Kermit

Hi guys,

I have a weird PC related problem.... Which I think might beat you ALL!!

Sorry about the long post... bare with me!

I have recently upgraded/rebuilt a PC. Spec is:

AMD X2 5000+
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H Mobo (running latest firmware - F6) - Using onboard graphics
OCZ 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 CL 4-4-4-15 PLATINUM XTC
Seagate ST3500320AS 500GB Hard Drive SATA II
Casecom Silver 500W ATX Power Supply
The case is an existing case, fitted with a 60mm fan, and neon
CD Rom is existing IDE unit

The problem that I am having, is that the PC works fine when the 60mm fan and neon aren't connected (and nothing else is). But when they are connected (or some other device) I get an intermittent error on boot up, where XP (sp3) reports a corrupt system32/config. Sometimes it boots fine, othertimes I get this error. I have tried reloading XP several times, from different sources (running both SP1 through to SP2). I am using the latest Gigbyte drivers

I have built the PC with both AHCI and Native IDE

I have tried a 600W power supply (cooler master), still no joy - Surely it can't need more than a 600W PSU!

I have tried different SATA ports, different hard disk, different SATA cable

When it reports some the corruption, sometimes I reboot with everything unplugged and it works, other times it stays corrupt.

I have never had it fail to boot with just the minimum stuff connected (disk, CD) - Hence my inital thought of the PSU.

Just earlier, I tried to download a ghost image off a USB external disk (using bart) onto the internal disk. With the fan and neon connected, it reported the image was corrupt. Unplugged them and rebooted, and the image download worked fine.

It has also corrupted when the fan and neon weren't connected, but several USB devices were.

Sometimes it hangs on the BIOS screen when updating the "verifying DMI Pool Data" screen appears

The neon was existing in the case (not my case), and has a switch on the back of the case. If you press it, the neon stays on, if you press the switch again, then the neon flashes, but not in sync with the HDD light - it is only connected to the disk power cable, but yet does seem linked to various things that are accessed - if that makes any sense)

Any ideas?

Many thanks,

K

ps - Happy Xmas

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Yup - Rip the damn neon out

That and replace the fan... it sounds like you are getting serious electrical interference from one or either of them.

Just disconnect the neon and go buy a new fan.

Kermit

Hi there,

It is possible to get the system to crash without either the neon or the fan connected. Just with several USB devices connected!

I was happy to leave them disconnected, but with it still crashing, I need to get to the bottom of the problem (dont believe the neon or fan to be the issue).

So to recap:

I have swapped the PSU, swapped the HDD, unplugged the fan and neon, and it still has the problem! I have raised an RMA for the Mobo.

K.