I hate PC problems please help

[samc]

ok the system WAS an
- Athlon XP +1600 (older style core)
-msi pro K7T266 Pro2 mobo
-256 meg crucial pc2100
-40 gig wdc
-sb live 5.1
-some 32 meg video card agp
-modem, lan card, cdrom, cdrw, 400w psu.

At some point my brother tells me the comp doesnt work, upon opening it I see that the fan on the processor was "fried." After I played with it for a while I got it to work and install windows xp and what not. Then I started getting alot of blue screens so I thought maybe processor is really messed up So i started buying some new stuff.

-new dvdrom (cdrom seemed to be broken)
-athlon xp 1700+ (thoroughbred core)
-asus A7V8x-x mobo
-new 256 megs apacer pc2100
-new 80 gig+8meg cache wdc
-and even a new psu 350w.

Now the computer wont get passed the windows 2000, xp and 98 formatting stage. the drive will look like its formatted but after 100% windows says "cannot format the drive" and the computer wont get passed this.

Anyone have any insight into this? the computer is practically brand new now, only thing missing is a new case. Ive tried the wdc diagnositic programs and they say the HDs are fine, its new memory, new hd, new mobo+cpu. Im stuck. Ive tried everything from new IDE cables to unplugging dvd, cdrw ..etc.

[repo man11]

Do you have a good grounded electrical outlet? If you are in an older house, you may want to check to make sure that the outlet is grounded.

What sort of surge suppressor/ outlet strip are you using? Sometimes those go bad, and give you all sorts of "ghost in the machine" problems.

[samc]

Im using a standard wall outlet, no surge protector. Ive used the same outlet for another computer before and everything went fine. Its just weirdness happening with this computer. anyone have something I can try?

[repo man11]

I would strip and disassemble, and then reassemble it with just the bare necessities, motherboard, vid card, etc. Heck, don't put a hadddrive in it, see if you can boot to just a boot floppy. If that is sucessful, try it again with a CDROM in it. Still working? Then install a drive, and try and put an OS on it.

That is how I would do it.

[FireMogle]

I had that same problem with a drive, I ended up partitioning it in half and windows worked fine after that. If that isnt a problem you may want to try that.

[samc]

I've actually tried with smaller partitions. at 2 attempts the formatting went through and windows went on with "installing" itself but after the first reset, I get nothing but just random letters on the screen (yes its very weird).

Now Ive tried installing windows in a different (working) computer and that went through just fine, but when I tried to put the HD in my problem comp the Hd wouldnt boot up. I'm still looking for anything that might help.

[[OC]This]

At some point my brother tells me the comp doesnt work, upon opening it I see that the fan on the processor was "fried." After I played with it for a while I got it to work and install windows xp and what not. Then I started getting alot of blue screens so I thought maybe processor is really messed up So i started buying some new stuff.
Did you get a new fan?

What's the condition on your Heatsink? Thermal grease applied?

you have not mentioned these things except the other new parts you've bought.

[palee72]

Did the drive come with a diskette? There may be a low level formatting tool on there that you can use. Try doing a low level format of it. If it didn't come with one, you can usually goto the drive manufacturer's web site and download a formatting utility from them. You might have a sector that won't format or some similar problem.

You might want to try a new cable going to your drive. There may be a bad wire in it. Becides.. they're cheep anyway.. It's always good to have a few extra around "just in case".

You aren't overclocked while trying this are you? If you are, return everything to stock and give it a try.

Good luck.

Worst case.. You got a boogered drive.. Take it/send it back for a replacement.

[samc]

Im using the same old thermaltake copper heatsink + 5000 rpm fan off my old 1600+ Athlon Cpu. They are both fine so I figured Id reuse them. Ive also used artic silver II for the thermal grease, its not the newest but it works. the Bios says the cpu holds steady at 39c so its fine. I'll guess I'll go rip the computer apart and see from there.

[samc]

Right now i reversed a case fan towards the cpu and one of my regular room fans to point into the case, just incase heat was a problem. Ive gotten to the point where I can have windows xp format a 10 gig partition (out of 80 gigs) and start copying install files, BUT the setup says "error in copying ____ file" alot of different files and then when I get to reset I get a blue screen. Memory problem? I've put in a new pc2100 256 meg stick.

[Lord_Zoltan]

Hey if its an error in copying the file, it could be your WIndows XP cd, see if you can get ahold of another. *just a thought*

I have been wrong before.

[[OC]This]

error copying off of CD happens on an unstable system too.

happens none on a stable system with the same CD.

[fubulg6000]

Make sure your fsb is set for 2100ddr speeds (266mhz i believe-correct me if i'm wrong, please). I remember when i had this same issue. For some reason my pc2100 ddr would always want to run at 2700ddr speeds (333mhz). I had to get a new bios and set a jumper on the mobo to allow me to go 2100ddr speeds. Everything worked fine after that. Go into the bios and make sure you have everything set up correctly.

[Fallen Phoenix]

On a similar line as fubulg6000, check all the jumpers on the motherboard. If one is off or it's set to jumper mode rather than BIOS mode, something could be set wrong and causing the problem.