Horrifyingly frustrating problem - New PC

[Aequitas123]

Some people come unstuck because they are told building a PC is easy.

well, putting together a PC from parts IS very easy, even a kid can do it. But if anything goes wrong, thats when the experience of a professional comes in. A good experienced tech would have diagnosed your problem in about 5 minutes. Is that a reason to not have a go at building a PC? I dont think so. If the OP comes across this problem again in a build they will know where to start to fix it next time. The OP now probably knows if he has the sort of temperament to do the troubleshooting himself again, or to hand it to a pro. Ive built a couple of PCs for friends, where they have bought the parts, but paid me beer money to do the build and software.

Everyone knows someone who works with computers, if you get stuck, buy them a 6 pack and ask them to look it over.

John Gordon, come on man, your troll posts used to have some sort of spark to them. You seem to be only trying half heartedly these days.

I do know my computer really well now! and you're right... i didn't expect it to be this difficult to get it to run.

[H20nly]

Doesn't it need a pair of memory sticks to work?

No. They sell em in pairs but you only need one stick. The tricky shit doesn't start until you try to use more than one stick. However, the only thing tricky about it is finding out (in the motherboard manual if you have it) which slot to put the 2nd stick in.


I've built quite a few PCs and Servers too in the latest decade. I can't remember the last time I actually had to move a jumper, especially on an ASUS board. If you haven't moved any of those I wouldn't start now.

If Windows won't load and you're still getting pci.sys maybe you need to look at the rest of your hardware with a few things in mind... Are you using a PCI-Express graphics card? If so the Windows install disc you are using will need to have Service Pack 2 (or above). If you have onboard video on the motherboard maybe you should try using that at first and then switch to PCI express after you've loaded and updated.

edit:
1 more thing... What about your hard drive? Is it SATA or IDE? If its SATA you will have to load the drivers manually because Windows XP was released before widespread SATA use was adopted (or affordable). I don't remember what if any error you would get if you were trying to install to a drive that is SATA without loading the drivers. I think it just wouldn't show up....

[Aequitas123]

If Windows won't load and you're still getting pci.sys maybe you need to look at the rest of your hardware with a few things in mind... Are you using a PCI-Express graphics card? If so the Windows install disc you are using will need to have Service Pack 2 (or above). If you have onboard video on the motherboard maybe you should try using that at first and then switch to PCI express after you've loaded and updated.

I'm only using the onboard video. No card. I spoke with ASUS and they said if you're getting pci.sys errors and you've ensured its not the motherboard, then its gotta be a memory issue. Ive tried installing windows with all different variations of 1 Memory stick and variations of 2 Memory sticks. And i still get the error.

Is is possible both RAM Sticks are faulty? Is the only thing left i haven't replaced. Sending them off today... i guess.

[H20nly]

Totally possible especially if you bought them pre packaged together. Unlikely, maybe but possible definitely.

I try and buy stuff like that locally that way you can just drive down and swap. Yeah you pay a little more but waiting once you get rolling sucks.

[Aequitas123]

Totally possible especially if you bought them pre packaged together. Unlikely, maybe but possible definitely.

I try and buy stuff like that locally that way you can just drive down and swap. Yeah you pay a little more but waiting once you get rolling sucks.

Well its all i have left to do. Thanks for the tips everyone.

Now i play the waiting game.

[McQ714]

i have possibly a stupid question for you but since it's your first build, i feel like i should ask.

did you, before you started touching components and putting this whole thing together, make sure to discharge any static electricity from your body by touching the case or the power supply? you should either wear a wrist strap or just be sure to touch the power supply each and every time you handle a new component. static easily destroys ram. if possible, never build your computer on a carpeted floor. best be done on a vinyl floor.

did u say you were installing xp or vista?

and if you didn't manually change the bios settings for the hard drive mode, then most likely you are in IDE mode which is fine. ahci mode doesn't give much benefit according to some websites unless you plan on hot-swapping hard drives. write times will be slightly faster but read times are slower. i would recommend right off the bat, that you get a second hard drive for recording to anyway. personally i have 4 velociraptors. 1 for OS and utility software, 1 for all audio software, and 2 for Native Instruments library, Live's library and all other samples... i keep all downloads on an external 1 tb drive along with my mp3s and backup is done to another external drive. the velociraptors are probably overkill but i have credit with newegg so i didn't pay for them all at once. caviar black series put up some good numbers on benchmarks. go with those. run your OS and software on the first drive and install Live's library and samples to the second drive. make sure to set preferences in Live so that all recordings are done on the second drive.

[Aequitas123]

i have possibly a stupid question for you but since it's your first build, i feel like i should ask.

did you, before you started touching components and putting this whole thing together, make sure to discharge any static electricity from your body by touching the case or the power supply? you should either wear a wrist strap or just be sure to touch the power supply each and every time you handle a new component. static easily destroys ram. if possible, never build your computer on a carpeted floor. best be done on a vinyl floor.

No i didn't. But i have no carpet in my place. And there's never any (noticeable) static. I will make sure to do this when i get my new RAM back.

did u say you were installing xp or vista?

and if you didn't manually change the bios settings for the hard drive mode, then most likely you are in IDE mode which is fine. ahci mode doesn't give much benefit according to some websites unless you plan on hot-swapping hard drives. write times will be slightly faster but read times are slower. i would recommend right off the bat, that you get a second hard drive for recording to anyway. personally i have 4 velociraptors. 1 for OS and utility software, 1 for all audio software, and 2 for Native Instruments library, Live's library and all other samples... i keep all downloads on an external 1 tb drive along with my mp3s and backup is done to another external drive. the velociraptors are probably overkill but i have credit with newegg so i didn't pay for them all at once. caviar black series put up some good numbers on benchmarks. go with those. run your OS and software on the first drive and install Live's library and samples to the second drive. make sure to set preferences in Live so that all recordings are done on the second drive.

XP. I have all my samples, plugins and music files saved to an external HD. I just got a Terabyte HD so i was planning on just using it, but maybe ill keep my old HD and have two. Sounds like a smart thing to do.

Thanks for the tips!

[Tone Deft]

bump.

[Aequitas123]

Thanks Tone.

Finally had a friend come down and bring some parts to switch out. Ended up being RAM, i think.

Anyways, installing XP now so i can finally get off my girlfriend mac (gross) and back home to windows!



A tip to all, building a PC is easy, getting it to run is another thing.

[Angstrom]

Thanks Tone.
Finally had a friend come down and bring some parts to switch out. Ended up being RAM, i think.

Question : is your 'problem' ram in any way 'fancy' or top-end? Did you buy yourself some tasty RAM?
because lots of hi quality ram needs more power than a standard bios setting will supply as a default. When I first set up my current desktop I got errors galore and eventually corrupted my OS install off the back of supplying 1.9v to the memory when it needed at least 2.1v . I upped the voltage (when I read the memory documentation) and that same memory has run perfectly for about 18 months now

check exactly what power that memory needs.

[djsynchro]

check the PSU

[ghast]

When I first set up my current desktop I got errors galore and eventually corrupted my OS install off the back of supplying 1.9v to the memory when it needed at least 2.1v . I upped the voltage (when I read the memory documentation) and that same memory has run perfectly for about 18 months now

I've never thought of that before, and it sheds some new light on a couple problems i've had with my wife's "everquest 2 super computer"

[H20nly]

building a PC is easy, getting it to run is another thing.

+1

check exactly what power that memory needs

hardcore.