Hi Everybody!

Here's my PC configuration right now.
IDE0 IBM 14,3GB 7200 rpm UDMA33
LG - CDRW Drive
IDE1 WD 40GB 5400 rpm UDMA66
PC-DVD Creative Dxr3

Last week I bought a new HD (WD 40GB 5400rpm UDMA66).
After installing it everything went fine. A few days later I noticed when I started windows it stopped right after the graphic windows logon (the window after the text mode).

I "reset" worked fine but as the days went by I got many BSODs with "IRQL_LOSS_OR_EQUAL". Since then I tried everything... both hard drives in the same IDE channel, master/slave....


The only solution I found is to disconnect the new hard driive. I ran tests with some disk tools I downloaded from Western Digital's web site and everything is OK.

Any ideas?


Thanks!

IRQL_LOSS_OR_EQUAL can be anything. Usually it is a memory/memory timing problem. (In my last 4 cases it was).

You can use memtestx86 to scan your memory.

2nd approach is to increase the CAS latency times in your cmos settings.

As already stated by Belevedere, it can be anything.

The first thing that comes to my mind, is the power supply that might get overloaded with the additional HD.

Can you perhaps post your full system specs here? Including your PSU's specs...

Hi,
I think it might be a Video Card problem, cause I can't event boot windows right now.
I writing from a BSD machine using Lynx (ehehhe)

Now the computer hangs just after initiating windows (the windows based on nt technology screen)

Jumpers on the HD correct? if it is a WD drive and its master... you need to set "Master w/ Slave" setting. Once I set it to Master alone, and running a slave drive on that channel.. and that caused boot up times to be 5 times more than normal, stuck in the that "windows starting" screen for like 5 minutes..

I tried almost every combination, master alone, master with slave (+CDROM).
Both secondary and primary.

I forget to mention in the previous post that I removed the CD Recorder, the PC-DVD and the new HD just the video card and the old HD.
And the PC keeps hanging.

I´m going to but a new video card and I will try that.

Finally I realized what the problem was.
There were some leaked caps.

ah yes.... a well known problem

Depending on your mainboard's manufacturer, you can get it repaired for fre. I believe that Asus and Abit do so, MSI doesn't...

If my mobo leaks... not that any of my MSI mofos have yet (knock on wood)... but lets just pretend the SOBs have, I'd just buy another one... zzzz... damn, I need sleep.

I don't think that Soyo will repair my leaked caps here in Argentina.

I friend of a friend of mine will change those leaked caps.
Lets say it's 7x cheaper than buying a new one.

Actually, this can't be done on all boards. Most PCB's that are used are multilayer PCB's. Often, when soldering on one of those layers, something goes wrong on another layer (because of the heat), damaging the board.

As you've probably nothing to lose, you can carry on, but please be patient and don't use a too powerful soldering iron....

The guy who is changing those caps has already repaired a couple of asuses and also some Soyos.

As I said, you've got nothing to loose, so good luck and report back if everything works out

When you are talking about "leaking caps", are you referring to "Capacitors"?? If so, I have posted in "good cooling" (i think) of my wife's mainboard that has a leaking capacitor. It is a MSI K7T Turbo-R (raid). The MSI warranty is 3 years, right? If so, can I send it back to them for repair/replacement?

TIA

P.S. - Come to think of it, I have noticed sporadic problems with her system (i.e. hard drive problems and temp) and everytime I run diagnostics on the hard drives there are no problems with them. And as far as the temp, I put a box fan blowing right into the side of her case and her CPU temp was still in the high 40s to low 50s @ idle on an Athlon 2200+

Hi, yes I ment capacitors.
Sorry but I don't now anything about MSI motherboards.

I would call MSI first to tell them about the problem and then depending on their answer send them the motherboard.