System Crashes!

[n3gag]

HELP! I have run into a real problem with my MSI PC. It crashed two weeks ago and I have tried all that I know to try to get it up and running again. I have a P4 CPU. 2 512 Memory chips. NVidia AGP Video card, I decided that since it had crashed that I would do a completely new install of Vista RC1 on it. I had successfully installed it on my wife's PC without a glitch and it is running fine. I did the install and it went through the usual reboots etc. After I completed the software packages that I wanted, I setup a system restore point. I then downloaded the upgrades for Vista from MS. It said that I needed to re-boot. I did and the same problem returned. PC booted up and said that the Windows didn't start correctly last time and of the options, I selected the C: prompt with network. It didn't work! Nothing has worked to get me back into the PC. Thus far I have checked the memory with Mem-86. Said I had a bad stick. Bought a new one and replaced it. Checked out OK. I changed the PS. Checked the HD with software from Mfg. IF I run a Linux live CD such as Linux Puppy which runs from the RAM it will run for days, glitch free. Go back to XP or Vista and it is the same problem. I have never in 30+ years of homebuilding run into anything so aggravating or perplexing. I am at the point of trashing this whole PC!

 

[g-paw]

While I have no experience with Vista, when I ran into essentially the same problem with any other version of Windows, I had to do a complete reinstall with a full not quick format. A couple of times I had to use the hdd mfg disk to format the hdd before the reinstall.

 

[n3gag]

I took the final step today and bought a new MSI MoBo. New Antec 650 Watt PS. I installed it and guess what? the Mobo was DOA! This is the worse run that I have ever encountered in 35 years of conputing! I bought it at CompUSA and it was the last one that they had! It was a display unit and I am suspecting that it was damaged. If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any at all!

 

[g-paw]

I took the final step today and bought a new MSI MoBo. New Antec 650 Watt PS. I installed it and guess what? the Mobo was DOA! This is the worse run that I have ever encountered in 35 years of conputing! I bought it at CompUSA and it was the last one that they had! It was a display unit and I am suspecting that it was damaged. If it weren't for bad luck, I wouldn't have any at all!

Time to placate the computer gods, beer usually works for me. On the upside, if you RMA it to MSI, they may send you a brand new board. I've had a number of MSI boards over the years and they're really good with RMAs the few times I had to do it.