PC restart IDE controller shot?

exup

Spare PC that I got out of storage for girlfriends kids has started acting up.
Its an old Althlon XP2200+ cpu with 1GB ram and two IDE harddrives. Radeon 9200 pro and sounblaster sound card.

Just worked through a few things as I had a few spares
Changed PSU
Changed IDE cable, and swapped port on motherboard (also with two optical drives)
Cleaned out CPU heatsink and fan (wasnt really dusty) and reseated it. CPU doesnt seem to be getting overheated
Checked RAM, GFX and sound card

The harddrives seem to be working OK - no funny noises -no loss of data on either.

Software wise - its XPpro SP3 and running upto date patches,
Malwarebytes etc dont report anything worrying and the system runs pretty smoothly except for this damn dropout every so often

Im just wondering whether it could be just down to the motherboard being iffy, as its still a decent computer for what they need otherwise

turbobob

What is the actual problem with the PC?

Lil306

I second the above, helps if you specify the problem

EDIT - I'm stupid, didn't actually read the title of post, PC restart IDE controller.

Have a read through my post below see if it helps. If it's restarting windows is most likely blue screening before you see it.

I have got a PC in my house which blue screens when a slave drive is connected to primary IDE channel. So therefore I second my statement about 1 device at time below

Lil306

Here's a bit more for you

For any PC / Hardware problem which you can't identify, start at component level. You have swapped out components but start simpler than this. You don't mention the problem but for any instance where it's blue screening do the following

Disconnect all drives and cables from the motherboard only the following components should be connected

- Power Suppply
- CPU, Heatsink, Cooling Fan
- 1 memory module (or 2 if you have SDRAM that requires matched pairs)
- Monitor connected to onboard VGA (no additional PCI/AGP/etc cards installed)

Switch on the PC, see if it boots into POST (the onboard motherboard basic commands). If it hangs here, one of your base components is faulty.

If your PC gets passed POST, then says "missing boot media". Connect up your IDE HDD (only 1) to IDE0 port, also additionally, make sure your jumpers are set on the HDD and that on the IDE cable you use the furthest connector (because it's the master)

If it fails here and doesn't boot into Windows, then either your HDD is faulty. Cable is faulty, or IDE controller is faulty. Rule them out by doing the following
Quick Tip btw - Connect up cables and go into BIOS, see if HDD detected.

- Swap out new cable (does it work) - if no
- Connect up to secondary IDE channel (does it work) - if no
- Try booting into safe mode (does it work) - if no
- Try a different hard drive (does it work) - if no
- Either HDD is goosed, it's controller board is goosed or your M/B and or BIOS is goosed

If it boots into safe mode it's possible the HDD partition table is corrupted.....




If it boots into Windows, then continue your troubleshooting adding 1 device at a time until you find the faulty one.

PROLIANT

Jump the BIOS and put it back to defaults.
See what happens next.

exup

Sorry - thought I'd put the problem as restarting in the post (not just the title) and been away from PC for over a day so just returned to forum.
I will try again with the PC without all the addons - (have already reset the BIOS).
The PC on very very rare occasions will restart immediately following POST - but has never hung during POST - but my girlfriend says she has noticed one of the IDE drives being labelled as "not detected" now and again. (although I havent see it do this yet).
Will have a try again this evening, thanks for the replies.

As for blue screening - perhaps, like you say Lil, maybe it resets too quick for me to see it, usually it just blacks the screen, clicks gently as it power cycles then the internal speaker beeps as it powers up again.

Lil306

exup wrote: »

The PC on very very rare occasions will restart immediately following POST - but has never hung during POST - but my girlfriend says she has noticed one of the IDE drives being labelled as "not detected" now and again.

As for blue screening - perhaps, like you say Lil, maybe it resets too quick for me to see it, usually it just blacks the screen, clicks gently as it power cycles then the internal speaker beeps as it powers up again.

In that case I'd suggest trying these

Enable SMART in the BIOS for the hard drives, will help identify if drive is failing

Boot PC press F8 to get the boot menu (easier if you press it once per second) and select safe mode and run a scandisk with all options ticked by going to my computer, right click c:\ drive and tools > scan now, tick both boxes

If that fails, or if won't boot into safe mode. Replace the IDE cable for the drive. If it does that then put the drive on another IDE port

If it's making the beep whilst it's booting somethings causing it to reboot

While your in Windows it may be worth checking out any crash logs. I think the folder is c:\windows\debug IIRC.

Additionally, your PC could have an electrical short somewhere and the contact is making it reboot. Just another thought.

turbobob

First thing I'd probably look at with that type of problem, would be a power supply issue. Perhaps not just the PSU itself (I note you've already changed this) but also try to rule out any problems with the lead, any multiplugs or surge protectors its plugged into etc.

I'd also run a thorough memory check e.g. this http://majorgeeks.com/Memtest86_d4226.html

If your sure its not overheating thats fine, but would probably be my other suggestion as the next logical thing to look at if no luck with above.

Lil306

turbobob wrote: »

First thing I'd probably look at with that type of problem, would be a power supply issue. Perhaps not just the PSU itself (I note you've already changed this) but also try to rule out any problems with the lead, any multiplugs or surge protectors its plugged into etc.

I'd also run a thorough memory check e.g. this http://majorgeeks.com/Memtest86_d4226.html

If your sure its not overheating thats fine, but would probably be my other suggestion as the next logical thing to look at if no luck with above.

Who's to say the replacement ain't faulty too.

Could be worth investing in a simple PSU tester. I had a Thermaltake one which displays all the votages with LED's. Great for identifying PSU faults instantly

Richie-from-the-Boro

Pull ALL the cables off the non-live HDD and both of the DVD's

Pull the soundblaster it'a a well known IRQ hog

Check the remaining HDD jumpers are for a master no slave attached and that it's on the master end of the ribbon cable.

And while you are in there have a look at the CAPS those old KT400 & nForce motherboards were notorious for bulging / blowing capacitors. Look at the top of the caps are they domed or powdery.

What happens now?

exup

thanks again for the suggestions - much appreciated - had a very busy weekend and not had chance to go through the PC, but will be having another crack at it in the next couple of days.