unknown hardware problem

[Marc4]

I have just purchased a new MoBo, abit be6-II and I am trying to get it working. I have been attempting to install win 98, and I have recieved many errors while doing so. I generally get the all blue screen saying "A fatal exception error has occurred,", but I have also gotten the windows registry checker error, and it usually messes up everything that I have installed. I pulled everything out of my computer but the video card, and when I did get the computer into windows, I tried to install my sb Live! value card. When i'm running the program on the cd, it seems to start reading the cd fast, then stop for like 45 seconds and then start again. The cd rom drive is spinning the whole time, and I did just buy it a few days ago. Then it starts to update again, and the little counter moves up to a higher percent, until it happens again a few seconds later. Then my computer just freezes, while the cd-rom is still spinning. I'm not sure if it's my RAM or not, because I do not know how to test it. (other than keep trying to install pulling one stick of ram out at a time) Does anyone know what I could do to fix this problem?
Or does anyone have a program that could test my ram?


my setup is:

My setup is:
abit be6-II running bios behrv
p2-400 cpu
128 megs of pc-100 RAM (toshiba)
maxtor 15 gig HD (brand new)
SB Live! value card
Voodoo 3 3000 pci card
memorex 48 speed cd rom (brand new)
Asantefast 10/100 network card
Windows 98

thanks in advance

 

[Tonec]

clean format then make sure you disable virus scanning in the bios. When enabled it will prevent win98 from writing in the boot sector.

As for the sblive, that card comes with its own set of problems and should be left until after you do a proper install of windows

 

[Marc4]

I would really do that, but I am unable to cleanly install anything at all. I recieve multiple illegal operations when I try to install windows.

 

[KGB]

If you're not Overclocking anything, it really sounds like a bad memory stick or socket. If you've checked the sockets, a local computer shop will have a memory tester to check your stick.

 

[hominid skull]

Try installing win98 with the minimum inside to box to do it, i.e. cpu, ram, graphics card, and the cd drive, leave out( physically remove) the nic and sound card. If it works you know you have a problem with either the nic or soundcard, if not the it's either the cpu, ram or graphics card..

 

[Tom]

From your description another possibiltiy is your cd-rom may be having problems reading the CD. When the progress bar stops but the CD drive is still spinning is the CD light flashing ?

 

[CyBrShRk]

Sounds very much like your CD drive may not be reading the Windows CD correctly. This has happened to me many, many times in the 5000+ PC's I've built over the past few years. In my case it's the CD-Rom drive doesn't like the CD-R that holds the OS. In your case, it may be the CD-Rom drive is crapping out. Check the Windows CD for any noticeable scratches. But a simple fix is this...first format the hard drive to remove traces of your bad install. Boot the machine with the start up disk and CD support. Copy every file in the X:\Win98\ directory (X is your CD-Rom drive letter) to a directory you create on your C:\ drive (typically I use CABS as directory name). Once the files have copied correctly to the hard drive, run SETUP from the C:\CABS directory. After installing Windows, delete the CABS directory or better yet cut and paste the directory to the WINDOWS directory and you'll never have to look for the CD later to install drivers...just point to C:\Windows\Cabs. Good luck!

 

[Marc4]

thanks for your info. It looks as if the cd was bad. It has a little scratch, and I think that was the problem. I put in another cd, and now it's fine.


thanks