Failing Epox machine...bagging Raid O...ghosting

[DaveH]

Guys,
The computer:
Antec SLK3700BQE case
P4 2.8 ghz
2 - 256 meg PC3200 crucial, dual channel
Zalman CNPS7000Cu cooler
Antec trupower 430 w psu
Radeon 9600
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
36 gig Raptors Raid 0 on Intel ICH5R controller
Maxtor slaves
Win2K SP2 (SP3 and SP4 stink on this machine)

The computer is dying. Spontaneous reboots, BSODs on boot, Lost
settings, frequent loss of Santa Cruz control panel icon in system
tray. Occasional failure to recognize Santa Cruz at all. Reboot
almost always fixes the problem, but it may spontaneously reboot hours
later.

Stop errors in the Event log are all over the place.

Mobo has bulging caps which I assume is the problem. Puter is useable
with single channel ram but utterly unstable in dual channel config
(default ram settings).

Got a new 4PDA2+ and will have to rebuild. I would like to bag the
Raid 0 array which I simply do not need (internet machine).

The question is a whether a ghost (2003, DOS, bootable CDROM) image of
the current Raid 0 array will transfer to a single drive, something
like a Seagate SATA 320 gig? I'm thinking it will because it looks
like Win2K and bios looks at the Raid 0 array like a single volume.
I could be utterly wrong.

I'm thinking of replacing the Antec supply with a more powerful
Seasonic and going to a gig crucial ram as well, just to cover all the
bases. May be over kill.
Dave

[Wasn't crazy about going with another EPox 4PDA2+, but want to retain
current Win2k installation. Yes, I know, probably should have gone
with a new Asus or MSI, etc. and do a fresh install]

 

[Rod Speed]

The computer:
Antec SLK3700BQE case
P4 2.8 ghz
2 - 256 meg PC3200 crucial, dual channel
Zalman CNPS7000Cu cooler
Antec trupower 430 w psu
Radeon 9600
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
36 gig Raptors Raid 0 on Intel ICH5R controller
Maxtor slaves
Win2K SP2 (SP3 and SP4 stink on this machine)

The computer is dying. Spontaneous reboots, BSODs on boot, Lost
settings, frequent loss of Santa Cruz control panel icon in system tray.
Occasional failure to recognize Santa Cruz at all. Reboot almost always
fixes the problem, but it may spontaneously reboot hours later.

Stop errors in the Event log are all over the place.

Mobo has bulging caps which I assume is the problem.
Yep.

Puter is useable with single channel ram but utterly
unstable in dual channel config (default ram settings).

Got a new 4PDA2+ and will have to rebuild. I would like to bag
the Raid 0 array which I simply do not need (internet machine).

The question is a whether a ghost (2003, DOS, bootable CDROM)
image of the current Raid 0 array will transfer to a single drive,
something like a Seagate SATA 320 gig?

Very likely not.

I'm thinking it will because it looks like Win2K and
bios looks at the Raid 0 array like a single volume.

The problem is that it needs to look like a single volume FROM
DOS for Ghost 2003 to be able to image it and thats very unlikely.

I could be utterly wrong.

You could indeed, and it should be easy to try, if it cant see
the drive from the booted CD, you'll soon see the problem.

True Image and Ghost 9 and 10 should work fine tho if you
image the drive at the 2k level where the raid 0 is a single drive.

I'm thinking of replacing the Antec supply with a more powerful Seasonic and
going to a gig crucial ram as well, just to cover all the bases. May be over kill.

Yeah, its very unlikely to be other than the motherboard with those
bulging caps and those symptoms. Very unlikey for an inadequate
power supply to produce a reboot or those stop errors in the log
and you can always change the power supply later if you need to.

[Wasn't crazy about going with another EPox 4PDA2+, but want
to retain current Win2k installation. Yes, I know, probably should
have gone with a new Asus or MSI, etc. and do a fresh install]

If you had been using XP you could have done a
repair install on a completely different motherboard.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Guys,
The computer:
Antec SLK3700BQE case
P4 2.8 ghz
2 - 256 meg PC3200 crucial, dual channel
Zalman CNPS7000Cu cooler
Antec trupower 430 w psu
Radeon 9600
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
36 gig Raptors Raid 0 on Intel ICH5R controller
Maxtor slaves
Win2K SP2 (SP3 and SP4 stink on this machine)

The computer is dying. Spontaneous reboots, BSODs on boot, Lost
settings, frequent loss of Santa Cruz control panel icon in system
tray. Occasional failure to recognize Santa Cruz at all. Reboot
almost always fixes the problem, but it may spontaneously reboot hours
later.

