BYO BSOD: Build Your Own "Blue Screen of Death"

(Micro Center Random Access Newsletter, January 2009)

Prices on hard drives, video cards, and processors continue to fall, and memory prices aren't too bad either. I assembled what should be a decent performance system, using an EVGA 780i motherboard, an Intel 9600 series CPU, 6GB of Corsair 1066 DDR2 memory, a pair of NVIDIA 9800 SLI video cards, and a couple of 1 TB hard drives. What occurred during the OS setup phase were a series of minor annoyances, resulting in enough delays to prevent me from documenting the system for our December newsletter. On the other hand, it allowed me to document few tips that might make your next BYO task just a bit easier.

Some of the features I wanted to include in the system were on-board RAID, eSATA (external SATA) support, SLI dual-video card support, and enough slots to handle both current and legacy technology. Making legacy hardware work with the newer systems can be as frustrating as getting old OS versions like Windows XP to support some of the new hardware; sooner or later, you will find things that just don't play well together.

MEMORY:

Memory issues are the first to appear during the OS install, not necessarily because it is incompatible or that there are timing issues, but when there is too much of it. After installation, 32-bit versions of Windows XP and Vista will not see all of the memory when you have 4 GB or more installed. This is due to the memory map used by the OS, and that there are a certain range of addresses reserved by the OS.

The result is that the OS typically reports somewhere between 3.2 GB and 3.4 GB of memory, and ignores anything more. 64-bit versions of Windows are needed to access 4GB or more. But even 64-bit versions of Windows Vista can have problems during the installation process, causing the Setup program to terminate abnormally and display a "Blue Screen" error message...

A search of the error message includes service pack updates, hot fixes and other solutions, but I finally came across a mention of too much memory. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929777)



The work-around is simple: remove memory to take it to 3GB or less, install Windows, and then once installed, replace your extra memory. By pulling one or more memory modules, you should then be able to install Windows Vista or XP. In my case, Windows XP still has a problem, but no longer with the memory...

STORAGE:

When installing Windows to drives configured in a RAID array, the simple approach is to configure the drives in the hardware before installing the OS. Some RAID configurations can be implemented after the install, but this is usually an exception. To be able to install an OS to a target RAID array, the setup program must either support the RAID chipset or you must load the drivers as part of the Setup process. Once drives have been configured as RAID, they will not appear as a standard IDE or SATA storage device, causing you to see something like this:

To correct this under a Windows XP Setup, try to load the SATA IDE and or RAID drivers from a floppy disk by pressing F6 at the first setup screen to specify additional drivers. (Even after loading the NVIDIA IDE-SATA driver and the SATA RAID drivers, XP still did not see my array. It turns out that was apparently due to something in my SP3 slipstream image; the original SP2 media worked fine.) One workaround is to use a standard IDE drive or to install a secondary storage adapter and load its drivers during setup. There are reports of setup errors if RAID is set to use "AHCI" instead of ATA mode
in the BIOS. If the driver load does not work, check the BIOS setup to see if there are options available for the onboard RAID configuration or if RAID setup itself has any options. You may also find SATA settings that can impact how Windows Setup sees the drives. Most SATA drives will appear to be just another IDE device reported by the BIOS, but not always.

Remember, XP only supports adding drivers from floppy during Setup. You should be able to use a USB floppy drive if you do not have one attached to the floppy controller of the motherboard. Windows Vista setup allows you to add drivers from CD or other detected storage device including optical disk, hard drive, etc.

There is another potential issue as well: The original install of Windows
XP (pre- Service Pack 2) only supports up to 128 GB drives. The result may be that Setup reports a drive much smaller than the physical capacity, or the resulting installation is not bootable. You must have SP2 or higher to access drives larger than this.

Another installation problem with storage can be triggered by using a SATA optical drive to install from. This may generate a message about the boot device not being available or something like:

Windows XP (32-bit)

A Windows Vista (64-bit) message looks almost identical except for the 64-bit
codes...

The quick fix is to attach an IDE optical drive during the installation process.
Once the OS has been installed and the chipset and storage drivers have been loaded, you can remove the drive and use the SATA optical drive instead.

Other BYO suggestions:

• If planning a Windows multi-boot configuration, install the "oldest" OS version first. Newer versions usually will detect the previous install and give you the option for a new install or to upgrade the previous version. A new install should give you your multi-boot with the fewest issues. (Check compatibility as well - if you can't find chipset or other drivers for your OS, your system may detect, but cannot use device features without them.)


• When selecting a processor for your system board, be sure to check the vendor site for compatibility. If the processor model was released after the system board was manufactured, you may need a BIOS update for it to support the new CPU. In some cases, you must install a supported CPU to flash the BIOS before the system can boot with the newer CPU installed.


• As with the CPU, check your specifications for memory, drives, video, etc. I find nothing worse than sitting down to build a system only to find one or more components are incompatible. For example, many older modems, SCSI adapters, and other hardware that works fine under XP have no support under Windows Vista.


• Build your system with a minimal configuration to install the OS, this makes for fewer things to go wrong or conflicts to occur. When you get to the OS install phase, fewer devices means fewer drivers will be requested. As you
  add new hardware, you will know exactly what drivers Windows (or any other OS for that matter) is requesting.


• Make sure to power off the power supply or surge strip when installing or changing system components. ATX power supplies feed minimal power to the system board as soon as they are connected and turned on.


• Don't forget your anti-static straps when handling components out of their packaging. I have been sparking to every doorknob and piece of electrical equipment, even with the humidifier on "high". Even if you don't feel the spark, static voltages can destroy or shorten the life of your new system if you don't take simple precautions.


