into safe mode and . . .
okay safe mode was a mistake, more errors, these in "setting up MIE 4" - rebot, everything seemed fine until it restarted - fatal exception 0e at 015F:Bfff83BEA

Aren't oe's memory problems - I have brand new Kingston 64 mg pc100 dimm installed

Now what's the problem? Reboot and it seems fine, last phase of set up - time zone, etc, and "personalizing" my settings, and it looks okay - I'm going to install video and motherboard drivers and keep fingers crossed. I know there is a conflict between the matrox millenuim and epox board, maybe the drivers will fix that - but which order - video then motherboard or visa versa - Does anyone know?

[wyvrn]

If you have an older vid card that runs at least VGA, try that to get your MB driver issue sorted out. You can always install the vid card after this. If you dont have an old VGA card, it might be time to buy one. They cost as little as $10 at your local computer outlet store. Trident is a good name to look for. They have worked well in all configs I have tried. Or try safe mode and try to solve your MB issue from there if you can and reboot into full blown video mode.

[daveleau]

The 4 in 1 driver could be your problem. The Soyo site (different site I know) said that their 4 in 1 driver was available but not recommended. They had the individual drivers too and they were the recommended way to go.
Dave

[jerzygurl]

Thanks guys I think the 4-1 driver is okay - I had no problems using it with two DFI boards but the problem I've had is with the ide drivers - as long as I don't install them everything's fine - and I accidently did install them when I was having problems

I think I'll try using my old trident pci card if I keep having problems. Someone else suggested trying a new cd rom.

I think there is a good sequence for installing the video drivers and motherboard resources, I just can't remember, I had a hell of a time with a Riva TNT on another system and the sequence of installations seemed to make a difference - wonder if its the same with all AGP cards on these boards.

[BBA]

May be off a little, but I remember the 4 in one driver actually would damage Win98...it's internal drivers were perfect for the chipset...

I read this from the download site for the 4 in 1's.

My other recommendation is to try lowering the CPU frequency to check it for stability...the early AMD's were sometimes unstable even at their rated freq's.

[jerzygurl]

I guess I could try skipping the 4-1, I've used my amd k6-2 300 (100) for a year and never had any problems with it.

I really appreciate all of the suggestions from everyone.

I did notice I had my one dimm in 3 rather than 1 I wonder how much of my problems could have been related to that alone?

I zeroed out my harddrive, formatted and am reinstalling win98 with my pci video card and another cd rom and am using an oem version of win98 rather than my retail upgrade version.

I hope I learn something I can pass along. Taking notes on everything.

[Richard_Cranium72]

Did you disable the BIOS anti-virus, some called it Chip-Away I think. Try the installation without any of the cards or optional stuff in the machine.. also on the errors check with Nathans excellent site www.ehelpfree.com/nathan (http://www.ehelpfree.com/nathan) , I hope I haven't repeated subjects already discussed as I'm a bit short on time.... DrVette

[Axel]

Let's take a few steps back - you mention that you have the upgrade version of win98 - what version of win95 are you loading before you do the upgrade? - That may be a bit of the problem.

I agree with scotter about the crash-guard product. I've wiped it off my systems as well.

Your kernal386 error - that sounds a bit odd. There are a number of things you are loading that would impact that.

I'm back off from attempting to load IE5, but, instead, suggest sticking with IE4.01SP2 which is deep in the microsoft.com/ie download area, but remains available. I've had too many conflicts with IE5 myself.

I'm using DirectX 7 myself and haven't experienced a problem with it.

I think you may be on the right track with the video driver issue, going back to an older card. The install sequence definitely makes a difference in almost everything these days as different loads will alter system files as you go, autodetecting versions of the files they need to alter.

I'd visit the microsoft and winfiles.com site and search on the drivers you are having trouble with, pull any windows upgrades you need, and search on the krnl386 and *.Vxd erros you are getting.

Good luck.

[jerzygurl]

Thanks for all the great suggestions. At this point I think the problem is my hard drive. I ordered a new one and will have it on Tuesday. Before I started upgrading I was having problems with it - I kept getting error messages regarding the fat and amount of free space being reported - which was often incorrect. So I backed up, and reformatted. I had had a bad sector on it but after reformatting I didn't. Also, I had a number of strange errors regarding the partion information even after fdisk and formating. Those errors showed up again yesterday. Well, it's the almost the only thing I haven't replaced, so now I have a new computer - I started off replacing my case - because the floppy died, and the fan sounded like a helicopter and the old at case was always dusty as hell. We put my at/atx board in a new atx case, a friend who was helping me didn't change to the atx jumper and I think we blew the board, so I got a new board, more memory, new video card (thought it was the problem at one point) oh well in a couple of months I'll get a new CPU and the computer will be new - I wonder if it would have been cheaper/better to have bought a no name rather than assembling it as I have? Oh well, too late now - beside it's nice to know the components in my system etc.