My computer is crap.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

I've recently been having problems with my Ubuntu installation, and got tired of trying to fix it. So I backed up my files and installed Windows 7 (RC build 7000). After installing, I decided to update the motherboard's BIOS, as I've been having problems with it. I updated the BIOS and restarted the computer. It worked fine for a while, but within a couple hours, it bluescreened and restarted. As it attempted to restart, it showed the Windows splash screen, then bluescreened again. This happens nearly every time I try to start it. A few times, I was able to get to the login screen, only to have it bluescreen when I entered my password. And one time, I was able to log in, but when I tried to fix the computer's clock (as updating the BIOS reset it), and it gave me yet another BSOD. I originally thought that the problem was in the Windows system files, so I tried to reinstall. But not even halfway through the installation, even after I formatted the hard drive, it bluescreened. Seeing as I was getting nowhere, I booted Ubuntu off the LiveCD, thinkng it should work, as Ubuntu has no BSOD. But after it logged in, instead of a bluescreen, random popups opened, saying that various processes and services had crashed. Then the computer restarted. By now I was certain that the corruption had been written to the mohterboard's memory (unless it's the processor), and was much worse than I had thought. I tried removing the motherboard battery and putting a jumper on the two pins to reset the BIOS, but neither approach worked. I'm wondering if there's any possible way to do a hard reset of the BIOS, and basically restore absolutely everything to factory condition. I really don't want to buy another motherboard.

Oh, and here are all the specs I know of the motherboard I don't know the model number or chipset, as I got it used for free from a friend.
Maker: HP
Type: ATX/LGA-775
Processor: Intel Pentium 4
IDE: 2 slots
SATA: 4 slots
USB: 4 slots

That's pretty much everything semi-important. Anything I'm forgetting?

[darkstone knight]

check processor Temps in HWmonitow/everest/BIOS :biggrin:

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

I did. It seems to be normal. Well, at least around what it was when it was working. It's around 130*F.

[DigiTan]

Will MemTest 86+ work?

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Can I run memtest from the LiveCD? Ubuntu's no longer installed, and I doubt it will be able to fully install if it can't even run off the LiveCD.

[DigiTan]

If it's 8.06 or 8.10 I think it's included. Not 100% sure about the others, but worth a look.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

It's Jaunty (9.04). I'll check it when I get home tonight.

Just curious: will memtest possibly fix the problem, or is it just a test to see how severe the problem is?

[DigiTan]

Nah, it's just an inspection. They told me if there's 1 or more errors, it can cause this kind of thing.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

I did a memtest, and it came up with a bunch of errors almost immediately. Here's a screenshot of part of it, if it helps at all.

[Taricorp]

That means one of two things: either you've got some bad RAM, or it came loose somehow.

If it's the latter, it's an easy fix- just remove your RAM and put it back in securely (reseat it).
Otherwise, you're going to need to buy yourself some new RAM (or experiment a bit to find out which stick is bad, if you have more than one, and just run without that one).

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

You really think it's that simple? Wow. If this works, I'm going to be both very happy with you for helping, and angry at myself for doing more drastic things like formatting the hard drive.

[Edit] It didn't work. Tried to boot the Win7 installation disc, and it bluescreened again. I tried with various different RAM sticks of different sizes. Nothing. [/Edit]

[Weregoose]

You tried all that in two minutes?

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Yes. I've got everything layed out in front of me as I type this. Three sticks of RAM (which means I only have to try each one once), and the computer takes about 25 seconds to boot up and bluescreen. I have my laptop working right next to it, so I can report back immediately.

[DigiTan]

Yeah. I'd hang on to that screenshot. Hopefully, this the just a memory defect. If it were the board, there's a good chance the mobo wouldn't even POST.

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

Alright, thanks. So do you think it was the faulty BIOS update that caused it in the first place?

[DigiTan]

I've heard of a few BISO reflashings going wrong. I wonder if maybe the manufacture has some kind of Live CD fix in mind for that sort of thing?

[darkstone knight]

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

I did. My mobo's only got two RAM slots. I'll try using different combinations of 'em, though. I hope the broken one isn't the 2 Gig one. I've got one 2 Gig, and two 512 Meg sticks.

Edit:
OK, I'm semi-happy, cause I semi-fixed it. I tried a combination of two of the 512MB sticks, and when I booted off the installation DVD, it didn't bluescreen. The main problem seems to be solved, and I'm guessing for some reason my 2GB RAM stick isn't compatible with this version of the BIOS. Anyway, I boot to the DVD, and when I get to the screen where I choose the disk to install on, I try to make a new partition on the hard drive, and it gives me this error:

[darkstone knight]

well, i think your HDD is crap...

try formating the disc under linux

[Ph34r_my_l33t_skillz]

I already tried that, and I got the same screen that I attached in my last post.

I'm starting to think I shouldn't have upgraded the BIOS. Anyone know if there's a way to rollback the BIOS without having to boot any operating system?