Computer Crashes on post

**doctor15** · 06-04-2003, 01:06 AM

So im using my computer like normal, and decide to restart, so it shuts down, and when it comes back up it shows the BIOS logo, has a date and says 1.2 ghz athlon (or something like that), and then just sat there. I cant do anything including accessing the BIOS set up.

I tried clearing the CMOS via jumper and removing the battery.

THe only BIOS beep is a single beep indicating that its powering up normlly.

I have an Iwill KA266 motherboard, and there have been no serious changes to my computer lately. I dont think I can flash the BIOS, bc I usually goto the setup menu, and select BIOS flashable first, plus I dnt get to the part where it says "Press alt-F2 for flash utility".

I really hope I dont have to replace this because I'm getting a new computer very very soon, and my parents wont buy me it unless my current one is running perfectly to give to my sister. Plus itll be a pain to buy a new mobo and reformat just to use it for a few more weeks...

Thanks in advance!

**Mojo** · 06-04-2003, 02:23 AM

Try reseating the RAM. Also try some other RAM if you can. Make sure all your PCI/AGP cards are also correctly seated.

No luck? Unplug all un-necessary devices (HDD, CDROM, Audio, NIC etc.), and then try booting. If that works, then replaced cards 1-by-1 until you find the culprit

**doctor15** · 06-04-2003, 03:15 AM

Thanks for the help.

I removed EVERYTHING and then reseated the CPU and hsf. There appeared to be absolutly no thermal paste on the cpu. After that it posted, and i put everything back on, and its posting now.

Now to figure out wth windows wont load....

At least its posting, so i know its fixable.

**Tekime** · 06-04-2003, 10:22 AM

What happens when you boot now? It's very possible that your boot records are corrupted, or other critical system files for that matter, since there was obviously some problem with the CPU or RAM.

**doctor15** · 06-04-2003, 02:16 PM

I think its just a mobo driver problem. I have problems with those drivers all the time.

Windows just displays the splash screen and never gets past it. IF i boot in safe mode it stops loading right after it loads the motherboard drivers.

I'm doing a repair installation of windows right now, which should reinstall the microsoft drivers for my motherboard.

**doctor15** · 06-05-2003, 02:21 AM

all right, i discovered the problem.

After all this work, and reinstalling windows, i plug everything back in the have the same problem. A USB compact flash reader that I had just installed is keeping my computer from posting. As soon as I unplug it, everything is fine. If i plug it in while the computer is on, windows recognizes it, and it works fine. The reader is USB2 and my computer only supports USB1, but i didnt think that would matter.

This is the one I have. Does anyone have any clue how this could keep my computer from posting (especially when it works fine in windows).

**russ_watters** · 06-05-2003, 08:47 AM

Originally posted by doctor15
The reader is USB2 and my computer only supports USB1, but i didnt think that would matter.

This is the one I have. Does anyone have any clue how this could keep my computer from posting (especially when it works fine in windows).

All USB 2.0 PORTS are backwards compatible with USB 1.1 devices, but I guess your USB 2.0 DEVICE isn't backwards compatible with USB 1.1 ports. Does it say anything about this in the manual?

edit: I checked your link. It DOES say its 1.1 compatible. Hmm... bug?

**richardginn** · 06-05-2003, 09:19 AM

Is the reader an external model???

I am wondering if the reader is bad or the mobo is bad or the mobo can have an upgraded bios on it.

Can the reader be tested on another computer???

**doctor15** · 06-05-2003, 12:51 PM

My sisters computer posts fine with it plugged in. Unfortunatly I cannot do a BIOS flash, cause theres construction near my house and the powers gone off a few times. Anyway, the BIOS update I could find is from two years ago, so I probably already have it. I'm just really confused on how a USB card reader could keep a computer from POSTing. Looks like ill have to unplug to turn on my computer, and plug it back in as soon as Windows starts to load.

Anybody know any BIOS settings that could be cauing problems?

**doctor15** · 06-06-2003, 03:33 PM

Aright, after posting on IWills forum I was told something very interesting. Appereantly it is a common problem that the KA266 does not post w/ USB devices plugged in. Iwill's official solution to the problem is to unplug the USB device until the computer posts.

How funny is that?

**talldude** · 06-06-2003, 03:53 PM

Originally posted by doctor15
Thanks for the help.

I removed EVERYTHING and then reseated the CPU and hsf. There appeared to be absolutly no thermal paste on the cpu. After that it posted, and i put everything back on, and its posting now.

Now to figure out wth windows wont load....

At least its posting, so i know its fixable.

No TIM on the CPU? It's overheating then! Put some paste on it ASAP.

**doctor15** · 06-06-2003, 03:56 PM

ya i did. It was some really crappy stuff though, cause thats all I had laying around the house. It said it was for CPUs and my temps are good, so it should be fine.

**videobruce** · 06-06-2003, 05:26 PM

Don't bet that the CPU is OK!

Without thermal paste on it you might be in for a real surprise when things start going wrong un-related to each other. Been there, done that!

When was the CPU installed and by who??

**doctor15** · 06-06-2003, 05:31 PM

no, sorry i wasnt clear on it.
I installed the CPU myself, and I used the thermal pad attached the AMD stock hsf. It seemed though that most of the paste directly over the core had burned away or something. The pad was completly intact all around the core.

I dont know if that is normal or not.

Anyway if that isnt normal, its been running with good temps for two years like that.

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