Motherboard Corrupting Data

[rfrasier]

Is it possible that the motherboard could be "screwing up" data as it's transferred from my DVD/CD to the HDD?

 

[g-paw]

Not likely. Can you provide more info, e.g., software your using, are you copying and pasteing, how did you put the data on the DD/CD to start with?

 

[rfrasier]

I have tried to load the following programs from their retail DVDs:
Test Drive Unlimited
Neverwinter Nights 2
Lord of the Rings Online

Whe I try to load them through their repective setups I get various error (i.e, file may be corrupted, file does not match the one found in setup, etc...)

 

[g-paw]

First make sure your DVD firmware in the newest version. If you haven't done so, run your antivirus, Adaware, and Spybot Search and Destroy, both free, in Safe Mode as the Administrator. Also run CCleaner, also free, and defrag, again in Safe Mode. If this doesn't work, I'd try to do a Windows repair off the CD

 

[rfrasier]

You think Windows is causing this? I'll try your suggestions. Thanks for the advice.

 

[rfrasier]

Okay, did the Spybot/Adaware/Virus Scan thing...nothing there.
Has anyone else ever experienced this?

 

[g-paw]

You think Windows is causing this? I'll try your suggestions. Thanks for the advice.

If you're have a software problem, e.g., program installation, it's likely Windows is corrupted, which inevitably happens over time. Is the DVD working for other things like playing CDs or DVDs? It could be the drive but far more likely it's Windows

 

[rfrasier]

I haven't tried playing a movie DVD through it. I'll try that when I get home. The Windows install is fairly new (within the last 3 months). I suppose I can try the windows repair. Is there an option when you put the windows disk in to repair?

 

[g-paw]

Yes repair is an option when you boot off the CD. Be sure to back up your data even though the Repair should not affect it. After the repair you might have to reinstall some programs but you won't know until you run it. Unfortunately, when you run into problems like this as often as not it's just as easy to reinstall Windows if the Repair doesn't work rather than spending a load of time trying to figure out what the problem.

 

[g-paw]

Yes repair is an option when you boot off the CD. Be sure to back up your data even though the Repair should not affect it. After the repair you might have to reinstall some programs but you won't know until you run it. Unfortunately, when you run into problems like this as often as not it's just as easy to reinstall Windows if the Repair doesn't work rather than spending a load of time trying to figure out what the problem.

 

[benfc123]

Try installing the games in Safe mode. I have had a couple of games tell me something wasn't right in the setup files, got replacement CD/DVDs and had the same problem. As a last resort I tried installing in Safe mode and they installed with no problems.

 

[mike99]

Run Memtest or Microsoft memory tester, as memory problems can easily corrupt data. Monitor CPU temp, as installs cause 100% load on CPU.

Mike.

 

[mike99]

Run Memtest or Microsoft memory tester, as memory problems can easily corrupt data. Monitor CPU temp, as installs cause 100% load on CPU.

Mike.

 

[lmimmfn]

sorry im in a rush and cant check, but is the DS3 a 680i board? if so there was an issue that was fixed by nvidia just before christmas with 680i's corrputing data on SATA2 harddrives so if its a 680i board you might want to check the BIOS revision

 

[Heyray2]

Based on the description of the problem, I'm putting my money on a faulty DVD drive.

Try another optical drive and see if you have the same problems.

 

[chunkymonster]

First make sure your DVD firmware in the newest version.

While its a good idea to upgrade to a newer version, it will void your warranty. so if you care about your warranty I'd say RMA the drive to get a new one cause the dvd-drive must be the problem. Optical drives fail after few years so it is a necessity to change it.

Void the warranty?! WTF? Never heard of such a thing, especially since they all offer F/W updates for their products.

Actually, most ROM manufacturers (NEC, Lite-On) defer warranty issues to the retailer that the ROM was purchased from and most retailers (Newegg, ZZF, TigerDirect) have a pretty good RMA or Return policy.

 

[rfrasier]

Well..maybe there is something to the RAM being the problem. I'll have to look into it.
HeyRay2 - Just for clarity...I have tried two brand new DVD Drives and they both have similar errors.

 

[DatmanII]

Do you have enough voltage to your memory?

I had a similar problem that an increase in RAM voltage fixed.

Try Prime95 or Orthos for memory testing also.

 

[rfrasier]

DatmanII - How would I know if I have enough voltage to my memory? Would Prime95 or Orthos tell me that? And if I don't have enough voltage what is the fix for that?
Thanks for you assistance too.

 

[slicessoul]

Check your SATA and IDE cables.
If you have 2 sticks of RAM, try to test them one by one or intall them to another slot.

It can be a memory error, but can be the HDD too. Provide your HDD brand, capacity, etc.

 

[rfrasier]

Slicessoul - It could be the HDD, but I have two and the problem occurs with both.
One is a Dell 150 gig, the other is a Western Digital Raptor X WD1500AHFD 150GB 10,000 RPM Serial ATA150 Hard Drive.

I was going to try swapping my RAM sticks around and see if it shows anything.

All cables are new and in tight.

 

[slicessoul]

I forgot to say that it could be the Games DVD too. All of them are containing a protection which is sometimes creating a problem while installing, it's rare but could happen.
If you have other PC, try to install on it and see if the same error occurs.

Try to disconnect the Dell 150 Gig or the raptor (depends on where is your OS installed) and re-installing the games.

other things to try, when you install the games, disconnect from internet, disable antivirus, firewall, anti-spy or any other background programs.

Try to defrag your HDD. CHKDSK your HDD.

 

[firemist]

If you are using IDE drives make sure you have the 80 conductor cable and not the 40 conductor connecting them to the MB.

Also are you using Master/Slave or Cable Select?

 

[zenmaster]

You could have a bad DVD-ROM Drive with slightly misaligned heads.
This can cause it to read some DVDs/CDs but not others.

If you can create/read/write your own CD's w/o issues but many retail CD/DVDs fail, I would guess head alignment issues.

 

[zenmaster]

You could have a bad DVD-ROM Drive with slightly misaligned heads.
This can cause it to read some DVDs/CDs but not others.

If you can create/read/write your own CD's w/o issues but many retail CD/DVDs fail, I would guess head alignment issues.