Problem with old computer

[Ursula]

I'm trying to repair an old computer for a friend of mine. It's an older Aopen main board with a AMD 350 MHz processor.

I have problem installing W98, but I can run the PC in W98 safe mode with no problemes at all. I have thrown various test programs at it and so far no error messages have appeard.

When I try to run W98 in regular mode it loads up partly and then dies. Some of the time I get the "You can now turn off your computer message" during the loading process. This could indicate at heat problem, but all fans are running (CPU and powersupply) and it does not happen in safe mode.

Whem I try to install Linux I get a BSOD some time into the installation process, with a following reeboot.

I have replaced the display card with no improvements, and also removed all other cards with no positive result.

Rigth now I'm testing with Checkit, and Memory, CPU and Motherboard have passed the test.

Another curious behaviour is that the CD-ROM is not available in W98, neither in safe mode or in regular mode. However, the CD-ROM is working as I can install W98 and other programs from it, but in W98 there is no sigtht of it. There are no error messages in Device manager, and the CD-ROM is listed there with no errormarking.

Any suggestions?

Ursula

[richardc2000]

As it starts and runs in Safe Mode, perhpas you could remove/uncheck everything in MSCONFIG and add things back ONE BY ONE.
Take a look at this MS article:
_http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;281965

[Ursula]

Thx Richard!

Been there already, no improvements. It must be some hardware thing related to protected mode or not.

Ursula

[tubebuoy]

You should be able to run all win9x and even win2k on a 350Mhz AMD. I would remove ALL PCI and other cards (unless you need off board graphix), install 1 GOOD stick of 128meg ram and format C:

Boot from floppy and do a clean install.

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[just_do_IT]

I agree with tube - start with only what you need and ensure that what you start with is known good. Then add the components back one by one.

One more thing I would check is the hard drive. Try doing a check on that drive by downloading the applicable utility from the hard drives web site.

Let us know how it goes.

[richardc2000]

To what tubeboy says - when you install for the first time, install the least amount of programs possible.
Most of them will need to be updated anyway - once you are up and running, you can always add the games, sounds etc.

[Ursula]

Thx for your suggestions.

The machine have been running W98 ok earlier. I have installed with only the display card in and still I get the same protection error when running W98 in normal mode. Also tried W2K and it stopped during installation process with BSOD and saying something about protection error before it went blue.

I think the problem must be related to:

a) the mother board
the CPU
or c) the memory

I'm not certain about the power supply, but since the machine is running ok in safe mode I assume it is ok.

Does anybody know of a DOS based testing program that is testing the processor with respect to mode since I get this protection error? "Checkit" is testing all components, but reports no error.

Ursula