System restarting during any install

[LoopeD]

Hello all

Frustrating:

Fresh install of Windows 98 SE on a computer that has been running like gold for 2 years.

Pentium 3 866 mhZ
30 GB HD
384 RAM

Installed the OS, then the chipset drivers, etc. then the vidoe drivers, then Office 2000 Pro. Halfway through the Office installation it restarted, performed a scandisk, then turned out that Office didn't complete, it restarted halfway through. Ran Scandisk for Windows, and it found "badly damaged files" in some directory. Repaired the error. Office installation workeed fine. Should add that Adobe Acrobat restarted during install too, but it worked after the Scandisk too.

Anyways, I'm installing SolidEdge (3d modelling mechanical design software). Guess what? Restarts halfway through, and Scandisk shows no problems.

What the heck is going on?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. - using current video drivers (I have TNT2 64, using the current Detonator drivers for Win98 that worked fine before I reformatted).

Only software on it is 3coms NIC manager, Office, Adaptec CD, and Adobe.

P.P.S. - flashed my BIOS cause Dell techie (and Speedguide person) said its old as hell. It was version A01 - the tech sent me A04, A07, A10, A11. I only went up to A04, then A07.



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[LoopeD]

Well its still happening.

Here's the instances where my comp randomly restarted:

During Windows Update - Internet Explorer 6. Downloaded fine, but during install part it restarted. Resumed no problem and successfully completed after reboot.

During installation of my sound blaster software. Gets about 90 percent done then restarts. Cannot get through installation without restarting.

During WinMX initial startup, while its doing its shared file search.


Why oh why is this happening?




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[Sid]

Sounds like a hard drive problem. Run a full diag on it. Most likely the S.M.A.R.T. chip is dieing. Had the same problem here and that's what I found with mine.

[LoopeD]

Well, I ran a full Seagate disk diagnostic and everything checked out OK. (Its a Seagate Barracuda).

Dunno if this helps, but it ONLY restarts when something is being written - i.e. installing stuff, downloading, etc.

I've never seen this problem before.........





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[Norm]

Could it be a bad connection?

Have you tried reconnecting the hd cable (both ends) ?

I ask, because 99% of hardware problems I have encountered after I have been inside the case have been a result of my big hands knocking something out of (or slightly out of) a socket.


Could also be power supply related. If you have a spare, try swapping it out.

[LoopeD]

Originally posted by Norm
Could it be a bad connection?

Have you tried reconnecting the hd cable (both ends) ?

I ask, because 99% of hardware problems I have encountered after I have been inside the case have been a result of my big hands knocking something out of (or slightly out of) a socket.


Could also be power supply related. If you have a spare, try swapping it out.

OK, some new info (by the way, thanks for the replies so far).

I ran System File Checker. It says that a system file is corrupted, setupx.dll, and asks me if i want to restore it. I put in my windows 98SE CD - it tries to restore the file, then BANG! Restarts. Tried it 4 times, same result every time. SO frustrating.

SHould I try to find this file online and replace mine with it?
Is this a critical file?




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[Norm]

No, don't worry about setupx.dll
Everytime I run SFC that file gets seen as corrupt, even if you replace it.
It isn't corrupted, but more of a glitch with SFC.

Is the restart problem happening when you use the CDRom?
Possible bad CDRom, or connection. Try using a different power connector to the CDRom. Usually there is a spare or 2.
Or if you can, try a different CDRom drive.

[Norm]

How bout some more info too?

Are the HD and CDRom on the same IDE channel ?
Are they SCSI?

It sounds like a bad connection, something must be shorting for it to restart like that in 98.
Possible loose power connector on the HD or the CDRom.

[CableDude]

Overheating? Are you overclocked at all?

[LoopeD]

No overclock.

Will open the case up - Again - to check one more time.

I hvae a CD-ROM and a CD-RW drive on the same cable. One's master and ones slave. I also have 2 hard drives, both Seagate Barracudas, one master, one slave. Actually the exact same configuration I had before I reformatted and everything worked totally fine for like 2 years. Now this...........






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[NewbiePCuseR]

Its most probably the harddisk, I once had a problem like yours using winxp and a maxtor 30gb, it kept restarting when I tried to install windows. Problem solved when I bought a new harddisk

Or you could try installing windows using the other harddisk that you have or changing the IDE cable...

Just my 2 cents' worth, hope it helps

[LoopeD]

Originally posted by NewbiePCuseR
Its most probably the harddisk, I once had a problem like yours using winxp and a maxtor 30gb, it kept restarting when I tried to install windows. Problem solved when I bought a new harddisk

Or you could try installing windows using the other harddisk that you have or changing the IDE cable...

Just my 2 cents' worth, hope it helps

OK, I bought a new hard drive and installed Windows 98SE (cause my computer won't install 2000 - Dell tech says that my bios is too old, even though I've installed 2000 on Dell Pentium 2 200's with no problems). Seems to be working better; however I still produced a restart when I ran System File Checker. I chose to ignore the supposedly corrupt setupx.dll; it finished the check and displayed report. I click Close, and Windows restarts. Oh, and it crashed when computer tries to go to standby - just a black screen, gotta hit reset. THis is after a brand-new installation - only thing installed is chipset drivers and latest video drivers.

I just know that this problem will continue to manifest itself as I install more software. Anyone know what else I can check? Could my motherboard suddenly be crapped? Frustrating cause this computer worked perfectly for two years with no reinstall - ran Win98SE the entire time and it worked like gold. Now I reformat and reinstall and my hardware punks out? Doesn't make any sense - I took every precaution, ground strap on while mucking around in case, didn't touch anything I didn't need to.

I want to fix it myself, but I'm rapidly runniing out of options.

WIll do the final BIOS upgrade tonight - from A07 to A11. Can't see it helping any, but you never know.........



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[LoopeD]

Originally posted by LoopeD
OK, I bought a new hard drive and installed Windows 98SE (cause my computer won't install 2000 - Dell tech says that my bios is too old, even though I've installed 2000 on Dell Pentium 2 200's with no problems). Seems to be working better; however I still produced a restart when I ran System File Checker. I chose to ignore the supposedly corrupt setupx.dll; it finished the check and displayed report. I click Close, and Windows restarts. Oh, and it crashed when computer tries to go to standby - just a black screen, gotta hit reset. THis is after a brand-new installation - only thing installed is chipset drivers and latest video drivers.

I just know that this problem will continue to manifest itself as I install more software. Anyone know what else I can check? Could my motherboard suddenly be crapped? Frustrating cause this computer worked perfectly for two years with no reinstall - ran Win98SE the entire time and it worked like gold. Now I reformat and reinstall and my hardware punks out? Doesn't make any sense - I took every precaution, ground strap on while mucking around in case, didn't touch anything I didn't need to.

I want to fix it myself, but I'm rapidly runniing out of options.

WIll do the final BIOS upgrade tonight - from A07 to A11. Can't see it helping any, but you never know.........



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OK, thanks for the replies. I found the problem:

Bad Ram stick. The 256 I put in after the 128 that came with it from Dell crapped out. Suspicious that the Dell RAM is fine and this one laasted for a year then decided not to work.........

anyways, everything is fine now.


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