Another XP Pro install problem - 24hrs of Lies!

[Yamar]

Hi. The frustration level is starting to boil over here. Can anyone help?

I've assembled a Sempron 3100+ sckt 754 system for my folks on an Asus K8N-E Deluxe board using a single WD 74GB SATA drive but can't complete the Windoows XP installation. I'm using the OEM version of XP Pro w/ SP2 that they sell at New Egg and believe I have tried *everything* mentioned in various forums but still no luck. Despite claims that SP2 & nForce boards should make this installation easy-as-pie those claims are all LIES!

The hardware appears to be fine, I've tried various bios settings, got the latest SiI3114 SATA driver but after F6'ing it in during the install, when setup gets to the point where blue-screen setup says it is loading the NTFS file system the computer reboots & setup starts all over again from scratch. I've made no progess in 24 hours.

Any ideas as to what might be tripping me up? I'm feeling pretty snake-bit right now.

 

[Smilin]

K, keep this simple and don't drive yourself nuts.

Be sure your System and SATA BIOS is up to date.
Boot with XP CD, Hit F6, provide latest drivers on floppy disk.
Setup should complete, PERIOD. If you are providing the proper F6 drivers and it fails, you have a hardware problem and you should start RMAing.

 

[Smilin]

Just to be clear once more cuz you seem about to flip out:


Up to date BIOS + correct driver = worky.

If no worky, then hardware failure.

 

[Yamar]

Hardware problem? Really? Ok, I'll go check everything *again* after I go take a long walk. Thanks for the quick reply.

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: Yamar

The hardware appears to be fine, I've tried various bios settings, got the latest SiI3114 SATA driver but after F6'ing it in during the install, when setup gets to the point where blue-screen setup says it is loading the NTFS file system the computer reboots & setup starts all over again from scratch. I've made no progess in 24 hours.

Why are you using silicon drivers?

Make sure you connect you HD to the onboard NF3 SATA connectors & not the silicon ones,check your manual to see what connector use what...


USE the SATA1 or SATA2 connectors between the video card & cpu.

 

[PoopyPants]

owning a k8n-e deluxe let me ask you this

are you using the Sil SATA Driver or the Sil rAID 5 driver do not use the raid 5 driver it wont work simply use the SATA driver if you really need it i got it, pm me and i can send it.

other than that,... you may try using the nvidia sata although i dont recommend it, the speed of the nforce sata sucks hairy butt and the sil is screaming compared to the nvidia.

make sure the bios is set for SATA only on the Silicon Image
make sure all your voltages are set up correctly
make sure the ram is good.

try installing the drive in your system and loading windows on it jsut to see if it will work on your system

also boot to the western digital utility disk which can be found from the WD website and deep format the drive its gunna take several hours but if you got it used from here or another forum then god knows what the other person did to it.
You also need to load the bios as RAID for the Sil controller and make sure there isnt an exsisting RAID on that drive, if there is simply delete the raid, reboot set the bios to SATA, then go into the loading of windows .

see if any of that helps you. let us know.

 

[PoopyPants]

Originally posted by: Budman

Originally posted by: Yamar

The hardware appears to be fine, I've tried various bios settings, got the latest SiI3114 SATA driver but after F6'ing it in during the install, when setup gets to the point where blue-screen setup says it is loading the NTFS file system the computer reboots & setup starts all over again from scratch. I've made no progess in 24 hours.

Why are you using silicon drivers?

Make sure you connect you HD to the onboard NF3 SATA connectors & not the silicon ones,check your manual to see what connector use what...


USE the SATA1 or SATA2 connectors between the video card & cpu.

absolutely not dont use that crappy NForce sata its junk and you will be lucky if it even see's your drive. just stick with the SiL controller. only use the nvidia if you must.
and no windows wont see that controller as native, maybe some do and some dont but MY kn8-E deluce will NOT show the nvidia sata as legacy during xp loading you , or rather I was forced to install the nvidia drivers.

this is almost identicle to the exact same issue i had when i first got my DFI Lanparty the only thing that fixed it i believe was updating the bios.

 

[RaymondY]

Could be a RAM compatibility issue. Have u tried another brand of RAM.

 

[Yamar]

I'm going to try fresh tomorrow after I blow off some more steam. Briefly, yes the drive is plugged into the right spot & the RAM is Mushkin 3200. I'll post the specific specs someother time & elborate on the story. Will report my progress. Thanks.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Run memtest for a while.

 

[Nocturnal]

It sounds like a memory issue. DO you have another stick you could possibly try installing Windows with? If not, I would have to say that's probably your culprit and go and find some cheapy PC2100 memory from Best Buy or Comp USA in the mean time to test it out.

 

[renethx]

Make sure DRAM Timing in BIOS is by SPD. Change DRAM Command Rate to 2T and try again. Use only one stick.

 

[Bozo]

Usually XP will just stop the install a say it can't find a hard drive. If it reboots on it's own, then you probably have a memory problem. Even high priced 'name' brands can be bad.

Bozo

 

[Tbirdkid]

No, the problem is that asus doesnt send the sata drivers on a floppy. They are on the cd rom. Get them off the cd rom and put them on a floppy. Then when you hit f6 it will use the correct drivers.

 

[CplHicks]

Try to narrow this down by replacing parts. Do you have a spare PATA hard drive to use? What about some extra RAM, like somebody mentioned try some cheap-o stuff from CompUSA if you need to.

 

[Yamar]

Update: Talked to Asus tech support & i'm getting a replacement motherboard. It should arrive tomorrow. Will try again.