Custom computer help!

[Keyan]

Well I picked up this used comupter from scott, and it's a custom job he bought off someone else.
It won't boot into windows, it blue screens with an initialization error.
It's definatly custom and overclocked because I opened the tower up and there are a crap load of fans and a HUGE 3 inch deep heatsink (with a fan on top of it!) over the processor...

I am hoping it's a software error and not a hardware error...that way I can just reformat the system and it would be fine! But I am hesitant to do that because since it looks like the computer was a custom job, if I reformat, I have no idea what parts are inside and finding drivers, to my knowledge would be close to no chance of finding the correct ones.!

Are there any tests I can run to get it into windows or ways you guys can help me fix it? It won't even boot in safe mode.

And if you guys want me to reformat...I don't have a copy of windows xp :redface: *COUGH*


HELP!

[hyunelan2]

I would go into the bios on boot, and restore 'failsafe' or 'default' settings and try to boot that way.

[jalmir]

^^^

+10 on that ...

The fact that there's a loads of fan doesn't mean it's overclocked (in summer I run mine "stock" and I got loads of fan that are quite usefull, the damn think heats up the room so much ... I got too much thing in that!)

If it still crashes with the "default" BIOS settings, it maybe a hardware problem (read : PITA to find!) ...

[TNT4ME]

Simple fixes.

Reset BIOS

After that, systematically unplug devices (CD,sound,floppy etc) then boot each time leaving the last item disconnected. This will let you know which component is causing the problem.

So first the floppy....boot.
Then floppy + CD-ROM...boot
and so on........

Also, it can be the RAM is acting up even if it does not beep at you.

[Soron]

changing the bios settings wont do anything for a boot problem, sounds like windows cant load a driver, whats the exact error screen that comes up? generally it will tell you what driver it can find/load, find it and post it and I can help you out.

[hyunelan2]

If it blue-screens on intialization, before windows loads, it's not a win driver error, but most likely a hardware setting or conflict (or physical failure of device) that would have to be corrected in the bios.

[Keyan]

I would go into the bios on boot, and restore 'failsafe' or 'default' settings and try to boot that way.

Ok, went into the bios and restored it to the failsafe bootup setup and I tried starting it in safemode, but it got about halfway through then froze up, so i rebooted it and tried starting it in normal mode, and it did load, but boy was i surprised when it did get past the WINDOWS loading screen.

The loading screen is windows but a MAC OS X showed up after that and it froze.
I have pictures.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1566.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1563.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1564.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1568.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1569.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1571.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1572.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1573.jpg



it loaded with this..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1574.jpg

then the screen turned to this and froze
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v162/Keyan/IMG_1567.jpg

I have to go to work so when I get home around midnight EST I will check up on your responces and see what I can do about this.

If this computer turns out to have really good equipment in it, I might buy a clear tower and get some neon lights and do it up as a gaming system. scott game me a boston accustics 2.1 sound system to go with it...I've experienced it before, I really like the sound too :diablo:

[jalmir]

It's Windows with a Mac OSX skin ... I had one, it just sucks, it take lots of processor rescources and system memory, trashed it within minutes!

Format and reinstall, best thing to do!

[TNT4ME]

^^^agree 1000%.............reload time

[KeWLKaT]

+1234567 on that, experienced it before, skinning windows with third party programs when you dont have a VERY powerful processor/memory is a bad idea...

[QuickSilverGT]

From what I can see of the motherboard, my brother had the same one and one of the slots for the ram went bad. It would cause to crash while booting, try removing one of the sticks. All you have to do is pull each of the white tabs out (they are fixed in there but go out side ways) and pull one out. Try booting, then retry with the other. Don't know about the mac thing, may just be a skin. XP pro, with code and a crack, can be made available through most p2p sharing programs. (As can office xp)

Side note, not trying to hijack, anyone know how to convert the computer power supply's into car amp power supply's. I remember seeing a while back some guy had some extra car audio equipment so he used the P.S. from his computer to power an amp then connected speakers to amp and hooked it up to his home audio system.

[KeWLKaT]

all can be done with power inverters.

