Yet Another Problem

[Vasquez]

My PC is being wierd. Sometimes, when I scroll up and down or side to side in Mozilla, IE, Windows Explorer and so on, it is very jerky. The screen sort of refreshes in a wave, top to bottom. Nom, it did this when I first installed Windows but once I isntalled the Omega drivers for my 9800 pro, it stopped. Now it's started again.
Also when it does this, when I move windows around the screen, they move slowly, jerkily and keep refreshing. However, I can play movies fine and flash animations run at normal speeds and for some reason I can move the Steam window about without any jerkiness. The first time it happened, I could play games at normal speeds. But the second time they slowed down way beyone the point of unplayability. If I restart my PC it goes away but comes back randomly.

Secondly, the problem I have talked about in my other topic seems to be back. My PC restarted once when I was on the net and another time while playing IL2 Sturmovik.
The shop I bought it from said it was a problem with the Windows isntallation and to use a new hard drive. Well, I havn't conencted the new hard disk because I just know it's bollocks the whole thing up, but I am using a fresh install of Windows on my old hard disk. My old hard disk was formatted in the process of reinstalling Windows but some old data has been recovered.

Also, does anyone know a really brilliant tech support forum where I could post this. I'm sick to bloddy death of this PC. If I had the money, I'd throw it away and buy a new one (like a Mac :P) but I don't so I need to fix it.

[Echor]

The windows moving in a jerky manner could be a number of things (like all things comp related).

Did you install all the drivers? that is the motherboard, update directx, then gfx, if you did reinstalling is still an option.

Why use the Omega drivers? not saying they are the problem, just curious, as generally there is nothing wrong with the ATI drivers, usually just a case of finding which one is best for your setup, and there is no golden rule for that, its trial and error.

Slow downs can also be caused by thermal throttling, if its enabled in the bios, IE, if the CPU is getting too hot, the motherboard slows it down until it cools.

If the hard disk that you are using is suspect, why use it? I'd definitely take it out, install on a nice new one (that you have) and test from there, hard disks don't only fail mechanically (crashed heads, worn bearings) they also can fail if the control chips on them corrupt, this can cause all sorts of problems, from reboots, loss of data, (a common one is to crash the ide bus).

The only way to test, and I've used that term all along "test" is to substitute a suspect item for a known good one.

As for a tech support forum, I don't know of any that don't have loads of misinformation on, the only way to know is to follow them and watch who is giving the good advice, and ignore the ones that say: "I had that problem, its got to be xxx" then from that advice draw your own conclusion as to what "tests" you do.

Also do you know how current your bios is? the most recent "stable" bios on the AV8 is 19, 20 is out but many have problems with it.

Advice in text on computers is only slightly easier than giving someone a haircut over the phone, you can not beat taking it physically to someone who knows exactly what they are doing, particularly if you have more than one problem, or the impatience to try thing out systematically.

[Vasquez]

I used the Omega drivers mainly because I can't find the ATI driver disk so I thought I might aswell use the Omega drivers which I seem to remember fixed a problem I had a while back.

I'm using my crap hard disk because I wanted to get it working first. Now that it is working (sort of) I will add the new hard disk. It's got a clean install of Windows and nothing else. I'll try running Windows from my new HDD, and keeping my files on the old one. If I still have problems then I'll shift all the irreplaceable files like pictures and music over, and then redownload/install everything else.

I will update my BIOS. Bit scared about doing that though, it's the sort of simple thing I'll screw up with and accidentally format my hard drive. Is this EVERYTHING I need to do:

Download the '19' version of the AV8 3rd Eye BIOS
Download the ABIT Flashmenu
Unzip both
Insert a floppy disk
Run the BIOS .exe which will create a bootable floppy disk
Restart the machine (which is set to boot from the DVD drive, then the floppy, then the HDD) with no disk in the DVD drive
In the screen it gives me, tell it to flash the BIOS and clear the CMOS data
Reboot

?

I've installed every driver that was on the motherboard driver disk, the Omega drivers for my GPU and directx 8.0b. Should I uninstall all the drivers and then reinstall them?

I think I'm gonig to get a T shirt that says "I suck at computers"

[Echor]

One step at a time!

If you want to use your new hard disk, take out the other one, if its stable (test for a few days or until repeated failure) then put back the first, the new one as master the older one as slave, the new one on the far end of the ribbon from the motherboard.

Don't go flashing the bios yet, you've confused 2 seperate methods for doing it, the flashmenu can do it from within windows, but first install it, start it up and find out what version you have, note it down, let me know, then abort. There are plenty of stable bios's for that board, no need to flash if you are already using one of those.

Running bios.exe doesn't create a bootable disk, but creates a floppy with the new bios on, that can be installed using a third method.

[Vasquez]

Ok...so I run the flash menu up to where it tells me my current version, and then abort?

And I'll sort out my hard disk tonight.

