I've done enough updating on computers, with the various amount of troubleshooting, over the years to attempt to build a 'frankenstein' computer for a grandkid. New case (cheap aluminum one), motherboard (Abit), CPU (celeron), CPU fan, case fan, 450 W power supply, memory (512MB), and DVD burner. Reused video card (Geforce MX4000), soundcard (Audigy), monitor, keyboard and mouse, and hard drives (two 40 GB Maxtors).
I assembled the motherboard, CPU, memory, fans, other components into the case. Check and double connections and wiring. I power on, adjust the BIOS settings (boot order mainly, I have no floppy), and computer reboots, and promptly shuts down when it gets to loading Windows (my primary drive is bootable and has XP on it). Try several times, more checking and rechecking, still shuts down at windows load. After reboots, I get prompted to boot into safe mode, shuts down regardless of what I do. Every so often, after the BIOS screens, and prior to windows start, I get flashed a blue screen with text, but never long enough to discern what it thinks the problem is.
So, I uninstall everything and try applying components one by one. Nothing works, still shuts down. I put in the XP disk, it actually makes it to the blue setup screen, shuts down while loading. I put in a Vista CD, it gets to a loading screen as well, then shuts down. I'm currently using the motherboard monitor port, took out sound card and video card. I replaced the new power supply, thinking that was the problem. Same issue, put new supply back in. I took out and reseated the memory. I reinstalled the various case wires from the front features of the case (leads for reset, LEDs, power, etc.). I tried various combinations of the two drives (swapped master, slave; tried single drive as master, single drive as cable select). I tried replacing the IDE cables. I'm about out of ideas. Do I have a bad motherboard?? Thanks for any advice.
I assembled the motherboard, CPU, memory, fans, other components into the case. Check and double connections and wiring. I power on, adjust the BIOS settings (boot order mainly, I have no floppy), and computer reboots, and promptly shuts down when it gets to loading Windows (my primary drive is bootable and has XP on it). Try several times, more checking and rechecking, still shuts down at windows load. After reboots, I get prompted to boot into safe mode, shuts down regardless of what I do. Every so often, after the BIOS screens, and prior to windows start, I get flashed a blue screen with text, but never long enough to discern what it thinks the problem is.
So, I uninstall everything and try applying components one by one. Nothing works, still shuts down. I put in the XP disk, it actually makes it to the blue setup screen, shuts down while loading. I put in a Vista CD, it gets to a loading screen as well, then shuts down. I'm currently using the motherboard monitor port, took out sound card and video card. I replaced the new power supply, thinking that was the problem. Same issue, put new supply back in. I took out and reseated the memory. I reinstalled the various case wires from the front features of the case (leads for reset, LEDs, power, etc.). I tried various combinations of the two drives (swapped master, slave; tried single drive as master, single drive as cable select). I tried replacing the IDE cables. I'm about out of ideas. Do I have a bad motherboard?? Thanks for any advice.