9NPA+ Ultra Constant Reboot During Windows Loading

crashoften · nFHQ Member

Good evening,

I recently bought the following: Epox 9npa+Ultra, amd64 3700+, OCZ platinum Rev 2 3200, and a x800xl video card, Antec truepower 430w power supply. Most of these components are UNcompatible with my former system, so I cannot swap parts back and forth, with the exception of memory.

Here is the problem. After checking out the bios on initial install, I proceeded to exit the bios and start windows. As soon as the windows xp screen Starts to load, the system restarts, and continues to restart in a eternal loop, in exactly the same place. Right before it restarts, a blue screen is visable for about a nanosecond, imposible to read the error code before going black.

The bios screen shows everything "as normal" The cpu reads correctly, no error codes, the memory shows the correct capacity. I have swapped out the memory with two different 333 chips, put the memory in different slots, to no avail. I have reseeated the CPU, ensured there was thermal grease, checked all Fans (cpu diode at 30c per bios) I am confident it is not the memory, as all 3 different types cause the same crash, in the same place. I try to load in optimized default, as well as fail safe. (bios) No go. I have removed Everything from the case except the video card, cpu and memory. Same problem, same place. I am able to upgrade to the latest bios, and I did so, with negative results. I get the option to load windows normally or safe mode, but get the same old same old.

This motherboard has diode lights next to memory, cpu and chipset to show "working condition". All 3 lights are on. I take that to mean all are working. The motherboard also has a troubleshooting lED, that shows various codes on initial start up. I cannot tell from the manual that any of these codes I see are anything more than codes telling me what the bios is doing.

I would hate to RMA all pieces when only one is causing the problem. Or maybe none of them are bad, but I did something strange on install. What is a likely culprit of constant restarts on bootup? Motherboard? Power Suppy? Bad CPU? Poor/improper connection somewhere? Damn, if it is as simple as something hooked up backwards I would be pleased as punch (As long as it didn't fry anything). Any help you can give would be much appreciated. Thanks.

P.S. OH, I am using windows xp, on a ide drive from my disassembled former computer. I have NOT been able to get into windows to load ANY drivers.

impar · **PC Gamer** Moderator

Greetings!

I didnt get if the OS is installed or not. If it is, who did it?
What TruePower 430W is it? The old or the new model?

crashoften · nFHQ Member

Windows XP on a ide hard drive. SP2. The drive is not new, but from my disassembled PC. I installed the OS 2 years ago. Haven't had any Windows boot problems in the past. (previous build with this OS and hard drive) The power supply is brand new, (just purchased retail). Wether its an "old" or "new" model I am not positive, but it has a 24 pin connector, sata connectors..ect. Seems up to date.

impar · **PC Gamer** Moderator

Greetings!

If you change motherboard it is HIGHLY recommended to make a clean install of the OS.

impar · **PC Gamer** Moderator

Greetings!

You can try entering OS through Safe Mode. Hit F8 while booting.

crashoften · nFHQ Member

I appreciate the replies Impar. Unfortunately I had to leave the homestead for a week, and wont be able to implement the fresh install until Thanksgiving. (and thanks for NOT busting on my choice of parts, as happened on another forum). Hopefully I will be able to post again on Thursday with a problem solved post.

Crash

crashoften · nFHQ Member

I threw in a Knoppix cd and everything went smoothly, which made me believe that it was in fact a OS problem. I needed a good clean out anyway and so I went ahead and reformatted, reinstalled and it is up and running. Kind of.

Now every other restart, she fails to even make it to the bios. The fans come on, lights flash, but nothing else. Not sure what to make of it. If I pull the plug, replug then restart, she kicks back on. Very odd, but at this point, I am just happy to be up and runnig at all.

impar · **PC Gamer** Moderator

Greetings!

Can you try any other PSU?

crashoften · nFHQ Member

Well, I can try a new psu if I had the money to go buy one. I would like one of them modular psu's to help keep the clutter to a minimum, but I digress.

I am not sure what I did, but now she seems to do something different every other boot. Sometimes it hangs while loading the motherboard splash screen, sometimes it hangs before that, or just as it is loading windows. It also occasionally gets to the bios health screen (post?) and alert me that I need to reset the CPU settings. ("READJUST CPU SETTINGS IN BIOS" (press DEL or F1 to continue). The settings are what they should be, but I get the message anyways. The next start, she boots up fine, without changing a thing.

UGH.

magdelaine · Just got here...