Chkdsk runs everytime I restart

Dave76 said:

:
1. Always install your boot HDD in SATA port 0.
2.Your CD/DVD should be in any other SATA port

that one may be easier said than done....

On the XPS Studio 9100, out of the factory, SATA 0 is the DVD and the DVD must phyisically sit in the factory position due to the case desgin. The cage it sits in is spefically marke ODD.. sopposed to HDD in other postions. So it can be only changed via the cabling.

There are only three typical SATA connectors .. all I can see doing is swap the cable connectors at the m/b end, but I dont knoe what other conflicts that will cause. May not be such a good idea...

The blue cable currently goes to the DVD (SATA 0 in BIOS )
The black cable goes to the main drive ( factory position) S(ATA 2 in BIOS)
The red cable goes to the backup drive (SATA 4 in BIOS)

In this configuration, the BIOS reports the drives as shown below.

Is SATA0 for a hard drive that critical ??? is yes why does Dell specifically NOT to this???


(As an aside, I put the HITACHI drive in to do testing on it. But the HITACHI Fitness test does not recognize it or any other drive. Will have to use Dell or other other diagnostics)

Is SATA0 for a hard drive that critical ??? is yes why does Dell specifically NOT to this???

No it's not, guys that have been building for some time usually go to SATA0 out of habit as do I, but it's not necessary...

mediaman09 said:

OK, the machine currently has the orignal Dell 6 GB of RAM installed, as I has started reseating the memory after the first 94 updates.

I suppose the next step it go back to 2 GB?? I can, and will, but again as I do not want to do this every time, can it be dialed back to 2GB in the BIOS ??

Your comments suggest that you're thinking the updates failed because of "Too Much Ram", don't think so. It's much more likely that one of the original (Dell) ram sticks has failed. Why not remove all the dell ram and run with the newer ram you purchased? IMO everything in the thread points to a hardware issue, particularly ram, yet it could also be one of the memory slots. Removing all the dell ram gets you one step closer the identifying the problem since the problems returned after adding ram back...

Keep in mind every time the box crashes you're take the risk of file corruption, therefore you reduce the chance of properly isolating the problem. I'm not certain why you started adding ram back before you finished loading drivers and completing updates. If you would have waited until the box was completely updated you could have started testing and loading up the box with Prime95 or whatever to ensure it was stable before adding ram back (one stick at a time), then more testing, and finally loading apps.

I’m certain you’re frustrated and tired of looking at it, but if you’re still having issues you may have to start over again. Considering you can load the OS, install all drivers, and do all updates in less than an hour, that's probably significantly less time than trouble shooting again, the current issues.

win7clutz said:

Your comments suggest that you're thinking the updates failed because of "Too Much Ram", don't think so. It's much more likely that one of the original (Dell) ram sticks has failed.

Thats of course quite possible. All the mem tests to test did however pass. The 'too much ram" is certainly not an idea or concept I can take credit for. This thread has advised me a dozen times that pulling all the memory except 2GB ofter addresses the issue. Was not my thought at all. I was the first to express surprise . memory failures - yup much more plausibe.... but even that would be really strange that I woold not see that impact on any application except a Windows Update. .. and the Dell diagnostic would not see it either.

win7clutz said:

Why not remove all the dell ram and run with the newer ram you purchased?

Sure, I can do that. Likely the next logical step. Advice to date was to start with the original Dell 6GB and work my way up. But I can certainly do the opposite and start with the new memory instead.

win7clutz said:

I'm not certain why you started adding ram back before you finished loading drivers and completing updates. If you would have waited .....

Whoa . With all due respect, thats a completely unfair comment. I specically folowed every instruction, direction, suggestion here, in the right order and asked a thousand questions along the way, including tre question of when to start putting back the ram in post 51. I thinl it was post 68 that said "I think you can reinstall all of the RAM but if problems crop up it should be suspect". As well, "completing updates" is not a fixed endpoint. Updates never end. At that rate I would never be able to put the RAM back. In hindsight, perhaps the advice should have been to not reinstall RAM until SP1 is fully installed.

win7clutz said:

I’m certain you’re frustrated and tired of looking at it, but if you’re still having issues you may have to start over again.

Frustrated and tired are understatments. I'm exhauted. I'm beated down and worn out. I'm disaapointed. I'm seconds from throwing in the towel. I gave it more than a good shot. I put up a good fight. But sometimes you need to know fold up and to walk away. A beginner would have done so 5 dozen posts ago. Starting all over again? I dont think so. If I cannot solve this , with forom help, then there is only one option left and thats put Dell only hardware back, throw it in the car, drive to Dell (wherever that is), before my warranty expires in 80 days, and tell them SP1 cannot be installed (even though months back it did). I can tell them I suspect its a RAM stick or a memory slot or the harddrive. They likely have a slipstreamed DVD and will simply and sucessfuly load it without issue and not even test the hardware (which by the way passed the Dell diagnostics)

win7clutz said:

Considering you can load the OS, install all drivers, and do all updates in less than an hour, that's probably significantly less time than trouble shooting again, the current issues.

Less than an hour??? From USB or DVD install to SP1? I think its a lot longer than that...and besides, all that "is" troubleshooting". No, this ship has sailed. I am 'so' done. I will play with the memory one and try the last set gregrocker options, but I will not start over again and again and again. Been there done that. It s too much. You guys have been great, but i think we need to cut our losses if the "new" memory doesnt help.