Hi all.

I'm very frustrated.
I have a computer with a MicorStar motherboard with 2.8GHz, 256MB DDR333RAM SIMM PC2700 and nothing extra installed. No joystick etc, no games, 80GB HDD, DVDRW etc...

Trying to setup an internet connection recently and so installed a device driver I needed as told by a tech as my Internet connection off my router wasn't being picked up. I certainly could not find my ethernet LAN driver from the MSI website as my MS-6743 478 socket 865G motherboard was not listed there (mines a version 1.0) but other very similar were there.
Anyway, I went into add new hardware - it stated a yellow question mark and written next to it "ethernet adapter".
So I clicked [something maybe properties] and it stated device driver not installed.

I installed one that I could find for my series motherboard Intel 10/100 PCI because my Ethernet rj45 port is attached to the motherboard as an integrated Fast Ethernet MAC and PHY in one chip (no network adapter: no PCMCIA cardbus obviously (all slots are free), no PCI card in the slots and no USB adapter).

At the back of my computer, there IS an ethernet port with the same symbol as should be if a network adapter is installed. Now I have ran internet off this I remember fully. It's the computer I set up the router on & used it for the first 9 months two or so years ago.
When I opened the tower up, there is only a small box attached to the section harbouring the ethernet port, which comes with the motherboard. This also houses two USB ports and nothing else. The container is rectangular in shape and only ~2cm*4cm*4cm.

Anyway yesterday I tried installing the driver saved, off my USB pen drive and it kept failing. Anyway I went into devmgmt.msc and it stated a "network adapters" as an expandable heading in the list. I clicked the plus and the Intel 10/100 PCI ethernet adapter was there. A right click and it said "enable" so I figured its disabled. I chose enable and it shows up in my quick launch icons as new hardware found. But right next to it another icon stating "network cable unplugged". Yes, so I plugged in the ethernet rj45 coming from my router port two and hey, it all worked!

I browsed the internet successfully and installed many programs on it- mainly HijackThis, Sunbelt Kerio Firewall, Spybot S&D, SiS Sandra Lite, Avast! anti-virus, Spyware Guard, Spyware Blaster, Ewido Anti-malware, Belarc Advisor, Brute Force Uninstaller, EvonSoft Sysinof, CCleaner, Advanced Spyware Remover, Diskeeper Lite, MRU Blaster, Evon Tools, RegSupreme Pro, CounterSpy.

Now it worked perfectly all night although I couldn't run Diskeeper Lite, anti-virus nor ASR or Ewido as it rebooted automatically. Today evening, a try switching the computer on it read many windows with "windows has recovered from a serious error" etc.. and the computer then showed me the BLUE SCREEN of death with the STOP error. Then it automatically restarted giving me no time for anything.

Then evertytime it started it reverted back to a blue screen with different errors many times. All STOP errors. I can't even get into Safemode as the USB linked keyboard only functions at the very start of power on and after the Windows has loaded up.


The errors I get (I feel are to do with this driver), here are a few I noted down:

The very first one repeated a few times and then stopped coming up:
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL STOP: (don' remember maybe =>) 0x00000050 or 0x100000BE

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Some of: Disable or remove any new hardware or software.. etc
STOP: 0x00000050 (0xF87D02D7, 0x00000001, 0x804E2AE0, 0x00000000)

PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA Some of: Disable or remove any new hardware or software.. etc
Error with fwdrv.sys
STOP: 0x00000050 (0xBB4C3240, 0x00000080, 0xF8F60F5F, 0x00000002)
fwdrv.sys Address F8F60F5F base at F8F3B000, Datestamp [never got]

PFN_LIST_CORRUPT
STOP: 0x0000004E (0x000008F, 0x000070CC, 0x000067CC, 0x00000000)

Roughly: Use CHKDSK /F to check memory corruption
STOP: 0x00000024

Disable any anti-virus, defragmenter, backup or system utility and run CHKDSK/ F
STOP: 0x00000024
CLASSPNP.SYS Address F9568AFF base at 59568000 Datestamp 41107ec2

STOP: 0x00000FE3, 0x00000000, 0xBF905B7F, 0x00000000)
win32k.sys Address BF905B7F base at BF800000 Datestamp 41107f7a

Roughly: Disable drivers, see if there's adequate disk space
STOP: 0x0000008E

Another one identifying NTFS.SYS and on and on it goes!

Please, can anyone help me?

I've been through the Microsoft knowledge base, what a farce that is! I can't believe how ridiculously impossible they try making some matters.

I have these links but I don't know what to make of them:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;818501
http://kadaitcha.cx/stop_err.html#0x0000000A
http://kadaitcha.cx/cannot_start_xp.html
http://pressf1.pcworld.co.nz/showthread.php?t=53947
http://www.theeldergeek.com/forum/in...howtopic=11662

Safemode:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/en-us <= I dont get these option if I press F8

Please help!!!

