That sort of problem - I'd suspect memory problems.. Possibly the memory is not getting enough 'refresh' power refresh frequency vs read/write actual power supply problems, motherboard problems. seating problems - memory, CPU or interface cables or even 'almost' dead BIOS maintenance battery
Wouldn't have expected CPU swap itself to have that effect - CPU's tend to work properly ( well Pentiums approximately), or stop working at all ! Another thing to consider is the effect of incorrect mains supply levels and/frequency on the PSU - liable to be especially effective at startup when the PSU is cold ( I found that lots of light bulbs were going, 6 bulbs went in 1 week, and I eventually had the mains checked - found out the voltage was up at 270 - but it went back to near the 240 UK standard before I could get a recording analyser setup ) JimB ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Glazier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, October 14, 2005 8:29 PM Subject: Booting from Floppy + Life of AMD CPUs > Crazy "tin hat" type question... > (Not meant as a joke.) > > My wife's computer has had some problems lately. > This got worse over about three weeks... > Mine was built around a month before hers and > had very similar problems a month before hers did... > (Mine has a damaged OS - but is "sort of" working.) > FWIW, this is written from my new replacement. > > One thing that stands out "way back" is that hers > refused to boot from a floppy and run Caldera DOS > from a basic "flash your BIOS" plain - "no driver" > image I got from BootDisks.com > (It would start to load and freeze.) > The same floppy boots other similar computers > around here, and I went and D/Led it a couple > times just to be sure. > But then XP-Pro would load and run normally > for hours on end... > > Eventually, "freezing" is what the computer did > when just "posting" and/or when looking at the > BIOS settings... (Did not even have to have > a HD hooked up...) > > Yesterday, I switched her AMD 1700+ CPU > out, and put in my old one, same model. > > I got rid of all the problems (we think) AND > the computer now boots to Caldera DOS... > (And XP-Pro runs for hours on end...) > > Any chance that is a coincidence, or is > there "something" in that flavor of DOS > that could choke a CPU that would run > a copy of XP-Pro. > (That is the crazy part of the question...) > > Maybe related: > Anybody seeing problems with AMD CPUs > of that era? These were the ones that ran > fairly cool, (45 - 55*C). > > The problem is, I have seen of a couple > machines that, once they start, they run well. > Freezing in POST and/or while counting the > RAM, or while in the BIOS settings screens is > getting to be quite common around here lately > on these two machines. > (We hope the one is fixed.) > > Rick Glazier > -- ---------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Is your picture included in the Official Win-Home List Members Profiles Page? http://www.besteffort.com/winhome/Profiles.html If not, write to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
