ASUS mobo SATA HDD XP Home debacle

[bennybone]

I am having a heck of a time with this computer build. I will list the specs at the bottom of the message for everyones review. Here is the MAIN issue.

I cannot get Windows XP to load fully without experiencing the following error:

Fatal Error

One or many of the components required to complete setup cannot be installed. Check to make sure that the disc is not damaged or dirty or that all of the files are at the source (network Install)

Data Error (cyclic redundency error)

Cannot load "ASMS" component d:\i386


Resolution:

I have been back to the store where I bought the Windows XP and witnessed them switch it for another sealed new copy of the disc. I got back home and experienced the same error. Always at the same point in the installation process which is after the first reboot and with ~39 minutes left to complete installation. You can hear the CD "spin-up" real fast and then all of a sudden the drive clicks and moments later the error will appear. I have tried 3 different CD/DVD-ROM/DVD drives to read the disc's and each time with each different drive I get the error at the same point in the installation. The system does not exhibit any other signs of problems (during the numerous re-formatting from NTFS to FAT back to NTFS) with retaining the information that does copy to the hard drive. And NEVER has the system had any issue posting or entering the BIOS etc... Everything seems to be pretty standard with all my previous builds.

Also I have tried using the Xcopy function in FAT configurations and at that time there were errors in copying some of the files to the hard drive. They didn't seem important (gifs, jpgs...) so I continued with the installation and lo and behold I got an error asking me to point the PC to the i386 directory on the hard drive. I try and try to direct it to the source files in these cases and it doesn't take, it just blinks and doesn't proceed to continue.

Theory:

THIS IS THE FIRST system that I have attempted to build using SATA devices (The hard drive and dvd writer). I have been attempting to load the NVidia Nforce Storage Controller driver (from the ASUS CD) during the F6 screen but whether I load it or not (in NTFS or FAT) I get the same results. I have not yet had the chance to try any other type of HDD with the current setup, hopefully I will be able to do so soon. I am using the onboard SATA ports on the motherboard NOT a controller card.

The XP Home disc that I was sold is a full version INCLUDING SP2 but was sold to me as a "OEM" disc, on the documentation it states that it should only be distributed with a new PC. This was sold to me by a large computer superstore because I was buying all the part to build a PC from them. I am curious to know if perhaps this OEM version is not all that it should be in terms of installation prompts/pathes and data as compared with the Retail Upgrade or Full version...

Bad disc, what is the chances of getting two bad discs in two days... I am thinking that this is not the true cause as the discs look fine.

Help is appreciated in advance, I leave it to you folks to show me the way on this install. If I can get it running it should be a blazing setup...

Specs: Only what is currently connected to get this thing going...
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
ASUS K8N mobo with onboard audio
Nvidia Nforce3 chipset
2 IDE ports
2 SATA ports
Numerous onboard USB connections
1 512meg DDR 3200 Kingston Xtreme Dimm
Maxtor 250 Gig Sata Ultra series hard drive (SATA 1)
ATI All in Wonder 9600
Samsung CD/DVD-ROM combo drive (IDE 1)

 

[SoDNighthawk]

Remove the drives from SATA and use the IDE port and cable to proof out your hard drives. If you get it all working using the below instructions then you will know your hardware is ok and you can try again using the SATA hook-ups. Only use 1 SATA untill you get the system working then later connect the second SATA. This is of course if your SATA drives support IDE cableing. If they do not follow the below instructions for 1 SATA drive and clean it the way listed below, then try again on the XP install.

You have 2 IDE ports as you say. If you have a primary hard drive C: and a secondary hardrive probly F: you have both of the hard drives on the same ribbon cable inside the case.

Your first drive should have its jumper set to master and the second drive should be set to slave (take the jumper off) in most cases. The primary drive C: should be the first on the ribbon cable and the secondary drive should be plugged into the second connector on that ribbon cable.

Ok the above was in a perfect world but since you cannot install take the second IDE slave hard drive off the ribbon cable and disconnect it's power cable. Do your complete install off the single hard drive that will become C: drive. Later you can power down after XP is installed and plug the second drive back in and format it in NTFS at the desktop in Windows Explorer or the Control Panel.

First you should take a WIN98 boot floppy disk and do a FDISK at the floppy A: prompt in DOS. Delete the previous partitions on the C: hard drive then make a new partion reboot the P.C and back at the floppy A: prompt type in fdisk /mbr and hit enter do that 3 times to clean the Master Boot record of the hard drive.

Now that all that is done format the hard drive with a clean DOS format.

A:\format C: <--- ENTER and follow the instructions in DOS until the drive is freshly formatted.

Don't freak yet as you will get the chance on the XP install to reformat the hard drive in the NTFS format.

If you do all that and XP still will not install you have another issue with hardware. In this case try the other hard drive by it's self clean it the same as above listed then try the XP install again.

For your information on most Intel CPU's XP does not like to install on any CPU under 800MHz so make sure your CPU is 1 Gig or higher. I have installed XP home on a few AMD CPU's at 500MHz but they of course run a little slow but are not used for game computers just office stuff.


