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Intermittent Win2000 startup: brain teaser
OK, this one has me stumped. I recently installed a BGF NVidia FX5500 and seem to have no problems with the card or drivers. I also recently did a Windows update from the MS site (about 3 days prior to installing the video card).
However, my Dim 8100 has recently (i.e. about 4 days AFTER I installed the video card) started to not reboot when I use Windows 2000 shutdown or restart functions. It will actually go through the shutdown process and "appear" to fully load the bios (the status bar all the way to the right) but then it just hangs. When it does this I am also unable to enter the bios setup (F2), which makes me think it might be a bios problem, but I am unsure. I should add that it hangs on the Dell Bios screen.
I had originally thought the problem was the NVidia drivers since it seemed to work ok when I re-installed them. However, after restarting properly twice it reverted back to not rebooting after the restart.
Once it hangs and I physically turn it off and wait a minute or so then turn it on again it 'usually' reboots just fine. However, the odd time it will hang at the same spot even using this method.
What bugs me, is the seemingly intermittent way that it hangs...why does it hang sometimes and not others?
Any possible suggestions would be appreciated prior to actually reinstalling windows or reformatting the drive.
Message Edited by AlecDale on 01-04-2005 03:18 PM
Thanks Bloozman, yeah I agree, but they couldn't afford the quality advice one usually finds on these forums.
Yeah I have reinstalled both the drivers that came with the card and the most up-to-date ones on the NVidia site. The later had other compatibility issues and did not solve the boot problem, so I went back to the ones supplied with the card. It seemed to work fine for the first two restarts after reinstalling them, then it went back to the same old problem. I will uninstall them tonight and leave them uninstalled and try a restart/shutdown then. At least that should confirm wether or not it is the NVidia drivers.
I also had to use Intel's INF Update Utility to get my AGP slot working properely before I installed this card, but I did that prior to even taking my old card out, so I don't think that is the problem. I only realised when I bought my new card, that my old card had been running in PCI mode...probably since I installed a new hard drive 6 months ago. No wonder it seemed to be working poorly! :-(
- AlecDale,
Since the problem's happening before Win2K even starts loading from the hard drive, the place to look for trouble is in the BIOS settings. One possibility is the "AGP Aperture" size. Try reducing that to 64 MB and see if the symptom changes. When the system hangs, what state are the four diagnostic code LEDs showing? Note also on that page there's a description of how to reset the BIOS settings - it's a jumper on the 8200. If the settings are cleared, then the attached devices will be redetected when the jumper is returned to its normal position.
Another possibility is to make sure the BIOS is current. The most recent one listed is A09, dated 10/14/2002.
You might also want to ask about this in the Dimension/General Hardware or Dimension/BIOS boards, since the problem happens before the OS starts to load.
Jim - Thanks jimwI just got home and thanks to your reminder about the lights (can't believe I forgot to check them), it looks like a problem with my IDE cables (i.e. IDE bus failure has occured). I did install a new DVD RW drive a month or so ago, so a loose cable could certainly explain the intermittent effect.I had tried the different AGP Aperature settings (64, 128 & 256) without any change, so I'm guessing it is the cable problem. Additionally, when I started up just now I got a diagnostic error finally which said something like "this system has failed several times in the past...at checkpoint Hdisk...contact Dell blah blah blah.). Which also makes sense re a loose cable since the DVD is on the same cable as the HD.I will check it out and post a resolution...hopefully.
Sweeeeet!! Thanks again jimw, that reminder about the lights has solved my problem (I won't forget to check them next time). I just reseated the IDE cable to no avail, but thankfully I had a spare cable on my shelf which came with the new DVD drive and once I put that in, everything works like a charm. Not sure if the cable was bad or if the new DVD drive just needed the new cable. In retrospect, they probably included the cable with the DVD drive because it likely caused problems with older systems/cables (live n learn). It does actually seem a fair bit quicker with the new cable in. Anyway...all seems good so far and I also got rid of some other issues in the process of trying to figure out this problem. Bonus! :smileyhappy:
Mucho thanks!
bloozman
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Posted January 4th, 2005 19:00
Sorry, if you already tried this or thought of this, but is it possible to uninstall and reinstall those Nvidia drivers? That might help.
Have you contacted the makers of the video card to see if they have heard of this problem before and if they could help you?
I bet reinstalling Windows 2000 would help, too, but I know that is a last resort for you. When in doubt with Microsoft stuff reboot, then uninstall, reinstall. It sounds as if you already know this, though.
I wish you luck. I think these companies should pay us for helping them solve what is often their QA problems.
bloozman