Stop errors in the Event log are all over the place.

Mobo has bulging caps which I assume is the problem.

Very, very likely. Replacing them should fix the problem.

Puter is useable
with single channel ram but utterly unstable in dual channel config
(default ram settings).

Abnd it will likely get worse. Also your CPU is at risk from
unclean regulation.

Got a new 4PDA2+ and will have to rebuild. I would like to bag the
Raid 0 array which I simply do not need (internet machine).

The question is a whether a ghost (2003, DOS, bootable CDROM) image of
the current Raid 0 array will transfer to a single drive, something
like a Seagate SATA 320 gig? I'm thinking it will because it looks
like Win2K and bios looks at the Raid 0 array like a single volume.
I could be utterly wrong.

You can also simply copy it over.

I'm thinking of replacing the Antec supply with a more powerful
Seasonic and going to a gig crucial ram as well, just to cover all the
bases. May be over kill.
Dave

[Wasn't crazy about going with another EPox 4PDA2+, but want to retain
current Win2k installation. Yes, I know, probably should have gone
with a new Asus or MSI, etc. and do a fresh install]

At least the capacitor problem is solved in newer mainboards.

Arno

 

[DaveH]

Yep.

Yes---Logic and experience suggests bad caps as the most likely
culprit. However, I have another 4PDA2+ with bulging caps that is
perfectly stable. Its prob is wildly fluctuating CPU temp sensing, a
prob which apparently has plagued this board and not necessarily cap
related. Rather, dodgy sensor, tho I'm not sure really.

Very likely not.


The problem is that it needs to look like a single volume FROM
DOS for Ghost 2003 to be able to image it and thats very unlikely.

I've successfully produced a ghost image of this Win2k installation
contained in the Raid 0 array many times, and then subsequently been
able to use the gho files many times to rescue the machine from, for
example, an impossible virus infection.

Can I assume from this that it does indeed look like a single volume
from DOS. That would be consistent with Arno's reply.

Of course I can always try it and return to the original Raid 0 config
if it doesn't work, or do fresh install, which I loathe, but it is
frequently beneficial in the llong run.

I could be utterly wrong.

You could indeed, and it should be easy to try, if it cant see
the drive from the booted CD, you'll soon see the problem.

True Image and Ghost 9 and 10 should work fine tho if you
image the drive at the 2k level where the raid 0 is a single drive.

I'm thinking of replacing the Antec supply with a more powerful Seasonic and
going to a gig crucial ram as well, just to cover all the bases. May be over kill.

Yeah, its very unlikely to be other than the motherboard with those
bulging caps and those symptoms. Very unlikey for an inadequate
power supply to produce a reboot or those stop errors in the log
and you can always change the power supply later if you need to.

[Wasn't crazy about going with another EPox 4PDA2+, but want
to retain current Win2k installation. Yes, I know, probably should
have gone with a new Asus or MSI, etc. and do a fresh install]

If you had been using XP you could have done a
repair install on a completely different motherboard.

 

[DaveH]

Very, very likely. Replacing them should fix the problem.


Abnd it will likely get worse. Also your CPU is at risk from
unclean regulation.

Mmmmm.....Did not consider this specifically, but have wondered about
damage to other components as the board deteriorates. Guess I better
replace the mobo sooner rather than later.

It's that Zalman 7000Cu cooler and arctic silver critical operation
that has me procrastinating. The 7000 is probably overkill for my
needs. The P4 2.8 northwood runs around 35 F, maybe 45 F at 100% cpu
usage (prime 95, etc.). Ambient = 72 F. Probably should bag the
arctic silver. Too finicky, hard to clean, dubious value.

You can also simply copy it over.

Good...hope your right.

I've been out of the loop since about '03. Looks like Seagate sata
drives are popular. I know Rod likes, or liked Samsung. I did have a
Samsung fail, which means nothing of course. A single failure is
anecdotal and not statistically meaningful, to say the least.

I'm thinking of replacing the Antec supply with a more powerful
Seasonic and going to a gig crucial ram as well, just to cover all the
bases. May be over kill.
Dave

[Wasn't crazy about going with another EPox 4PDA2+, but want to retain
current Win2k installation. Yes, I know, probably should have gone
with a new Asus or MSI, etc. and do a fresh install]

At least the capacitor problem is solved in newer mainboards.

That is their claim. They look different, not sure of the brand. But
the 4PDA2+ is just overkill for my needs. It has enough sata and pata
ports to hook up a 100 drives. Well, not quite a 100, but lots.