Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (
More info?)
The motherboard manual will tell you. You can download it from there
website. If they have my PX5 p200MMX then they must have yours.
r.
"Gary" <toemagic@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%23pTOlvyAFHA.2392@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Ok more info for you:
> home built pc
> windows xp home sp2
> mother board: ABIT NF7-S
> Award BIOS V6.00PG
> Athlon xp 3000 (333Hhz)
> 512Mb DDR400 PC3200 (unbranded)
> Graphics Card: ASUS V9280/TD 128Mb
> Sound Card: SB Live 5.1
>
> What I'm trying to determine is if it's a BIOS problem or I've damaged my
> RAM. I've put a new thermal pad on my CPU checked with AMD if my heatsink
> is recomended, this was to try and account for the reboots. The device
> driver failure is a generic failure which the fault report can't detmine
> exactly what is failing. Could it be posible that my RAM is overclocking
> the graphics card? I've previously run BIOS with fail safe defaults and
> the problem persists. My CPU/RAM ratios are set to by SPD whenever I
> change these the problem seems to get worse so I don't like blindly
> playing with those settings too much. Would it help if I short the CMOS
> jumper? I'm not entirely sure what this does or how to do it though.
>
> Gary
> "R. C. White" <rc@corridor.net> wrote in message
> news:O$IuDdxAFHA.3336@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>> Hi, Gary.
>>
>> As you must have figured out by now, this is not a Windows issue at all.
>> It's a BIOS issue. Microsoft wrote Windows, but Microsoft did not write
>> your BIOS. The BIOS controls the hardware and gets your computer ready
>> to load Windows. Windows can't fix the BIOS; the best it can do is try
>> to adapt to your settings as you are installing it and, later, as you are
>> loading Windows on each reboot.
>>
>> Your first step - obviously - is to make sure your BIOS settings are
>> good. You haven't mentioned the make and model of your computer - or your
>> motherboard if you built it yourself. We don't even know if you have an
>> Award BIOS, or AMI or some other, so we can't tell you exact settings or
>> the steps to get there. All we can give is "generic" advice.
>>
>> Reboot your computer and press <Del> or whatever key is appropriate to
>> enter your BIOS setup utility. Press <F7> (or whatever key fits) to Load
>> Optimal Defaults (or whatever similar function your BIOS provides). Then
>> Save the changes and reboot and enter the BIOS utility again. This time,
>> scan through each page of settings, making sure each setting on each page
>> fits your individual situation. In your case, since you've changed your
>> RAM, be sure you have the BIOS configured to match what you currently
>> have installed. If necessary, READ the documentation for both your
>> computer and for the RAM you are using. Then Save and reboot one last
>> time.
>>
>> Now, if you get device driver errors, post back with the exact error
>> messages - and a reasonably detailed description of your hardware. Then
>> maybe we can offer some useful advice instead of just lashing out blindly
>> in the dark.
>>
>> But it really is NOT a Windows problem at this point.
>>
>> RC
>> --
>> R. C. White, CPA
>> San Marcos, TX
>> rc@corridor.net
>> Microsoft Windows MVP
>>
>> "Gary" <toemagic@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:OsKgrExAFHA.3592@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>>>I have recently made the mistake of trying to install incompatable RAM.
>>>Before I learned that it was incompatible I change alot of the BIOS
>>>settings to try to get my system to boot. Since then I have put my old
>>>RAM back in which allowed my computer to boot but is now unstable and
>>>often reboots or I get the blue screen. After a reboot I will get one of
>>>two error reports: RAM failure or device driver failure. I believe I have
>>>narrowed the problem down to a BIOS issue bcause I have completely
>>>reinstalled windows and updated all hardware drivers. At the moment I
>>>can't use my system for more demanding programmes such as internet
>>>explorer or games. Since I am a novice at best when it comes to BIOS I
>>>would really appriciate some advice
>>>
>>> Gary
>>
>
>