Are you able to boot into Safe mode? To do this press F8 continuously at startup. Then select the option "Safe Mode" and press Enter. If you can get into Safe mode post back here.
Also try moving the RAM sticks from slot to slot, 1 at a time in each slot, booting the computer in-between to see if it is a bad RAM stick or RAM slot at fault.
Serunson
Posting Maven
2,578 posts since Mar 2007
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if the pc is booting and you are not getting a BSOD, but instead freezes, this is pointing to the HDD, use a disk utility ( that will not destroy you data) to run a check also do you have an external HDD or IPOD connected to the PC?
bobbyraw
Nearly a Posting Virtuoso
1,324 posts since Oct 2006
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Sounds to me as though the ICH (what would have been known as the south bridge in older sysyems)on your motheboard may have dry joints underneath it.
One of the many functions of the ICH is the USB controller. It is also one of the major central players in the running of the mobo.
In my job which has involved upgrade and repair of 1000s of motherboards on major industry leader contracts , intermittent problems such as the ones you are describing, are often attributed to poor connections under a BGA.
In case you don't know, a BGA is a chip where all the connections(solder balls) are underneath the chip itself rather than having pins around the outside like conventional chips. A dry joint is where a connection from the motherboard to the chip is damaged.
My experience is based on test and repar of motherboards and not sysyems
Please wait a bit longer and see if you can get any answers that point to possible system errors that you may have before writing off your motherboard.
lostandfound
Junior Poster in Training
51 posts since Jan 2008
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