Help! One to get you thinking

[Colin Brett]

I acquired a computer from a friend that was giving him mega problems. He bought a new one in desperation.

 

I decided to format and install win98 se on the problem machine and all seemed fine after installation until I moved the mouse and all froze up.

Rebooted and exactly the same happened.

 

I tried a new memory stick and the same result, changed the video card and the same again.

 

Picked up a new MB and CPU and installed that, guess what, exactly the same. Tried another CPU, still the same result. In desperation I thought about the only thing not changed, the power supply.

Still no good.

I would add that I've tried several installs [Win98SE, Win2000Pro, XP Home] during all this and have also tried 3 other hard drives. All to no avail!!

 

Also tried flashing the Bios, still no go.

 

Anyone any ideas?? Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

System is a Celeron 478 1.7g on a Jetway P4XFA MB with either 128, 256 or 512 mb of ram.

 

Colin

[jeepster]

only one thing to do........

 

give it a sound thrashing then chuck it away!

[Guest NickInTheNorth]

Have you tried a different mouse? Or a different port?

[Colin Brett]

Have you tried a different mouse? Or a different port?

 

Nick,

 

Yes tried a different mouse.

 

Only one port to plug it into, little round one next to the keyboard socket.

 

Tried video cards in PCI and AGP slots.

 

The thing that gets me is that everything has been changed from MB to Mouse and I'm still getting the same problem. The only thing left to change is the case!

 

Colin

[zenith10]

try changin the cd drive, also try it on another monitor

[Ian FG]

Colin,

 

This seems like a crazy situation. Surely it's not worth the effort, you must have put hours and hours into this job.

 

Anyway, apart from trying a USB mouse, you mention that the only thing you haven't changed is the case, that could be the problem it could somehow be causing a short circuit, possibly something touching the MB.

[Colin Brett]

Colin,

 

This seems like a crazy situation. Surely it's not worth the effort, you must have put hours and hours into this job.

 

Ian,

Of course you are right, it's just I hate to have something like this beat me! It's not often I send out a plea for help but this is doing my brain in.

 

Just a thought, could the memory or bios have a virus?

 

It seems mad that I can run the computer through all the formating and Windows installation with no trouble and the mouse working fine, but as soon as I try to start it up for the first time it freezes up??

 

Colin

I haven't touched it today [so far]

[Guest NickInTheNorth]

How about trying one of the Linux Live CD distros and just see if it works under that. I know that you have tried several windows, but sometimes the linux thing prooves that there is no actual hardware problem.

[peterpikefisher]

The mouse port maybe shorting to earth ..

[Colin Brett]

The mouse port maybe shorting to earth ..

But the mouse works OK during setup??.

 

Colin

 

How about trying one of the Linux Live CD distros and just see if it works under that. I know that you have tried several windows, but sometimes the linux thing prooves that there is no actual hardware problem.

 

Nick,

 

What's one of these and where can I get one?? Can I download from somewhere?

 

Colin