Bad motherboard??

F

finkster

New Member
i am not so sure of what is wrong.
i just last week built a computer and everything was running smooth. all of the sudden when it goes to boot up it gets to Windows XP boot screen and after a couple seconds restarts. it will keep doing this. if i go into the bios screen and change a memory setting it will allow me to boot windows and run just fine. but only once. if i restart the computer i have to go back into the bios and switch the memory settings to something different. i downloaded microsoft memory checker and booted to that and let it run all night. it came up with no errors. if i unplug the hard drive and even try to boot up xp setup disc it restarts. so it isnt a hard drive issue and i dont believe it is a memory issue, but could it be the motherboard? i have also reflashed the BIOS to a newer version but to no avail, actually runs a little worse on the updated bios. everything was bought from newegg.com so i wanna make sure i return the correct part that is bad. any help would greatly be appreciated.
here are my specs:
abit an52 motherboard
AMD x2 4200+ (65w)
kingston ddr2 800 memory(2x1gig=2gigs)
western digital 160gig SATA hard drive
ati radeon x1650pro
420 watt power supply
windows xp home edition
 
spread spectrum modulated(i think) i would have to go home and double check. but it is in the memory menu. crap wish i could remember off the top of my head.
 
it may be sse/sse2 instructions enable/disable.
all i know is when you adjust certain settings it will work. there really isnt a set way yet to make it work. i just tinker with it.
 
Well we need to know what you're tinkering with. SSE/SSE2 is a processor setting, not memory.

Have you tried flashing/upgrading the BIOS?
 
okay, i will get back to you when i find out for sure.
yes, i did flash the bios. after that it booted up just fine. then i restarted the computer and the problem came back.
 
just checked the setting i changed and it was the sse/sse2 setting. but it only worked once. i am now leaning towards bad power supply. it runs fine as long as it doesnt have to boot. for now i am putting it in standby. i should mention, the 420 watt power supply is a cheapy.
 
okay, i have pinpointed it down to having to change the sse/sse2 setting. only i have to change it everytime i start the computer. so enabled/disabled doesnt matter. what could be causing this? it just started out of the blue. i have a return authorization for the motherboard through newegg but i want to make sure before i pay 10 bucks to ship it out.
 
Overclocking too much? Overheating? Check motherboard capacitors too. My older motherboard had 3 blown ones and itwould restart randomly. What "cheapy" PSU are you using? How many amps on the 12V rail? What is your riG?
 
no overclocking, all the processor and memory settings are on auto.
i dont know the brand of the PSU(it came with the Apevia case) but the 12v rail i believe is 10amps.

My computer specs are:
Abit AN52 motherboard
AMD Athlon x2 4200 (65w)
Kingston DDR2 800 memory 2gigs(2x1gig)
Western Digital SATA 3.0/ 160gig
Lite-On DVD Burner
Samsung CD-drive
HIS Ati Radeon X1650 pro iSilence PCI Express


I have tried unplugging all the drives but the hard drive and then booting but i got the same results. It is puzzling to me that the SSE/SSE2 setting would have to be switched each time i boot up.

I dont think this has anything to do with my problem but i figure i should mention it anyway. . . the very last thing i did on my computer before it decided to start giving me bootup problems was I changed the bootskin for windows xp. i restarted the computer and then i never got to the xp bootskin. it kept restarting. so i tried to repair install with the xp disc but it wouldnt even boot that. it would load all the drivers and then say at the bottom 'starting windows' and crash. i took the hard drive out and put it in my other computer to delete the bootskin. i cleared the bootskin and restored the original. then i plugged it back into the computer and i got to the xp boot screen but it will keep restarting. none of the safe modes work. i even tried unplugging the hard drive all together and booting from the xp cd but it still wont boot windows. so now i have everything back together and the only way to get it to boot is to switch the sse/sse2 back and forth. is it possible i got a virus that corrupted the motherboard?

i am so frustrated!!

thank you for all the responses. i really appreciate all the help i can get.
 
SOLVED!!!
I took the BIOS chip out of the motherboard and noticed that a pin was totally bent. i put it back in place installed the BIOS and it now works!!! it was nice of Newegg to sell me a returned motherboard as new:mad:
 
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