I'm posting this in the hope that someone can shed some light on a problem I'm having with a 486 DX100.
Basically what happens is: The first time I turn it on in the day (or after it's been off for a long while) it boots up and works fine. Sooner or later (usually ~30min) the thing crashes. When I do a hard reboot it turns on, but won't get as far as the RAM check.
I initially thought that the fan on the CPU must be damaged and that it heated up, causing the crash, but I started the PC with the cover off and the fan seemed to be working fine, even after the crash.
When I try to boot up after the crash, the hard drive seems to load and then just stop completely, so I'm beginning to think the hard drive is screwed, but it just doesn't make sense to me why it works when it's been off for a while. The drive is only 3% fragmented so that's not the problem.
I tried connecting the hard drive to IDE2 instead of IDE1, but I'm not sure how to change the Master/Slave stuff in the setup. Auto detect won't pick up the hard drive if it's plugged into IDE2. I haven't checked the model or brand of the hard drive but I'll edit this post and put it in when I get a chance.
If anyone knows anything, your advice (apart from chucking the thing out) would be appreciated.
------------------ *Kenshiro gets off bed made from solid stone* *Bed made from solid stone explodes* Fist of the North Star
[This message has been edited by Gurgeh (edited May 24, 2001).]
posted
One of the magazines we record at my recording studio is Smart Computing. Just for shits & giggles, you might try to ask them: [email protected]
posted
Good God, is everyone suddenly having PC problems? Just as well you have an experienced IT professional on the scene! On a computer this old, it could be anything. . . the memory, the chip, the motherboard. I don't think it's the HD, somehow - it either wouldn't work at all, or the problems would manifest earlier.
------------------ Luke Ford: "What's it like having a dick in your ass?"
Zoe: "Imagine taking your bottom lip and pulling it over the top of your head. You get used to it but it does hurt."
posted
I know what the problem is. The computer suffers from obsoletitis. As with all modern products, computers have a built-in obselescence, and it sounds like this one is on its way out. Vogon is correct, it could be anything, or everything. Our 586 was doing this for several months til it truly died. Turned out the power supply AND the processor was bad. The cure was a 1000mghz AMD Athlon.
------------------ "You must give in to tock." - The First One
Charles Capps
We appreciate your concern. It is noted and stupid.
Member # 9
posted
This is one of the cases where I'd do a cable jiggle and then a card reset...
------------------ "Babies are squirmy, ugly, dirty, smelly, and noisy. They'd offend all five of my senses if I had any reason to lick one..." -- TSN, 2001.01.11 23:27, PhoenixChat
Charles Capps
We appreciate your concern. It is noted and stupid.
Member # 9
posted
Card reset... taking out all the cards from the slots, cleaning off the contacts, then putting them back in place...
------------------ "Babies are squirmy, ugly, dirty, smelly, and noisy. They'd offend all five of my senses if I had any reason to lick one..." -- TSN, 2001.01.11 23:27, PhoenixChat
posted
Who's up for Fizzbin?
Registered: Jan 2000
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Charles Capps
We appreciate your concern. It is noted and stupid.
Member # 9
posted
*TWITCH*
Fizzbin!? WHERE!?!? *looks around* The Keelers must DIIIIEEEE! *gets out the correction fluid*
------------------ "Babies are squirmy, ugly, dirty, smelly, and noisy. They'd offend all five of my senses if I had any reason to lick one..." -- TSN, 2001.01.11 23:27, PhoenixChat
posted
The old memory-slots and cards were very easy to break. Especially when they get older they go bad. You said yourself that it sometimes doesn't get past the memory-check. What OS do you use? A new system perhaps challenges the memory-banks. I know old win95 needed at least 32mb to run smooth, and W2K or Me could be wearing down the RAM.
Jeff: You have a 1000-Mega/Gigahertz processor? Kewl!
------------------ Here lies a toppled god, His fall was not a small one. We did but build his pedestal, A narrow and a tall one.
posted
Well, it's a DX 100Mhz with only 8mb of RAM, and I had Win 95 on it. It actually ran quite well, believe it or not. I had no problems multi-tasking (within reason). It worked fine for years. It's the complete spontaneity of the thing that confuses me. I might try a card reset if I get a chance.
------------------ *Kenshiro gets off bed made from solid stone* *Bed made from solid stone explodes* Fist of the North Star
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