Major problems with new pc...

First here is my hardware:

Motherboard: BIOSTAR TForce TF7025-M2
Product on NewEgg.com

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4000+ Brisbane
Product on Newegg.com

RAM: Kingston 2 x 1GB DDR2 800 (PC2 6400, Dual Channel)
Product on NewEgg

Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3320620AS 320GB SATAII
Product on NewEgg

The case is a Smilodon Raidmax with 500W PSU. I also have a Geforce 8800GTS w/320MB byt PNY, but this problem happens under onboard video as well so I don't think that the video card is important. The DVD-RW came out of my old computer and works just fine. Same with the floppy drive.

Problem: Setup the new computer and everything seemed fine. Passed POST with no problems, then formatted HD and installed Windows XP Pro w/SP2. Installed network driver then went online and downloaded latest from Nvidia, as the board uses the 630a chipset and 7025 for onboard video, and other drivers from BIOSTAR. When I tried to execute the newly downloaded drivers the computer did one of four things:
1. Installed ok (happened only once)
2. Extracted, then gave an error that the files were corrupt
3. Did not extract and said that the file was corrupt
4. Froze Explorer.exe, Explorer.exe would not start back up resulting in a reboot or logoff/login.

The first thing that I thought was that the Hard Drive was bad. Seemed logical. So I downloaded the bootable HD diagnostic from SeaGate, using my spare pc, burned it to CD, and then booted off of it on my new computer. The drive passed the most rigorous test with flying colors. So I erased the drive, using SeaGate's program, reformatted and reinstalled WinXPProSP2. Which resulted in a recurrence of the same problem.

The second thing that I did was try to run chkdsk under Windows. This required a reboot and chkdsk ran before Windows loaded again. This test passed without a single error. (It took a very long time to run)

The third thing that I did was download the trial version of PassMark's Burn In Test Pro 5.3. This took many tries, but eventually I was able to install a uncorrupted version of the install file. I ran the burn-in-test with all tests enabled. The result was that I received a RAM error once every time the RAM test ran, which would sometimes cause a reboot of the computer. To test which stick of ram was bad I turned off the computer, took one out, booted back up, and ran the test again. Both sticks produced this error. To double check I moved both sticks to RAM slots 3 and 4 (from 1 and 2) and ran the test again. This time, there were not errors. I ran the test five more times with the same results.

I thought that I had solved the problem, that RAM slots 1 and/or 2 on the motherboard were bad. So I left the ram in slots 3 and 4, reformatted and reinstalled Windows. And, of course, the above mentioned problem occurred once more.

This has me stumped. Is the RAM bad? Is the HD bad? Is the Motherboard bad? or does the problem lay with the CPU, corrupting certain files as they are processed?

Please help.

Just a very quick reply:

Dual channel RAM needs to be in alternate slots. They cannot be next to each other unless you are using all slots.

Next idea is to verify the RAM compatibility.

Thank you for the reply.

According to the BIOSTAR manual, there is a picture and instructions on how to setup ram for dual channel. Three diagrams for dual channel. Two sticks in slot 1 and 2, two sticks in slot 3 and 4, and four sticks in all slots. I have set this up according to the manual. Perhaps the problem is with dual channel. I shall try using the ram in slots 2 and 4, and then slot 1 and three, to see if there is a difference. First I will email Kingston and check on compatibility.

I see that in the manual now. Apologies but this is the first board where I have seen this setup. In general they alternate.

Ok, I have two new things concerning the RAM, specifically the settings in the BIOS.
First: the 'Memory Clock value or Limit' is set to 'DDR 400', and there is no way to unlock or change this setting. Even when switched to manual overclocking this setting cannot be changed, so I left everything at default.
Second: the RAM voltage is set to '1.95v', but NewEgg has the RAM listed as 1.8v. In the BIOS 1.95v is the lowest setting, with 2.5v as the highest. Could this cause the seemingly random file corruption? I have also checked the BIOSTAR website for a BIOS flash, but the only new one there reads "Adjust system FAN control polarity", so I do not think it will help me.

It is late where I am and I have been trying to fix this all day. I will post again tomorrow after I receive a reply from Kingston. And again, thanks for the help.

