How many installs should it take?

psychotic_mechanic · Post by **psychotic_mechanic** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:47 pm

I've actually dug the old doorstops (computers) out of my closet and decided to either do something with them or find them good homes. I just wondered why some times it takes several tries to install linux or windows. I've got a micro that won't take either. Is this normal or do some of these computers have hardware problems?

atari2600a · Post by **atari2600a** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:51 pm

Some of what computers? Sounds like either scratched up discs, overheating (&/or instability) problems, or a bad hard disk)

Post by **gannon** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:35 pm

Should normally spit a fairly specific error to an install log or to the screen.

Post by **bicostp** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:47 pm

Maybe you've got some dirty disc drives?

If not, that was still a nice bit of alliteration.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:21 pm

Well I sympathize, I'm having the same problem with a laptop. I've tried installing RedHat 6.1 and then Windows 98SE, nether would boot up after install.

I'd say look over the systems and be sure you have complete hardware. Then if the sytems can, try booting knoppix, or some other OS that doesn't have to be installed. That way you can get a look at the hardware and this should help you fix anything that is defective or missing.

Also please inform use as the the type of systems they are. Like CPU, maker (if there is one), form facter (AT or ATX), graphics/audio card, and drives.

psychotic_mechanic · Post by **psychotic_mechanic** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:13 pm

I'll need to research board types some more before I can say exactly wht type of board it is, but it is in a small form factor gateway PC with a P3 1100 mhz CPU. I tried installing a 6 gig HDD I had already loaded an OS on, but now the whole computer powers off while booting. I'm going to try replacing the power supply next.

I seem to recall getting this PC from beside a dumpster while it was raining, so that may have something to do with my problems.

Post by **Sparkfist** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:02 am

Check the BIOS, if needed update it. Then check the jumper settings on the hard drive. Once those are conformed to be working, and anything else seems to be out of wack (hear beeps or beeping), tell up.

Also about water damage, you really should have too much of a problem. If the water dried out the worst thing you could have is corrosion. Which in the case take the board out and see about lightly cleaning the rust/corrosion off the board.

psychotic_mechanic · Post by **psychotic_mechanic** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 5:02 am

The board is a "microstar ms 6312" and one of the first things to come up on a google search was "bad caps" which would explain my weird powering down and rebooting problems I've been having.

The little thing should be pretty decent (for something pulled from a dumpster) if I can get it to work.

edit: after checking out some stuff from google and visually inspecting my caps, it looks like that could be my problem, especially combined with the symptoms described as random power down issues and rebooting, BSOD, etc. I'll do a little more research and then probably hit up digikey for an order.

Indigno · Post by **Indigno** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 6:09 am

More than often, it is actually inexperience that drives us to have to have to reinstall windows many times. We're too used to newer computers, which are WAY more user friendly than the computers of old. With older PC's it is easier to put incompatible components together, plug a wire in the wrong way, put a jumper in the wrong place, or otherwise stick something where it shouldn't be.

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:20 am

psychotic_mechanic wrote:The board is a "microstar ms 6312" and one of the first things to come up on a google search was "bad caps" which would explain my weird powering down and rebooting problems I've been having.

The little thing should be pretty decent (for something pulled from a dumpster) if I can get it to work.

edit: after checking out some stuff from google and visually inspecting my caps, it looks like that could be my problem, especially combined with the symptoms described as random power down issues and rebooting, BSOD, etc. I'll do a little more research and then probably hit up digikey for an order.

Are the capacitors blowing up? That happened because of a bad batch of capacitors made from stolen plans.

Post by **marshallh** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:52 am

I just went through that problem with my main Dev pc which was exhibiting the very problems you described. It was freezing/glitching all the time, and I noticed 4 or 5 e. caps on the motherboard were bulging. Mine were 1500uF 6.3v caps.

It's VERY important you get low-ESR caps! You might already know this, but if you put a regular cap in there, it will probably cause worse problems.

Digikey has the Panasonic FM series, which is what I used and has a good reputation (Parts will have 'FM' in the part number)
My PC has been running for more than a solid day now without problems, so I'm pretty sure they fixed the problem.