Most frustrating time of my life trying to install an OS..

[RichMarshall]

I apologize if I'm in the wrong forum but:

Some background:

So I bought a new CPU (INTEL|PDC E2180 2.0G 775 1M R), a new mobo (MB GIGABYTE GA-73PVM-S2H 7100 775 R), a new stick of RAM to upgrade for the new mobo, and a new case/psu.

I installed everything and after running into some shorting problems, got it up and running. I put my old IDE and old SATA HDDs and my CD/DVD in and started up. I kept getting an "error reading OS" message. On one start, Windows actually started loading (but didn't finish) and I realized I forgot to format the primary (IDE) drive. I formatted it and then tried to install XP.

Now when I boot, I again get the "error reading OS" message. I have gotten this message with both harddrives in, one of each, and both in a combination with a 3rd HDD I tried to troubleshoot with. All give the same message whether booting from HDD or CD. I have changed the boot order in the BIOS and changes the boot with F12 to CD.

Thinking the CD was bad, I used another. Same thing. I used another. Same thing.

Then I tried again with Ubuntu. Error reading OS. I changed the IDE ribbon and played around with the HDD and optical jumpers. Error reading OS.

No matter what I do, I get an "error reading OS" message when trying to boot from a bootable CD.

Every once in a while when there is only one HDD in, it will give me a 'please insert cd to install os and press enter' message and upon doing so, it gives me an error and says the same.

The only thing I can possibly think of is a bum optical drive because I've tried everything else, but the drive (Samsung TS-H552 btw) is recognized in the BIOS so I really have no idea. I will troubleshoot the drive later on tonight.

update:

I put all jumpers on cable select. Nothing.

Removed the cdrom for another cdrom. Nothing. Removed SATA HDD: "DISK BOOT FAILURE. INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER."

press enter

"DISK BOOT FAILURE. INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER."

With both CDROMs.

I wish death upon myself. I'm fresh out of ANY ideas.

Any ideas? Any help is most certainly appreciated.

 

[Granite3]

Back to basics-

mobo/cpu/1stick memory/psu/one optical drive-

clear CMOS/load defaults in bios/unplug psu, wait 5 minutes, press power switch to discharge all remaining power/ plug in-

Insert os disc, format drive, install os.

Report back.

Use the IDE drive first, so no SATA issues on the board to work with, then later clone drive to a SATA for speed.

 

[RichMarshall]

removed SATA HDD, cleared CMOS, unplugged PSU, started everything back up, set BIOS to recognize USB keyboard;


boot from CD, "checking DMI values....
ERROR READING CD"

Same exact thing as booting from HDD

it never boots from the cd. I've tried two opticals and know both work.

What. The. Hell.

Someone on dslreports mentioned possible mobo/ram problem. It didn't even cross my mind since I was accessing the BIOS fine and XP even started once before I formatted the HDD. Any thoughts?

 

[mike99]

Try another IDE cable. Check that cable fitted with stripe at Pin 1. If no change, RMA the motherboard.

Mike.

 

[firebird]

Does the mobo have RAID support? I've ran into trouble with drives when trying to mix-and-match IDE and SATA devices when the BIOS contains options for running SATA as IDE and contains more than one controller.

If you have the options, make sure you have any RAID options turned off for the controllers, and you might even have to set the SATA controller to "IDE mode".

The other optical drive you tried, was it SATA or IDE?

 

[RichMarshall]

I've tried a few IDE cables.

The other optical was also IDE.

Going to turn RAID options off.

Later tonight after the Yankees game I'm going to troubleshoot the motherboard and install another to see if I can install XP on the HDD. If I can, I'm going to wait on Gigabyte's response to the email I'm sending tonight and then RMA it is. I'll likely just RMA the mobo/cpu/ram together. I really don't need all this trouble for a pretty unnecessary upgrade since I rarely do anything pc intensive nowaday.