I still have not heard back from Kingston, but I did check their website. They do not have my motherboard listed when I did a search for compatibility, but they did have the BIOSTAR TF7050-M2. The TF7050-M2 is almost identical to the board that I have, the difference seems to be that mine has the Geforce 7025 onboard video, while the TF7050-M2 has the Geforce 7050 onboard video. The TF7050-M2 is compatible with the Kingston KVR800D2K2/2GR, so my motherboard should be as well.

I have read that sometimes a SATA cable can go bad, which causes problems with the computer misinterpreting what is going on with the HD, but if this is the case, then why didn't it show any problems with the HD during testing?

Memory issues usually result in a non booting computer.

If you can boot into Windows your RAM is probably fine.

What drivers are you having this problem with?

Can you post a link to the source?

I cannot believe that I forgot to run memtest86...
When I did remember about this program I downloaded the ISO onto my spare computer and burned it to a cd, then ran it on my new computer. It showed a whole lot of errors. I also tried memtest86+ v1.70 with the same results.
As for compatibility problems I have found several posts other forums by users who own this motherboard and the same memory that I bought. They have reported that this setup works well for them.
I guess that I just got defective memory. I have never encountered a memory problem quite like this. Once NewEgg sends me my replacement memory and I have a chance to test it, I will post back. Thanks for the help!

Ok, now I need some more help.
I got the ram back and the first thing that I did was test them with MemTest86. They passed with flying colors.
New problem: My computer will run fine for awhile, then it will just shutdown. Playing video games like Oblivion or Giants seems to increase the frequency of these shutdowns, happening after about 20mins or less of game play. Even when the computer is just idling it will shutdown, but this is only after about 1-2 hours.
After the computer shuts down it will usually start back up just fine. Sometimes, however, it will get past POST, start to load Windows, then shutdown. It might to this two or three times in a row.
My first thought was overheating. I checked the BIOS and it said that my cpu was at 128C at full load. Since the cpu would fry and become useless at around 90C I knew that this could not be accurate. I checked around and found out that my motherboard has issues with the 65nm Brisbane core processors. Flashing the BIOS did not make this anymore accurate.
I downloaded and installed SpeedFan, CoreTemp, and PCWizard2007. The readings that I am getting from these programs range from 25C to 50C under full load. I have manually checked the cpu heatsink by touching it and it has never felt very hot. At most it feels warm.
I then checked my video card temperature. I had heard that the 8800GTS series would sometimes get really hot. I have read posts of this card reaching 80C and even higher and still working without any problems. Mine seems to run around 55-60C idle and up to 65-70C under full load. I used RivaTuner guide found here: http://www.vaguesoft.com/users/dwood...ials/rivatuner
and now my videocard temp seems to reach only 60C tops.

I have found two possible explanations for these seemingly random shutdowns.
1.) My motherboard may have a bad capacitor(possible to check visually using a magnifier glass) or there may be a small break in a trace, which expands when heated causing a short.
2.) My powersupply is at fault.

I am leaning towards the PSU. The back of the PSU seems to heat up easily. My brother's PSU (PC Stats: Sempron 3600 AM2, 2GB DDR2800, 2x320GB SATAII HDs, Lightscribe DVD-/+RW DL, Hippro 500Watt PSU, and a Geforce 7950GX2) is cool to the touch. He runs his computer from the same power outlet as I do, and he does not experience any problems. I did consider that perhaps we were drawing too much electricity from this one outlet, but even when his computer is not on I have these problems. When we have both computers on I experience shutdowns, but he does not, so I do not think that the problem is related to the wall outlet.

I ran speedfan and got these stats about the PSU:
Vcore1: 1.28V
Vcore2: 1.20V
+3.3V: 3.38V
+5V: 4.89V
+12V: 11.90V
-12V: -7.01V
-5V: -5.11V
+5V: 4.97V
Vbat: 3.07V

I know next to nothing about powersupplies, but "-12V: -7.01V" does not seem right :-)

If anyone can help me with this, I would appreciate it. Oh, and just FYI, I cannot use my brother's PSU for testing. His 7950GX2 is VERY hard to get into the PCI-Express slot and it would have to be removed in order to disconnect the PSU from the motherboard. He has outright told me "NO!" on taking out the videocard for fear that he might break it when putting it back in. He said he got it in once and that it is never going to be removed!