pc reboots, dll errors etc

[gedi]

Hi, I have a fairly new system with an AMD K7 Duron processor @800Mhz,
128mb Ram etc etc. I have W98 Se as my main OS on there, but also Linux on a hard drive partition, that I start up by using a boot disk.
Now, in the windows its always been a bit unstable but now its unusable!
It reboots for no apparent reason, when it does work I often get Blue screen errors and then it closes my application down. Sometimes it does not boot up properly at all. Internet Explorer 5.5 is a nightmare! I am always getting "This program has performed an Illegal operation and will shut down". then IE closes down.
Last night I tried to install Windows 2000 as it is upposed to be more stable but it failed on install about 3 times reporting what looked like memory errors. I also tried to upgrade my Linux which worked better than the windows 98, but that always crashed on install too.
Now I have Win 98 that (kind of) works, win200 that is not installed properly, and my Linux is trashed! http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif
I have checked the power supply - it is a 250w max supply - any comments on that?
The bios has a facility to measure the temperature of the CPU - it is running at 40 deg C or 105 F, while the system temperature is 93 deg F.
So:- what do you think? Power Supply, Memory chips, Overheating?
Thanks in advance for your help!

[BigBlue66]

Hey,

Wow, what a mess, hey? The temps are fine. The 250watt power supply may also be fine, depending on how much hardware you have running off of it.

It doesn't sound like a heat or power issue, unless you have a lot of hardware components in the machine. Next thing to check would be memory. Can you 'borrow' some memory from someone, to see if it works better?

There is also the issue of a very messed up harddrive. You have trashed and partial installs of three different operating systems. That could be the problem right there.

There should be an option under System Information/Tools in WIN98 to run the IE repair tool. But, as stated above, I think the harddrive is way too messed up and repairing IE may or may not help.

I really don't want to be the one to tell you to format and re-install, so let's just hang tight for some more replies.

Cheers,

Big Blue 66


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Woe is me.

[Randy_tx]

I agree with B. Blue..........try to find some memory to replace what you have in there now.......that is a good bet as to what has caused the problems to this point. I too dont want to be the one to tell you to start over; however, you might have to in order to get everything stable again.

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Will XP save Me ?

[gedi]

Hi-
thanks for the help. When I got home from work tonight I took out the memory and replaced it back in again - thats all!
I got my Linux to finish installing ok so now it is working as it should, I also got the Windows 2000 to finish installing ok (after 1 crash and restart).
So now I have Linux working fine, Windows 2000 started ok, win 98 started but had a small "blue screen of death" on startup (VXD---) - but it was not terminal http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif I carried on and got on the internet no problems and have written this email - I guess I'll have to wait and see about the stability now.
So you guys would say definitley memory not overheating then?

Regards (and feeling a bit better)

Gedi

[Reid]

You might check your BIOS memory settings and try setting CAS LATENCY to 3 if it is now 2. Check page 1 under Chipset Features in this BIOS Optimization Guide (http://www.rojakpot.com/Speed_Demonz/BIOS_Guide/BIOS_Guide_Index.htm). There are other settings described there that can affect stability, but CAS is one I have experience with.

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reido@my-deja.com

Friends don't let friends install Windows ME