Windows XP problem

[Rob von Esebeck]

Hi. I have built a pc based on the Gigabyte SINXP1394
Mobo. I have a P4 2.4Ghz PC, 512 MB PC2700 RAM, GeForce FX
5200, one 10GB Samsung Hard drive (from my old eMachine)
as Primary Master and a 20GB Barricuda drive as Primary
Slave.
My problem is this: I installed Windows XP Pro fine and it
works great. Apart from that I installed Office XP pro,
Nero Burning Rom and Flight Simulator 2002 with two addons
(all purchased from shops, not downloaded). However one
morning i started my pc and after a long wait i came up
with the error: Windows failed to load because <windows
root>\System\ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt. Please
reinstall this file.
I reinstalled windows on the pretence that a program
called tweak xp did it and i unistalled the said program.
it worked fine for a week and now the message has come up
again. I havnt made any changes to my pc so why does it
stop working???
Also, my pc posts at startup with a message: Check Sytem
Health!
Any ideas anyone??? because im at the end of my tether.
Thanks again,
Robert von Esebeck

[Jim]

The "check system health" message is probably coming from the "health"
section of your BIOS! So it's probably related to some item being monitored
there, like the CPU, PSU, fans, motherboard temps (of the four, CPU most
likely). When the system becomes unstable for any of a number of reasons,
you can get that "file is corrupted" message when booting Windows. It's not
really corrupted though, that's why simply repairing the file often has no
effect. It's "corrupted" only in the sense that the system failed to read
it, due to instability (memory loss, CPU overheated and produced processing
errors, etc.). I would monitor your temps and fans closely, perhaps install
MotherBoard Monitor 5 (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/) to keep a constant eye
on it when working. Your mobo CD may contain its own Windows monitor as
well, check it out. You may need to reseat the CPU (perhaps HSF has
loosened, not seated tightly, bad thermal compound contact, bad fan. etc.
Btw, I recommend attaching the CPU fan to the 12v line, not mobo header,
some headers can't provide sufficient watts, may be running under spec, in
fact, THIS may be the health warning, fan running too slow!!).

As just routine maintenance, I always recommend verifying memory too w/
memtest-86 (http://www.memtest86.com). It's FREE and easy, couldn't hurt.

When all else fails, I'd make sure you have a VERY good PSU (power supply).
Lots of cheapy generics being handed out w/ $35 case+psu deals, but
inadequate for all but most basic setups. Many don't age well either, and
will eventually fail, or provide widely varying voltages or undervoltages
(which can corrupt the CPU, memory, etc.) on the various rails. Next thing
you know, corrupted file on Windows load.

HTH

Jim


"Rob von Esebeck" > wrote in message
...
> Hi. I have built a pc based on the Gigabyte SINXP1394
> Mobo. I have a P4 2.4Ghz PC, 512 MB PC2700 RAM, GeForce FX
> 5200, one 10GB Samsung Hard drive (from my old eMachine)
> as Primary Master and a 20GB Barricuda drive as Primary
> Slave.
> My problem is this: I installed Windows XP Pro fine and it
> works great. Apart from that I installed Office XP pro,
> Nero Burning Rom and Flight Simulator 2002 with two addons
> (all purchased from shops, not downloaded). However one
> morning i started my pc and after a long wait i came up
> with the error: Windows failed to load because <windows
> root>\System\ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt. Please
> reinstall this file.
> I reinstalled windows on the pretence that a program
> called tweak xp did it and i unistalled the said program.
> it worked fine for a week and now the message has come up
> again. I havnt made any changes to my pc so why does it
> stop working???
> Also, my pc posts at startup with a message: Check Sytem
> Health!
> Any ideas anyone??? because im at the end of my tether.
> Thanks again,
> Robert von Esebeck

[Gran Salseron]

Or it could be an AMD cpu. :-)

"Jim" > wrote in message
news:yl9za.41784$eJ2.25460@fed1read07...
> The "check system health" message is probably coming from the "health"
> section of your BIOS! So it's probably related to some item being
monitored
> there, like the CPU, PSU, fans, motherboard temps (of the four, CPU most
> likely). When the system becomes unstable for any of a number of reasons,
> you can get that "file is corrupted" message when booting Windows. It's
not
> really corrupted though, that's why simply repairing the file often has no
> effect. It's "corrupted" only in the sense that the system failed to read
> it, due to instability (memory loss, CPU overheated and produced
processing
> errors, etc.). I would monitor your temps and fans closely, perhaps
install
> MotherBoard Monitor 5 (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/) to keep a constant eye
> on it when working. Your mobo CD may contain its own Windows monitor as
> well, check it out. You may need to reseat the CPU (perhaps HSF has
> loosened, not seated tightly, bad thermal compound contact, bad fan. etc.
> Btw, I recommend attaching the CPU fan to the 12v line, not mobo header,
> some headers can't provide sufficient watts, may be running under spec, in
> fact, THIS may be the health warning, fan running too slow!!).
>
> As just routine maintenance, I always recommend verifying memory too w/
> memtest-86 (http://www.memtest86.com). It's FREE and easy, couldn't hurt.
>
> When all else fails, I'd make sure you have a VERY good PSU (power
supply).
> Lots of cheapy generics being handed out w/ $35 case+psu deals, but
> inadequate for all but most basic setups. Many don't age well either, and
> will eventually fail, or provide widely varying voltages or undervoltages
> (which can corrupt the CPU, memory, etc.) on the various rails. Next
thing
> you know, corrupted file on Windows load.
>
> HTH
>
> Jim
>
>
> "Rob von Esebeck" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi. I have built a pc based on the Gigabyte SINXP1394
> > Mobo. I have a P4 2.4Ghz PC, 512 MB PC2700 RAM, GeForce FX
> > 5200, one 10GB Samsung Hard drive (from my old eMachine)
> > as Primary Master and a 20GB Barricuda drive as Primary
> > Slave.
> > My problem is this: I installed Windows XP Pro fine and it
> > works great. Apart from that I installed Office XP pro,
> > Nero Burning Rom and Flight Simulator 2002 with two addons
> > (all purchased from shops, not downloaded). However one
> > morning i started my pc and after a long wait i came up
> > with the error: Windows failed to load because <windows
> > root>\System\ntoskrnl.exe is missing or corrupt. Please
> > reinstall this file.
> > I reinstalled windows on the pretence that a program
> > called tweak xp did it and i unistalled the said program.
> > it worked fine for a week and now the message has come up
> > again. I havnt made any changes to my pc so why does it
> > stop working???
> > Also, my pc posts at startup with a message: Check Sytem
> > Health!
> > Any ideas anyone??? because im at the end of my tether.
> > Thanks again,
> > Robert von Esebeck
>
>


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