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Interesting problem ... please help!

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by forest.henry

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Hello all,
I have been using windows 98 for a while and recently I decided to upgrade to w2kpro or Xp. I am using the ASUS P3V133 motherboard, Riva TNT2 64M display card, ALS4000 avanced logic sound card, a 30G seagate HDD.
I did something very wrong and didn't check the windows HCL before I install Xp. After I installed the OS, I got a warning about the display card and that's when I found out it's not compatible with Xp. However, sometimes when I boot up I got the error saying "window\system32\config\config file is missing or corrupted.
Anyways, I got another video card and tried again but the same problem. Then, I borrowed a GeForce2 MX400 from a friend and tried it with w2kpro. Everything seems fine after the installation and I tried to reboot it a few times. However when I shut down the computer and turned it on again the next day, I got the similar problem saying "winnt\system32\... I thought it's a hardware problem, but I couldn't find anything wrong in device manager.
I upgraded windows and all of the drivers already, but I always got the same problem when I boot up the computer THE NEXT DAY. It's really strange. I checked already and I need not to upgrade the BIOS. I am now really stuck. Please give me some hunt coz I have to use the computer to get my homework done. Thanks so much in advance.

12 replies

by grey_woolf

Well, are you running W2K or XP? They are not the same. Are you using an "upgrade" disk or "stand alone" disk? The upgrade disks do not always do a good job of merging the existing config files with the new model. The stand alone disks will needa freshly fdisked drive. I reccomend DOS 6.22 FDISK.

..............
The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began... Bilbo Baggins, J.R.R.Tolken

by forest.henry

Randy,
Thank you for the reply. I actually tried both OS and they both showed up the same problem. \windows\system32\config\system or \winnt\system32\config\system file missing or corrupted.
I did a fresh install of both of the OS, but something interesting showed up. When I tried with xp, after I logged on it gaves me a warning or something like that saying the video card I am using is not totally compatible with windows. Since then I started to suspect that is the problem causing windows to show me the missing or corrupted file error.
Tonight I tried again. This time I unplugged all my hardwares except my video card (GeForce2 MX 400) and xp runs okay with no problems. I wanted to try with another video card to see if it really works. This time I tried it with Riva TNT2 M64. I got 4 consecutive beeps when I boot up the machine. I switched back to GeForce2 and I have the same 4 beeps. Then I unplug it and still I got the same 4 beeps. I am guessing the ASUS P3V133 has something wrong with the AGP slot. That's why sometimes the system works and sometimes it doesn't. Also, I am guessing the video card writes something to my config or system files so that I cannot boot up the machine and got the missing or corrupted file error. If this is really the problem, then I am in big trouble. I just don't know if I should get another mother board of get a new computer. Any ideas if it is really the AGP slot behaving funny?

by madroxxx

Could be the AGP slot, might be the RAM. Do you have a PCI video card you could try? Might narrow down your problem.

by grey_woolf

I think you have hit the nail on the head. Changing the video card would have caused a problem from with-in W2K, but the four beeps came prior to entering the OS. The four beeps probably was the bootstrap not recognizing a video card. Assuming the Riva TNT2 M64 was good, the systemboard should have recognized it and continued through the boot into the OS.

Resolution:
[1] Disable the AGP slot in CMOS, and replace with a PCI video card. Make sure it had the drivers for the OS used.

[2] Purchase a replacement.

by brandony

What is so interesting about that problem. Just format your drive and leave all of us alone.

by james r linn

He has a valid puzzle and asked for help.

Have you never needed help?

Were you born able to diagnose and fix all known computer problems?

10 years ago I made my living fixing conputer problems like the one he is experiencing. Sometimes I miss it, and I enjoy going through the mental exercise of watching someone try and troublehshoot a baffling problem.

If you don't like it, then just don't read them or don't bother responding.

James

by grey_woolf

You are the problem.
You sound like my boss - if you do not understand it, format and reinstall. Reinstallation will not help with a hardware problem, dummy.

You obviously do not comprehend the therories of Microcomputers, so just sit back read,listen, and learn. Only involve yourself in disscussion that you have some value of knowledge.

Gees, what a nimrod [:P

by mrafrohead

Let's not get into bashing here though guys. That's counter productive;)

Randy, you have a problem, let's pay attention to that.

Reinstallation can actually help with hardware problems. Remember, you are dealing with Windoze products. They do crap out from time to time.

To me it sounds as if you are ONLY performing upgrades of your OS. You aren't doing fresh installs. You should ALWAYS back up your data that needs to be kept and then format that drive and do a fresh install.

IfI was in your shoes right now, and with the resources that you currently have and can use, I would start thinking about a format. You appear to have already checked the memory. I'm assuming that you have removed all of the other cards out of the computer and tried booting that way.

So, if this is the case:

Backup your computer.

Boot using your Windoze 98 Boot disk.

Type: Fdisk /mbr
Hit enter and wait a second.

Type: Format c: /u
Hit enter and wait a while...

After that, boot from the CD of your desired OS - I'd use 2k if I was you... XP kinda smells bad;)

After you're done with your install, you should be good.

Please let me know if this helps you in any way;)

mrafrohead

by forest.henry

Thanks for the reply. That's exactly what I thought. I tried with another RAM and it works fine. I am really thinking if the AGP slot is behaving funny. Too bad I don't have a PCI display card that I can try with.

by juncaday

hi henry:

i am just checking if until now you are still in trouble with your new OS.

Did you disable your antivirus first before you upgrade your OS?

Hope i can help you in the future.

Best wishes,
jun caday

by grey_woolf

I appreciate you calm and directed approach, however, the user had peviously said,"I did a fresh install of both of the OS, but something interesting showed up. When I tried with xp, after I logged on it gaves me a warning or something like that saying the video card I am using is not totally compatible with windows.", therefore, I felt it was time to move on.

by djent

OS upgrades are a sometimes thing. I would wipe the drive, do a clean install of W2K, partition C: to no larger then 7.68GB (1023 sectors) format NTFS. Look at TechNet for disertation on boot partition size problems over 1023 sectors or nonstandard sector sizes. Your BIOS can only see 1023 sectors at boot. Your upgrade may have imported some unwanted problems from Win98. Your hardware, if working correctly, should work fine with W2K. I am still waiting for MS to finish debugging XP, before I get on their bandwagon.

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