Problem with installing XP on new system:( please help

SIHOLLIES · Oct 17, 2003

Hi Guys, I could do with a bit of help here please.

I have just bought and installed an ABIT K7 mobo, as my gigabyte failed.
My existing OS (WinXP PRO SP1) doesnt boot with this board ( i assume it is because it is a different chipset) so I thought i would do a clean install.
Good idea, I here you say

I set my bios to find cd on boot, and it does all the checks you would expect, up until it states `setup is starting windows`, then it just hangs there, and all hdd and cd activity stops.
I have tried a Liteon cdr/dvd combi, Liteon DVD+rw writer and a X52 CD rom to do the install and it does the same each time wit all these different drives.

I am frankly Stuck

can you please help

Thanx si

Thunder Bolt · Oct 17, 2003

I had exactly the same problem. Had to update either the motherboard BIOS or the graphic card BIOS, can't remember which.

The setup then sailed straight through with no trouble.

X-BoNeS-X · Oct 17, 2003

try win98 boot disk ..see if it stalls .. if so try differ winxp cd ..

SIHOLLIES · Oct 17, 2003

thanxs for the reply guys
WOULD HAVE TO DO
I have tried 2 versions of XP, soi'm assuming its hardware based.
I have anther graphics card that i can put in, so i wil try that, and if that doesnt work, i will try a bios update, ( Strange that i would have to do that,as it is a very new board

thanx again guys.

will keep you informed
si

Duracell · Oct 17, 2003

this is a well known problem with craphic cards based on nVIDIA's GeForce 4 GPU;
like you said, put in your other craphic card for XP setup and it will work;

Greetings from
Duracell

SIHOLLIES · Oct 18, 2003

sorry to say guys that all this has failed. I tried 3 Graphics cards, swopped the ram to different slots using 2 different Dimms. Unplugged all all pci devices, and all but essential ide devices and replaced them one by one.

I replace the mobo due to my system properly crashing.
The atx power connector had actually melted the plastic housing creating a short (it must have been arcing for a while

)

I'll take the MOBO back so they can test it, then take it from there.
I just hope my other devices haven't failed due to this

Thanks again Si

stimpleton · Oct 18, 2003

Bad luck
i had simnilar problems with ribbon cables, took an age to find

SIHOLLIES · Oct 19, 2003

Just saying thanx for your input guys, after hours and hours of trying all different configs, i relented and took it back to the shop, who tested it and diagnosed it as being faulty

I hope i dont have to post again when i get the new one on Monday

thanxs again

VIPER_1069 · Oct 19, 2003

@SIHOLLIES no problems bud its all in a days work here at the forum ....what may of failed to help you ...may just be VALUABLE reading and information for others out there

glad that you got sorted out

The-poacher · Oct 19, 2003

Yep Hardware faults always (except in obvious cases) seem to be the hardest to find <> once took an expert about 6hrs to find that my new athlon chip had an intermittent fault & one of the problems I had was not being able to install windows.

SIHOLLIES · Oct 20, 2003

what may of failed to help you ...may just be VALUABLE reading and information for others out there

I agree completely mate.
The only way to learn is through incidents like this an the input from others.
we are all learning all the time.

Will let you know how i get on with the new mobo

si

SIHOLLIES · Oct 21, 2003

I'm posting again

i have just put the new mobo in and tried to boot to windows.
It got to the log in screen and it hung, so i thought , fair enough i'll reinstall XP.
On trying to do that, it ither stopped at exactly the same point as the last faulty mobo, or went one step further, where there the blue screen of death appeared, and it stated that the irq was equal or less( it may have read wasnt equal or less, i cant remember)
I unplugged all unnecessry hardware and the same thing happened.
I would say that the error message (irq....), came up about 1 time in 10.
Does anyone in the uk know where i stand in demanding a refund for the product, as the guy in the shop said they werent obliged to refund the money, and stated that he would charge to test it
cheers guys

si

Hag · Oct 21, 2003

Hi
A few things spring to mind

When your original system went down did it possibly damage your hard drive ?
have you a spare that you can try ?

Is the memory compatable with the new mobo ?
I know you have swopped your memory around but have you tested it ?
www.simmtester.com do a free memory tester (DocMem20) which might help

Hope this helps

Hag

scarecrow · Oct 21, 2003

Start installing from scratch, having nothing hooked on (just your hardddisk), and if the installation finshes OK then you can start adding peripherals.
If it fails, I would first use some alternative RAM modules, and if these faltered too, another PSU.

Nunyobiznes · Oct 21, 2003

OK. I will offer my vast experience to this topic. To rule out any hardware issues you should fdisk the drive and remove any partitions that are there. After doing that you go back in through fdisk and create 1 primary partition then format it. This will take a while depending on the size of the drive. After format start the computer and it should boot to the c: prompt. If all this happens then your hardware issue is a compatibility issue with XP. You really should install 98 then run the Compatibility Utility to see exactly what hardware is not kosher with XP. Seems to me to be the best answer.

SIHOLLIES · Oct 23, 2003

sorted guys

A combination of things:
The ram was faulty after the previous mobo crash, the cpu fan was faulty too, got yet another new mobo which had failed, ( I assume due to the heat problem?

)

However, here is the good news.

Each component has been replaced by the manufacturer or retailer, as it is all in the warranty period

thanx SO much for your input

Si

Duracell · Oct 24, 2003

thanks for the feedback and nice to hear you got all working without paying extra;