• If you are building a system with a USB card reader, don't connect the device before installing Windows. Many Setup programs will support the reader as a removable drive and shift all of the hard drive and optical drive letters up, placing these devices in the first positions along with any floppy drives. On some older system boards, if you have the BIOS boot sequence configured to "Boot Other", card readers have been known to hang at system startup, waiting for the "removable drive" to report it's "ready".

How to Determine the Type of and Maximum Supported Memory for Your Computer

Upgrading the amount of memory installed on your computer often improves system performance. However, installing the wrong type of memory will usually result in the computer not functioning at all. If you install more memory than the system can support, it may result with the same issue.

There are two important features to look for when upgrading the memory: what will your hardware support and operating system limitations. With regard to operating system limitations, Windows and Mac 32-bit operating systems will not support more than approximately 3 gigabytes of memory. Linux 32-bit will support more than 3 gigabytes of memory, but requires recompiling the kernel.

For Windows and Mac operating systems, it is a limitation of the operating system and can only be overcome by changing to a 64-bit operating system. Windows XP uses a 32-bit operating system, with very few exceptions. (Reference: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/32-bit-and-64-bit-Windows-frequently-asked-questions) Windows Vista and Windows 7 can be either 32-bit or 64-bit. Mac OSX 10.5 (Leopard) and above are 64-bit operating systems but earlier versions are 32-bit.

To determine if Windows Vista or Windows 7 is 32-bit or 64-bit:

1. Left-click the Start button.
2. Right-click Computer.
   
   
   
   
3. Left-click Properties. The System Properties are displayed and will show the version of the operating system.
   
   
   

Make note of the Installed Memory (RAM) immediately above the System Type. This will tell you how much memory the system recognizes. NOTE: This information can be affected by memory used for the video.

Once you know what your operating system is the next step is to determine what your hardware will support. There are different ways to do this:

• If you know the manufacturer and model of the computer or motherboard, you can look the information up on the manufacturer’s web site. The information is typically in the technical specifications for that model. Below is an example of the information from Hewlett Packard’s web site:
  
  
  
  
  Note that it shows the memory that came installed on the computer and the type of RAM that is compatible (in this case PC3-8500 and PC3-10600), how many slots are available, and that it is Dual channel. Dual channel memory should be matched for best performance, although it is not required for the computer to operate.
  
• An alternative to the manufacture site or user’s manual is to use a system scanning utility. An example of this is the Crucial memory scan utility available at www.crucial.com. Below is an example of the output from using the Crucial utility:
  
  
  

Once you know your operating system, the type of memory you have, what the maximum supported is, and whether it is dual channel or not, you can purchase your memory.For information on physically installing the memory go to Micro Center Tech Support's Tech Center for more helpful resources: "How to Install RAM Memory", http://www.microcentertech.com/tech_center/DB/read_article.php?faqid=./HowTos/HOW6000032B.htm

How to Install RAM Memory

All computers require some amount of memory or RAM (Random Access Memory). Many motherboards provide slots for as much as 16GB of RAM. Adding more memory can improve performance, allow more multi-tasking, and reduce the time required for intensive processes like video or audio editing.

This guide will show you how to install memory in your motherboard.

Note: Be sure to use proper precautions including an anti-static wristband or an anti-static mat to avoid hardware damage. Before beginning, make sure the memory is the correct type for your motherboard. Avoid touching the metal contacts or chips.

1. Locate the memory slots on the motherboard as shown in the figure below. Note that your motherboard may have two or more slots, and the exact location may differ.
2. Determine which slots you intend to install the memory into. If you are installing one module, it will typically go in to DIMMA1 or a similarly named slot. For more modules, consult the motherboard manual for additional information.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Push the retaining clips outward to allow installation of the memory module.
4. Align the memory module with the slot by using the off-center notch as shown in the figure below.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Insert the memory module and vertically and firmly in to the slot until the retaining clips snap on to the memory module.
   
   
   
   
   

That’s it! Your memory module is now installed. Repeat for additional memory modules if necessary.

Graphics Cards FAQs

Q: Does my graphics card support ATI CrossFireX/nVidia SLI?
A: In general, most standalone graphics cards support CrossFireX or SLI. Detailed information on whether or not the card supports it will be located on the packaging for the video card.

Q: Will a graphics card with GDDR3/4/5 work with a DDR2 or DDR3 system?
A: Yes, the graphics memory on the card is independent of the system RAM and they do not have to match in any way.

Q: What is the difference between PCI and PCI-Express?
A: PCI or Peripheral Component Interconnect was developed originally in 1993 and has since been revised; it provides sufficient bandwidth for basic devices however, graphics cards require more bandwidth to perform at full capacity, which is the primary purpose of PCI-Express. The peak performance of PCI would be 533MB/s, whereas the peak performance of PCI-Express would be 16GB/s or almost 32 times as fast.

Q: Should the drivers always be kept up to date?
A: To maximize performance and reliability the latest drivers should be regularly downloaded from the ATI or nVidia website, depending on the manufacturer.

Q: What is the difference between AGP and PCI-Express?
A: AGP, or Accelerated Graphics Port was developed originally in 1997 and underwent several revisions. It reached its maximum throughput and needed to be replaced with a higher-bandwidth expansion port to allow for faster graphics card. AGP has a peak performance of about 2GB/s, whereas the current peak performance of PCI-Express is 16GB/s, or around 8 times as fast.

Q: What is the difference between PCI-Expres x1, x4, x8 and x16?
A: PCI-Express x1 is for low-bandwidth expansion cards and allows for a bandwidth of about 1GB/s. The bandwidth increases with the number and allows for cards requiring more and more bandwidth.