ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 IRQ Error on Windows isntall

[djrmce]

Having a few problems with my ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 when I'm trying to install windows. I don't know if its a motherboard problem or a RAM problem... Several odd things happen, for instance sometimes I'm promted that a file could not be found on the CD, and "enter: retry, esc: skip" i hit enter and it continues on like nothing happened. Thats not a big deal, but I am installing from a legit xp cd, so could there be a problem with the ide cable?

next, during the gui windows install, occasionally i would get an missing file error, but the main thing that would happen is it would blue screen to a IRQL_NOT_EQUAL_OR_LESS error. i figured that might be a ram issue, so I switched dimm slots from 1,2 to 3,4. tried for a reinstall and just got some missing file errors.

well, windows boots, but is unstable. if i try to exec a program or application i get a windows crash anaylsis error and it won't run. i even get errors on windows updates.

i'm in the progress of trying each stick of ram one at a time, and seeing if that might be a culprit... but not ruling out the possibily something on the motherboard could be shot.

I am running:
ASRock 939Dual-SATA2
AMD64 3000+ Venice
1GB Corsair XMS TwinX 1024XL
WD Caviar SE16 250GB 3.5" SATAII 3.0Gb/s
eVGA geforce 6600GT
Some cheap Lite-On CD-RW drive

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[dunkster]

Each 'Skip' during installation results in an element of Windows not installed - so your Windows installation will certainly be unstable.

If you have Memtest86 floppy or CD, you can test your ram directly, before attempting install.

Be very certain both video card and ram sticks are fully inserted to full depth.

Try this:
- Be sure your PC is running with optimized defaults - all 'Auto' except voltages.
- One stick of ram.
- Max CPU Voltage (1.45Vcore won't hurt anything).
- High memory voltage (2.7Vdimm won't hurt anything).
- I assume you set boot-order to boot from CD on power-up.

Try again.

Hope this helps!

 

[djrmce]

Originally posted by: dunkster
Each 'Skip' during installation results in an element of Windows not installed - so your Windows installation will certainly be unstable.

If you have Memtest86 floppy or CD, you can test your ram directly, before attempting install.

Be very certain both video card and ram sticks are fully inserted to full depth.

Try this:
- Be sure your PC is running with optimized defaults - all 'Auto' except voltages.
- One stick of ram.
- Max CPU Voltage (1.45Vcore won't hurt anything).
- High memory voltage (2.7Vdimm won't hurt anything).
- I assume you set boot-order to boot from CD on power-up.

Try again.

Hope this helps!

Oh, maybe I should clarify, i didn't skip any install files. I hit enter, and it tried to re-copy it and it went fine.

I'll try Memtest and see if I get any results.

Both components are plugged in to full depth and properly secured.

I'll try those bios settings.

Thanks.

 

[cool]

Let me guess: you connected the HD to the SATA2 port powered by the JMircon chip, right? Try it on one of the native SATA1 ports. I know you lose NCQ and stuff but at least you can rule out the HD as the culprit. And wait for better SATA2 driver...

 

[djrmce]

yeah, i do have the hd plugged into the SATA2. i don't know if its that though... i switched out the IDE cable for my cd-rom and i stopped getting those missing file errors. however during the gui windows install portion i got this blue screen error: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. I had my memory in dimms 1,2.

I'm running memtest86 right now, but it just seems the program is repeating itself and not doing much of anything. i used the floppy version, i didn't bother to make a cd with 1.47mb of info. I seem to be getting this over and over and over:

@X:1001
AX:0212
BX:1A00
CX:0001
DX:0100.



::edit:: it seems that message means there is a read error between my mobo and floppy.

 

[djrmce]

I'm trying to reinstall with a single stick of memory to see if that does anything for me. If not, i'm gonna switch the sticks - trying to eliminate the bad one. I couldn't get memtest to run properly, so this is the only way i know... if i error both times, i'll be RMA'ing my RAM. But, unless my 1,2 dimms are shot... unlikely but possible.

 

[djrmce]

Well... windows installed flawlessly when I pulled a stick of RAM out of the dimm2... so I guess it was a single stick of RAM that was giving me woes. I can boot into windows without any kind of errors, which is a good sign. Any reason I should install the SATA2 and K8 CPU drivers? I usually just bypass that. And any recommendations on RAM? I'm thinking about some OCZ Plat 2.

 

[BlackPear1]

The K8 driver allows you to use C'n'Q, if you like. I don't know about SATA2, I'm only using the standard ports. OCZ Plat 2 should be great (or any other Samsung-equipped module) for this board since it doesn't need high VDIMM for best performance.

 

[russki]

also make sure that you are using 2T MA timing (aka command rate)
1T memory timing is not stable on this board