[Echor]

Ok...so I run the flash menu up to where it tells me my current version, and then abort?yes, the version number should be hightlighted.

[Vasquez]

20 is highlighted...I think. Here's the Flash menu.

[Endangerment]

not read all of this, but i also get the jerky scroll on my backup pc, i tihnk it could come if u install one of windows dreaded sp's and dont upgrade to latest video drivers, that sorted it for me.

[Vasquez]

Are you saying I SHOULD do that or I shouldn't?

I think I mgiht have solved it anyway, hasn't happened for a while now. But my PC still restarts when I play games :( Someone needs to invent a PC case that you can unzip and pull off leaving just a floor and a load of components dangling in mid air.

[GuardianAnge1]

case that you can unzip and pull off leaving just a floor and a load of components dangling in mid air.

its called a mac

[Vasquez]

I know have:

new hard disk on end of IDE ribbon, with jumper in master position (far left as you look at it) and the master IDE channel set as the first boot device.

old hard disk in middle of IDE ribbon, with no jumper and slave channel is set to second boot priority.

Yet, when I start the computer, it boots from my old hard disk (the slave).

Am I doing something wrong?

[Fusion]

Do you have an OS on the new hard disk?

[Vasquez]

Windows XP home.

It's the same copy as is on the other hard drive...is that a problem?

I can see the new drive as drive F though. Incase it's a clue, according to my PC I have two DVD drives, but I don't. I assume each HDD is showing the same drive or something.

[Echor]

Does it work if you take out the drive from the middle, so that you are only booting from the new one?

Did you reinstall onto the new drive after the failed install from before, where you had the boot record on the other drive, if you didn't it will still not boot.

[Vasquez]

When I boot the new one on it's own, I get an ARC firmware error and something about HAL.

I'll try reinstalling Windows though. So as long as I disconnect the old drive, it'll be ok? I mean I won't lose all my data when I reconnect it or something.

[Echor]

When I boot the new one on it's own, I get an ARC firmware error and something about HAL.

I'll try reinstalling Windows though. So as long as I disconnect the old drive, it'll be ok? I mean I won't lose all my data when I reconnect it or something.The data on the drive is safe, it would only be lost if you format it, or delete it, the reason for taking the drive out is too safeguard it, and also so that the NT boot loader gets put on the correct drive, when you put it back it will get its drive letter changed and a warning that its doing it.

[Vasquez]

I unplugged my old harddrive. I reinstalled Windows on my new drive until I had to enter my CD key. My real CD key does not work (:S). So I shut the PC off. This was my mistake I think. I didn't take the XP CD out.
I disconnected the new drive and reconnected my old one.

Now when I start my PC with the old drive connected I get a message telling me to insert a disk and hit enter. If I put the XP disk in it it starts to reinstall Windows.

Is there a way to stop it reinstalling? I've already changed the boot sequence so that it boots from the hard disk first. If not, will my data be safe if I must reinstall Windows?

Fucking hell...

[Echor]

Take out the new hard drive, its probably trying to boot from that now and finish the install that you've aborted.

Set the old drive as master and put it on at the end of the ide cable, it will probably boot normally.

[Vasquez]

Cheers, I hadn't put it on the end of the IDE ribbon.

I've got a CD key that should work so I'll try installing Windows on the new disk again. I'm just waiting for me to spill coffee onto the motherboard and snap the GPU when I try to clean it up...

[Oselly]

addmittedly i have not much idea of what im talking about but perhaps its some program sodding up your ram, occasionally my pc just runs uberly slow and i need to use the task manager to looks at which process is wasting my ram, probably no use at all but worth a try

[Vasquez]

It's a possability but my hard disk got formatted. So I'd assume any leeching program's install would have been fucked up by that...

[Vasquez]

I've got Windows isntalled on my new hard disk with it running in the master position and no other hard disk attached.

I just played through two levels FarCry and the only problem I encountered was when it froze for a second to tell me that Windows had reset my graphics accelerator :S but the game played fine even after that.

Assuming everything is ok and it isn't just fluke, what now? Should I test it a bit more and then reconnect my other drive in the slave position? Should I install games on my new hard drive instead of the old? Should I transfer all my old data to my new disk?

Also, one little problem is that the key on my keyboard that has the ' and @ symbols on it, does not produce the @ symbol. Instead it produces a " which is on the 2 key. I've isntalled the drivers for the keyboard and that didn't change it. Not a major problem, just a bit annoying. It's a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard (the one with a single block of keys, not the new split one).

[One Armed Scissor]

you need to change the reigonal settings, you keyboard is set for the US.

[Vasquez]

I set my language options, keyboard settings and so on to English (UK) and when installing the drivers I selected United Kingdom as my location. But yes, it does appear to be in Yank mode. Any idea how I can change this?

[One Armed Scissor]

control panel, its somewhere in there

[Echor]

One Armed scissor is correct :) you need to set the default to UK, I also remove the US one.