NOTE* One trick on a stubborn system to install XP is to not format in the XP install as NTFS use the alternate DOS structure format. In most cases XP will then install normally however you do not get the NTFS file system not a big deal unless you are really security conscious.
Last trick you can do if you want that NTFS format everyone else has got is to do the FAST NTFS format and not the complete one.

Both of the above tricks work on some stubborn systems.

From the ahrdware you listed your Motherboard is not the problem and the error was not RAM or CPU related.
This leaves the Hard drives as the primary suspects. Try what I sugested as I have done this route to resolve your kind of problem many times in the past. I work as a tech and those intstructions are proven time and again in real world computer work.

Well I realy work in the Engineering core in Robotics but that is another long story

<font color=red>GOD</font color=red> <font color=orange>LOVES</font color=orange> <font color=red>CANADA</font color=red><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by SoDNighthawk on 02/22/05 05:21 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[bennybone]

Let me clarify my system setup. I have only one hard drive in the computer at this time. I had mentioned in my specs that I have two IDE PORTS as a reference however at this time nothing is connected to them. The back of the SATA drive is jumperless so no worries on the Master and Slave settings.

YOU DO BRING UP A GOOD POINT, to try and get the system alive with an IDE hard drive. I will go by the store tonight and buy one and see if I have any installation errors. I have a sneaking suspicion that all will go great and that I will be left with having to make a decesion on SATA or PATA. I would really like to get the SATA issue licked so that I can hold on to the great deal that I scored on the price of the drive...

Then again it may not be SATA related at all. I am going to try and install XP using an Upgrade disc with a compliance check to Win98 and see if I get different results. I am of course going to try this first with the SATA drive in to see if perhaps I somehow managed to get two bad OEM discs...

Ill let you know later where I am headed from here...

 

[Codesmith]

1) Run memtest 86 to test your memory. Usually when there are errors copying files to a hard drive its due to your system being unstable.

2) Run a diagnostic program from the manufacturer to see if it is in working order.

3) Sometimes you have to press F6 and load the proper drivers for the controler. Check the motherboard manual.

 

[bennybone]

UPDATE 2-23-05

Made the following changes to the configuration without an OS loaded.

1)Flashed the BIOS with 1004 (even though the POST screen stated that it was already in use)
2) Reset the RTC RAM by moving jumpers as guided in the manual (this reset the system clock and CMOS)
3) Replaced the SATA interface cable going from the HDD to the Motherboard.
4) Downloaded the newest unified driver pack from Nvidia for the Nforce3 chipset. (from another PC)
a) extracted the file using Winrar to a folder on the HDD (on another PC)
b) browsed to the IDE folder on the extracted files and placed the following on a floppy
nvatabus.sys
nvatabus.inf
idecoi.dll
nvata.cat
textsetup oem
disk1
5)Changed the voltage to the memory from 2.5 to 2.7

The next change that I decided to do was try the Win Xp UPGRADE disc with SP1 from my other home computer rather than the OEM disc with SP2.

THE COMPUTER WAS SUCCESSFUL IN COMPLETING INSTALLATION OF XP after the above changes were made!!!

At this point I was relieved to have made some progress and silly was I to think that all the changes above had corrected the issue and that changing to a different install CD was irrelevant. So I immediately reformatted the HDD and proceeded to install using the OEM disc. I am unhappy to report that the installation hung on the same exact point as earlier described. What the heck is going on here…

Hoping that the successful install earlier was not a fluke I proceeded to install using my upgrade disc and lo and behold the installation was successful. So for those who are keeping score:

Windows XP Home retail Upgrade CD with SP1 - 2 for 2
Windows XP OEM CD with SP 2 - 0 for 20

Keep in mind that I already replaced the first OEM disc thinking the the disc was bad so the 20 attempts also included the attempted installs with the same type of disc.

So at this point my mind is running a million miles a minute and I suspect that the moment I attempt to patch the working XP install with Service Pack 2 I will be back to square 1. So I proceed to install SP 2 and paint me pink it works with no problems. I then proceeded to load every driver know to man with no problems rebooting or hangin during POST. I seemingly have a stable system with all the components responding and this rig is blazing fast.

So I talked with Microsoft yesterday and they are going to send out a replacement disc as part of my case number. They intend to send out the retail version of XP home with SP 2 integrated into it.

My Question to myself and those of you still interested is should I expect the same results as I am getting with the OEM disc with SP2 integrated. COULD IT BE that the issue with installing an OS on this system is inherent upon SP2 being present from the initial install?

Should I contact Microsoft and ask that they change the replacement request to a retail version with SP1 intergrated?

Whatdoyathink?

 

[SoDNighthawk]

I will keep that information close. What a run around you went through.

However I have a full retail copy of Windows XP Pro and have never had a problem using that CD to install with.

I update to Service pack 2 online with never a problem.

<font color=red>GOD</font color=red> <font color=orange>LOVES</font color=orange> <font color=red>CANADA</font color=red>

 

[Zoron]

I've created my own OEM CDs with SP2 integrated and have had no problems with any of them. I had XP with SP1 and simply slipstreamed SP2 into the .ISO and made my CDs from those .ISOs.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[_WW_]

This might be a good time to invest in some imaging software...not that you would ever need to reinstall XP..heh heh..

....WW (5.0)