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Thread: A Little help/Advice?

  1. #1
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini

    A Little help/Advice?

    Ok my main machine in my sig last night decided to pack in.

    Basically Windows refused to boot in either normal or safe mode.

    I started to eliminate Hardware bits one by one, ie sound card, video, memory, on board raid etc, but still no cigar. Bascially just hangs at WindowsXp screen with the Blue bar just scrolling away. I ran the WD util quick test on each of the raptors no problems found.

    I then decided it was time for a reformat. I downloaded lastest drivers etc and started on this, this afternoon. Now When I try and install windows I get a STOP 0x00000044 error, Multiple_IRP_Complete_Request, when is say setup is starting windows. Having done a little research, it seems that this is software related, low and behold, If I try and install windows without the ICH5R driver, presto itwill get past where is was gettingstuck. However this in no good to me. I downloaded the lastest Iastor driver and still get the same thing.

    Ive got a real funny feeling that Its the board..........

    (Btw CPU has been running at stockfor a few months now inmy quest for a quieter PC) No overheating, been running @ 35 Idle, and 43 under load.

    Currently the raptors are both going through an extended check each.
    If they both pass im gonna try them in my other rig and see what happens.

    Anyone have any recommendations on what to do next?

    TIA

    Nim
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  2. #2
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Well an update,

    Both Raptors are A O.K.

    I moved the disks over to the Promise Controller, and windows seems to be installing ok.

    So it looks like the ICH5R Controller is fubared.

    This leaves me in a little dilema, moving the disks to the promise controllers means I cant plug in my data disks (2x250GB, PATA Maxtors). I seem to have a few options but am unsure of what to do.

    1) Buy another P4C800E Delux, (cheap, however, old technology)

    2) but a new 925 based board, CPU, mem, V/card (newest kit, but expensive, and damn the new intels burn hot)

    3) Canibalise my mini rig for the CPU, MEM and Vcard and get a fullsize NF4 board (Cheaper then option 2, running all newish kit, but ive never been an AMD fanboy)

    Any ine have any suggestions?
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  3. #3
    Banned StormPC's Avatar
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    Have you been an Intel Fanboy? I'm a money and power Fanboy!

    Sell it and buy another A64? The AMD 3700+ San Diego is a monster value. Impossible to beat for the money.

    The only Intel chip that's worth a darn these days is the new Dothan. Very powerful, and they're coming out with some cool desktop boards soon.
    Last edited by StormPC; 14-06-2005 at 07:23 PM.

  4. #4
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Storm u got msn?? ok if bug u with some amd questions?
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  5. #5
    Banned StormPC's Avatar
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    Sorry, no MSN. PM me or ask here. You can get more than one opinion. After all, it's your thread.

  6. #6
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Okays, Ive decided to go the amd route, the board I have decided to go for is the Asus A8N SLi Deluxe and stick with the 3000+ winchester i have kicking around. I also have a XP120 cooler.

    Any comments or thoughts on that board?? I know that the DFI is rated better, but 1) Im not clocking

    2) Local retailer has one in stock and i like the fact that they do over the counter RMA's

    Nim
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  7. #7
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Ok i got the A8N up and running, and tbh it was running a little doggy. (slow)

    I couldnt seem to get the NVRAID to raid my raptors, so i stuck it on the SI raid controller.

    I decided to run the HDtach proggy to see what my raptors were running like, and well the graph that I got back was weird, looked like a heart rate monitor, bottoming out at one point @20Mb/s, access times hitting 12ms.

    This is no where near my previous results on my P4C800.

    I ran the same prog on the samsung disk and that looks fine for that particular drive.

    I have a really weird feeling that the raptors were the original problem, even though they have passed the WD extended tests. (you should see my HDD act light, its permanently on atm)

    Anyone have any experience with WD RMA service????

    Im annoyed as thats 2 days of testing, 3 windows installs and my rig is not up and running properly....... :waah:


    Nims
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  8. #8
    Resident abit mourner BUFF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nimbu
    Anyone have any experience with WD RMA service????
    Yup, you have to send them to Germany - cost me about £11 to send a 36Gb Raptor (you know it seems to me that there are a lot of Raptor failures?). You can either send the drives first & get replacements sent once they arrive there or give them a CC no. & they will send the replacements first & then credit when your drives arrives there.

    MSI P55-GD80, i5 750
    abit A-S78H, Phenom 9750,

    My HEXUS.trust abit forums

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Another Update, I totally forgot im fixing a mates pc too atm and he has 2 74Gb raptors in there i can test RAID on my machine with, so im gonna do the following tonight.

    1) Install windows onto the Single Samsung, then split the 2x36 array and run WD diags and HD Tach on them to try and identify if there is a faulty one.

    2) Install Windows onto 2x74 Raptor Array, and run the HD tach on it, if I get the weird readings again, I can assume its something wrong with the RAID controller.

    As I said I think its one of my 36 Raptors causing the issue, glad they come with 5 year warranty, if this is the case the only thing that concerns me is that will WD RMA the drive on the fact that so far the WD util hasnt found a fault, its just the nasty readings in HD tach.

    Nim
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    On second from last update........

    Installed Windows onto a 2x 74Gb Raptor RAID ARRAY, on the NVRAID (Figured out why it wasnt working in the first place, ((you must install both of the NVIDIA storage drivers at the F6 Stage))

    All running fine, ran HD Tach and got bursts of 200Mb/s and a "normal" looking decay curve graph.

    Plugged My 2 36Gb Raptors onto the SI RAID controller in RAID 0, and got the same kind of dodgy looking graph, (like a heart rate monitor, lots of yo'yo's)

    Deleted the array and ran individual Tests on each of the raptors and got normal looking results.

    Plugged the 2 x36gb raptors onto the NVRAID in RAID 0, and got...... a nice normal looking graph. Yea!!!!!!

    So in conclusion it looks like a fubared SI RAID controller (works fine as normal SATA though)

    Also, missing sleep to get ur PC up and running is not a good idea! Thank god im self employed, hehe.

    Have now disabled the SI controller and am reinstalling windows as we speak onto the 36 Raptors setup as RAID 0 on the NVRAID controller.

    Nims

    Special thanks goes to the people on these boards to the people that offered their help. I have this same thread running on another forum, and have 0 replies from other members.
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



  11. #11
    Senior Member
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    • nimbu's system
      • Motherboard:
      • M3N78-EMH
      • CPU:
      • AMD 4050e
      • Memory:
      • 4GB (2x2GB) Cosair XMS DDR2
      • Storage:
      • 30GB Samsung SSD : 250GB Seagate ES
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 9800GT
      • PSU:
      • Hyper Type R 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec P180 Mini
    Bah this machine has it in for me i swear!

    Got everything running the way i like it @ about 2am, then restart, poof wont boot windows, am on my mates raptors atm.

    I just cant stand it anymore. anyways, time to intstall windows onto the samsung adn see what happens. If its not fixed today........... i might consider selling it all and just buying a dell!!!

    nim
    MAIN BOX: 4200+ @2.75 : Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe: XP120 + Papst: 2Gb Mushkin Redline PC4000: 512MB 7950GT: 2x36GB WD Raptors in RAID 0:WD 420GB : NEC DVDR/RW: All Wrapped up in a Antec P180



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