Computer problems

[LODgunther]

Hello,

 

I have this computer for two years now and I keep having problems with it:

- Basic Operating System

Whatever I pick from the advanced options (refresh, boot from cd/dvd, factory reset,...) my computer restarts but my screen goes completly black and my monitor button starts flashing, I can't do anything except pressing num/caps lock, so my keyboard and all the rest of fans, cpu,... is working.

Luckly I can still get out by simply pressing the reset button (execpt for factory reset, which keeps the black screen, so I would be screwed --')

 

- windows 8.1 cd

When I put in the cd-key to run the setup, it ask me to what I want to keep (all/just my files/nothing) it then starts installing Windows 8.1 to 100% but when the computer restarts i get a 0x101 - 0x20017 message. 

A windows.old folder is made, but nothing has changed.

 

- BIOS

I read in the manual it's DEL to access, but I run into the same problem as above.

 

- I see no windows 8.1 logo on start up

 

- Power usage/Kernel Power

When I leave the computer, it goes to 'sleep' mode (pc power led is out), but when I go near it my pc suddenly starts, I don't have a webcam with motion sensors and even so the webcam is disconnected. I even heard it 'waking up' when i was downstairs (all the fans blows loudly which is normal)

 

- External drives

When I put a specific HDD the computer restarts like I would have pressed the button (all fans blows loudly which is normal) after I safety removed it from task pane.

This external drive just stops making 'the spinnning noise' (it falls asleep?), when I go it's files it quickly starts spinning again and the computer starts to freeze to reinitialize the drive.

 

What I've already done

SPF /scannow > no problems

'clean boot state' (all non MS-services/startup services disabled, retried my problems)

 

Specs:

Machine: Corsair

OS: Windows 8.1 64 bit

Language: Dutch

Processor: Intel Core I5-4570 CPU @ 3.20GHZ (4cpus), ~3.2GHZ

Memory: 8192MB

Available: 8080MB

DirectX11

Display: Intel HD Graphics 4600

External HDD: MEDION HDDrive 2 GO 3TB

 

info about me:

Dutch: mother tongue, English: average/good, you probably already noticed about my spelling and grammar.

IT knowledge: I know nothing about hardware at all, and I sometimes get lost in windows 8.1 (yeah, I grew up with a windows 98/XP, I sometimes get confused by above problems] So, if you could help me and you point me to change X, then please clarify by "go to A, press button B, change option C, ..." 

 

I'm very nervous to do an upgrade to windows 10, which could probably solve these problems.

> If would pick the upgrade from the taskbar or do a clean windows 10 from cd install I'm afraid of having the black screen and the OS could be irrevertable to Win 8.1

> are all "classic" games (such as diablo 2, skyrim, fallout 3, etc, ...) compatible with windows 10?

[gregathit]

Upgrading to Windows 10 isn't going to solve this.  Your problem looks to be your video card, and guessing by what spec's you provided, is an onboard one.  I recommend you go out and buy a gaming video card.  You can pick them up fairly cheap and I'd think that would resolve quite a lot of things.  If that isn't your bag, then try reinstalling the video card drivers for your on board card.

 

As to addressing windows errors installing an OS, you're much more likely to get better help going to microsoft directly.  

Here is a link that I google up as an example:  http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_install/windows-81-installation-failure-0x101-0x20017/33af5d53-9e92-43e0-b594-9cd3f6ebb1e6?auth=1

[TwoOfFiveIsTen]

I want to agree with greg 50/50.

Having stability issues with windows installing rarely has anything to do with the graphics card unless it's messing up memory addressing.

 

Intel graphics in general is built using 100% potato. They run like crap, work with nothing, and die like crazy. Intel has great CPUs, but their graphic chips are totally useless.

 

So what should you do?

 

First thing to do. Unplug EVERYTHING that does not need to be in there. Put only 1 DIMM of memory in, 1 drive, 1 CPU, and 0 of anything the system can run without. Next try to do what you wanted to do. If it doesn't work, shift things around. Try another drive, switch the slot the DIMM is in or even try another one.

 

If this fails the second thing to do is to go to someone who can personally work on it in real life and has spare parts to try.

If you want to piss away the money you can try buying new parts to try, but this normally is a bad idea, because if you have the money to do that then

you have the money to buy a whole new machine.

 

At this moment the best thing anyone here can do is give you a guess at what is wrong. If they are right, then lucky you, but if they are wrong you wasted time and/or money trying their theory out.

 

I know the answer bring it to a repair shop sounds a bit lazy and cliche, but this issue is out of range of most people here. Unless you somehow find someone with the exact problem and solution as you, then you will just be given vague answers and guess jobs.

 

If you have MORE information that you think might shed any light on this, feel free to post it here, but honestly we can't do much more.

 

 

[oticon]

i agree with Greg but will side mainly with 2of5is10 lol ... there really is an underlying issue commonly found on gaming forums and is a bit of a conundrum for us that are builders / programmers / gamers / and moders alike the misconception is we will have the answers to your issue ... truth said is all we can opt for you is best guess, if you really want to pursue this in gaming forums then you first must take into considerations the point of views you will receive, chances are many here can help but without more information like what your system was doing that led to this issue or rather what you were doing with your system no matter how small or insignificant it may sound its all very important, the variables that can lead to an unstable machine are astronomical and likewise so is the fix for the issue, however there is an issue with window 8.1 that seems to be little known, if you have a discreet video card and an onboard intel gpu then the issue is that the os sees that you have 2 monitors installed by default, the fix is simple remove your GPU and finish install then dl new drivers for your GPU shut down and save then install new gpu then start up enter bios and select gpu as primary and disable the onboard graphics save and restart then install new drivers when prompted, as for why this is an issue with 8.1 , The OS assumes because you have 2 video outputs that it must have 2 monitors ,and so it sends feed to both signals when the one bogus signal replies that it cannot display said signals it throws a default which as we all know causes a system to hang