[hyunelan2]

On any of the power plugs for the drives on the computer, there are 4 wires. 2 are 12v (one +, one -) 2 are 5v (again, one +, one -). The 12v pair is what you would want for powering a car amplifier.

[jalmir]

Molex connectors :

http://www.heatsink-guide.com/psplug.gif


Starting the PSU without a PC :

You can do it with a simple wire, but best thing is to use a swith, so you can turn it on/off ...

You connect the switch to the green wire (there is only one) and any black wire (grounds) ... for simplicity use the black wire besides the green one ...

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/6893/dscn00691bn.jpg

http://modtown.co.uk/mt/images/article/psumod/large/modtown_Img037290.JPG


hope it helps! :D


BTW Keyan, hope you didn't paid too much for that ???

[04GTboySC]

na i gave it to him for free

if you see my post.. im moving ot south carolina so i was getting rid of stuff

sorry to rob your thread keyan

i remmeber those screens it boots up as a mac but its really windows xp

[BlackElantraGT]

those 3rd party skinning software cause more problems than what they're worth. I remember use something like that once and once I uninstalled it, it gave me even more problems. Not everything was uninstalled properly and I don't think I ever resolved it. It was one of those things where I just lived with it because I was too lazy to do a reformat.

A custom homebuilt PC is much easier to work on than OEM computers because most parts that are used in a custom PC are common retail parts. You'll easily find drivers and firmware for these parts from the manufacturer's website. Just find out the manufacturer and the model # and you shouldn't have problems getting the appropriate drivers for it. Also, Win XP will also more easily recognize these parts and install the appropriate drivers on their own vs trying to do a clean install of an OEM computer which you don't have the original restore or driver disk for.

It's hard to tell without seeing the actual model #, but whoever put it together used some good parts from well known companies. I take it the computer must be a few years old now, especially since it still only has a CDRW so IMO, it wouldn't be worth it to buy a modded case just for the neon lights. If that's what you're looking for, just build yourself a new system if that sounds like something interesting to you because if you're going to spend money, at least you'll have a system good enough for gaming.

I game on the PC, but the games I play are nowhere near as graphic intensive as what most of the PC gaming crowd are in to. IMO, PC gaming costs too much if you want to have an enjoyable gaming experience with these newer games. It's like buying a new DVD, only to watch it on a 5" black and white TV. You're not really getting to enjoy it to it's full capability.

[eLantrabumb]

wow, and i thought that my computer was out-dated.

looks like a AMD athalon XP, Asus motherboard prob VIA chipset (since there is no dual channel memory slot, just three single channel), 512(2x256) ddr266 value ram of some sort, decent cpu heatsink/fan, geforce fx 5200 Ultra 128mb, 80gig 7200 2mb cache HDD, soundblaster 5.1, a really old sony cd burner, some 5-1/4" drive bay fan, and a really basic case.

yeah so format harddrive, if it is a VIA chipset with 266 fsb and single channel ddr then you prob don't need to instal a specific mainboard driver, but look it up in windows sytem info to get exact model of chipset, then go to website of the manufacturer and download drivers.

video card driver is just the latest geforce ForceWare driver from nvidia.com

sound card driver you can download from creative.com

other than that, I have a bootleg of windows XP, but you won't be able to install the either service pack. haha

ohh and let me know how accurate my estimated specs are. ty

[GrGaKC]

Well, we all now know whom to ask about computers... :D
If you have a bootleg WinXP, there are ways around the protection so you can install SP1&2. I think my cousing have the necessary progs somewhere... If you want, I can ask him and e-mail them...

[eLantrabumb]

that would be very cool

my email is arrogntbastrd06@yahoo.com

[QuickSilverGT]

Whenever I go to miami I pick up all the computer parts I need. There's a strip mall type place behind the airport where retailers sell their stuff at price comparable to that of pricewatch. Sometimes maybe a difference of about $5. I got my case with neons, a large side fan mounted to the plexiglass with neons there too, with usb ports and audio jack in the front, and 400 watt power supply for $42 (all black).