I'd test it for a few days before drawing any conclusions, a few hours isn't much of a test, if all is good, put the old drive back in, copy all the data you can from it, and then take it out again. I'd never put a known, or suspected dodgy piece of hardware back in a comp, I throw them away.

[Vasquez]

Ok. So put it in as slave, start PC up, click ok or yes or whatever when I get a message telling me that the drive has been renamed, drag all the data I can'want over to my new drive, then turn off PC, disconnect old drive and sell it to some poor bastard on ebay :P

[Echor]

Ok. So put it in as slave, start PC up, click ok or yes or whatever when I get a message telling me that the drive has been renamed, drag all the data I can'want over to my new drive, then turn off PC, disconnect old drive and sell it to some poor bastard on ebay :PThat's about right :)

If you are sad enough to sell it, whoever gets it will have access to anything you've got on there unless you overwrite it/wipe it (as you've found out, formatting doesn't mean data gone).

Best bet is to clarify that you've got all the data on your new drive, then when you've backed that up onto something else as well, physically destroy the drive.

[Vasquez]

Hmmm.... I just need to find a club who will let me put a Maxtor hard drive into a clay pigeon trap...

[Vasquez]

Hmmm...that VPU thing happened a couple more times and then my PC restarted itself. But not like before when it did it suddenly. Farcry froze for a little while, then the screen went blank and after a few moments, restarted. When it rebooted, it said Windows had shut down my PC due to an error with the driver for the device Radeon 9800 pro.

So I uninstalled the ATI Control Panel and installed the omega drivers. I started playing Farcry again and it was fine. Just now though, it just cut out. I mean, my PC didn't do anything but the game just dissapeared and left me looking at my desktop.

Now, this could be a coincidence, just a bug in the game or something but does this sound like something specific and is there anything I can do?

Edit: My PC just did something funny. It made a click and the monitor fizzled and went black, just like it does when it restarts randomly...I thought that was what it had done, but it didn't actually switch off.
I dunno whether this is the same problem or a new problem or what.

Around Christmas time I had this thing where my PC would stop displaying anything but would still produce sound. Also, a nasty sound would come from the case. What had happened was the fan on my 9800 had bust and wasn't cooling properly. The GPU was overheating. The shop fitted it with a cooler to replace the fan and it worked fine. But that didn't make a click like this did...

[One Armed Scissor]

from reading that it seems like your graphics wench thing is buggered.

[Vasquez]

It does appear that way. But I don't want to spend xxx pounds on a new GPU if it will still be buggered at the end of it.

My PC just restarted just how it did before so yes, the problem is still there.

I'm gonig to uninstall the omega drivers and reinstall the ATI ones to see if that stops it. If not, then what. I could take it back to the shop again and have them look at it but that's SUCH a pain.

I would try a different graphics card but there's no one near enough to lend me one, who would lend me one with one that could run games properly.

My CPU is still running hot, despite having the side off. Do you think it's worth trying a 3rd party cooler? I know the AMD one is up to the job but perhaps it's broken and not cooling right.

Also, onearmed suggested I check my temperature restart settings but I can't find them anywhere. I have phoenix BIOS but I can't see the PC Health that he's talking about and I can't see anything in the control panel.

[One Armed Scissor]

ill looks on my BIOS when i start up my PC tomorrow.

mine was set to shutdown at 85o when i got my pc.

unfortuneatly, its not that easy to lend a CPU and check.

get motherboard monitor or something. someone suggested i get it when i thought my CPU was overheating (turns out it was suppsoed to be that temp) i think it was you who suggested it. then search for a prog called "CPU killer" all this does is take up your CPU so if a game/app runs too fast cos its desined for a 100mhz pentium you can run it at the proper speed. god bless Unit 4 of AVEC IT. if it wasent for that i couldnt of told you about that prog

EDIT: found it http://www.cpukiller.com/

[Vasquez]

Hmm...MBM dosn't have the AV8 in its list of motherboards. Odd. What should I do?

[One Armed Scissor]

put your finger on the CPU see if it burns you more when you run CPU killer.

[Vasquez]

CPU Killer did not appear to crack my PC.

So i'm pretty sure it must either be my mobo, my RAM or my graphics card sicne those are the only parts I havn't replaced since the problems started (apart from floppy and DVD).

RAM seems most likely, so I'm planning to do two things:

1) Take out a stick of a RAM see if it works. If it dosn't then I put that stick back in and take out the other. If it works with just one of them in there, then I'll see if I can get a matching stick to replace the broken one. If not, then we move to...

2) But two new sticks of RAM below:

http://komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=302393&cks=PLS

So...will that RAM work with my mobo (AV8 3rd Eye) and how do I take RAM out. I mean, do I just grab and pull either one or do I need to change BIOS settings or make sure one is in a certain slot or fiddle with jumpers or what? Any risks in doing this?