Your errors are more detailed here:

0x00000050

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/329293

0x0000004E

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291806

As to the motherboard MSI has a confusing system for ID. From what I see the MS-6743 relates to this board (and this driver: Intel 10/100 Ethernet Drivers):

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/suppor...UID=453&kind=1

Although the standard model does not have an on-board Ethernet controller:

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/produc...il.php?UID=453

Manual here:

http://www.msi.com.tw/program/suppor...UID=453&kind=1




Going to the USB keyboard issue: can you get a PS/2 keyboard or an adapter? Any electronics shop will have these adapters for a few dollars.

Without being able to get into Safe Mode you would probably need to reinstall XP although you could try booting the XP CD to the Recovery Console (but again you would need the keyboard here):

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;314058

I now CAN get into Safemode.

So what do I do from here?

I ran checks that it most likely IS my video adapter driver. I installed my Audio drivers after seeing that they were missing and some advice. Only ones left were the VGA drivers. I clicked the links you provided as resembling mmy mobo and downloaded the drivers from that particular mobo series. I disabled the ethernet driver because it was ony AFTER I downloaded/installed that that all the problems with the blue screens started appearing.

When I deleted the VGA adapter all was perfect. The minute I reinstalled it the blue screens started apapearing one after the other.

I posted the problem on MSI UK support 4 days ago. No reply yet.

Any idea's on what to do next? My mobo looks exactly like the one in the link you've provided, BUT only its version is different on the board (all other codes/layout/slots exact). Mine says version 1.0 after MS-6743.

Thanks for the brilliant help so far!

Just to clarify:

Installing the motherboard VGA drivers causes problems which removing resolves?

Is there any difference in the Video quality with drivers removed?

Are you certain that you do not have an AGP Video card installed?

What is listed in the Device Manager under Display adapters?

On the appropriate webpage MSI has stated that "product version may differ across regions" - so I am sure now that my mainboard is the socket 478 Intel 865G series based MS-6743 865GM2-LS.
ALL my updates/upgrades were from that page.

I haven't updated my BIOS. It reads Phoenix version 6.0 in Device manager, but on the MSI page they say MSI version 5.5 is the only one released!!

Could it be that this is the wrong one and causing everything to go waywoo?

Because I installed the correct VGA driver and Ethernet port driver.

The problem only occurs as I switch to enable the ethernet adapter when the VGA adapter is enabled.

Before this I encountered NO problems but couldn't get onto the net which I need and is what initially I was trying for.

If I remove the VGA driver I installed it makes zero difference to video quality.

There's no video card in there. All the slots of PCI and AGP are free.

Under Display before there was nothing and under a yellow question mark it stated VGA adapter. Now there is Intel Extreme Graphics 865G under Display in Device Manager IIRC.

BTW the PC was at a tech friends for the last two years. Before that it had all the drivers and necessary capability. It seems he's been changing and removing them as I found no audio, video and ethernet adapters/drivers when I got it back.

What does Belarc show for BIOS?

http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html

Under Main Circuit Board


Sorry if I am missing something but what is the problem with the LAN driver installed and the VGA not installed?

Or is the issue enabling from the Device Manager?

If so what happens if you run with the VGA disabled? Are the graphics still OK?

Hold on I'll see if I can run Belarc - it normally wouldn't load up without the blue screen coming up and consecutive errors/reboots one after another!

If I install the LAN driver without the VGA driver or with - the blue screens mentioned in the OP appear.

Without the VGA the graphics are still ok, yes.

Cheers Jephree - I'll be back!

Jephree I disabled both the Network ethernet adapter and the Intel Extreme 2 Graphics VGA adapter and I was able to run the computer perfectly.
Here's what Belarc had under mainboard:

Board: MICRO-STAR INTL, CO.,LTD. Springdale-G Ver0A
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG 05/29/2003

?

What I'm asking is, is this BIOS correct?

I know the updated MSI version 5.5. BIOS for my mainboard was released in 2004 BTW.

Sorry to keep throwing links at you but try this little program: CPU Z

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

It is very detailed as to board specs. Look under the Mainboard tab for the BIOS.

I have another program I think is just as good actually: EVEREST Home Edition

That also monitors most of these components. The problem is I can't get the PC on, past the start menu, where the blue screen appears now.

No problem with that. Are you kidding, an extra program and an apology!!!

At the start I noticed my screen on this particular computer shows a screen with writing:

AGP Extreme 8 Series

What's all that about?

I haven't got a PS/2 keyboard not in use. There is one and its in a ver awkward position upstairs. I've had to take it out a good 15 odd times in the last two weeks. Everytime I think I don't need it I end up needing it again!