g31t-m - STOP:0x0000007b error w/XP install

Are you doing a fresh install of XP? Are you booting from the CD? If you are booting from the CD to do a fresh install, then you probably need to hit F6 to install 3rd party drivers. The 3rd party drivers would be the ahci drivers for the sata controller on your motherboard. Or, you could go into your BIOS and set the SATA controller to use "IDE" or "Compatibility" instead of it's default of "AHCI" or "SATA". Those terms are just guesses as I do not know the BIOS of your board, but your error code suggests Windows errors when trying to access the HDD. Of course, everything I just said only applies if your hdd is an SATA drive. If it's PATA, then maybe the drive is bad or you need to format the drive and try a fresh install that way. Let me know.

Trying to do a fresh install of XP SP1 but here is some new info: I had a PCI-E card installed (for a 2nd IDE controller). I have IDE drives. I removed the card re-ran my cables (CD is master, HD is slave) so I connect to on-board IDE controller now. "Stop" error is gone (must have been because the drivers for PCI card were not installed (duh!). Now the system boots all the way to "Welcome to Setup." New problem: USB kbd is not recognized once it gets to this screen. I have no way to press "enter" or "R" or "F3" to go past this point.

Not to bytch here, but you left out the second IDE controller on the PCI card. You never would have gotten the proper answer, because the most important piece of information was left out of the OP.

This is less for you than it is for others that want to ask a question and don't include all information, whether they think it's relevant or not.

Obviously, if someone is posting a question, then they don't know what is relevant and what is not.

[/end rant]

Get a $10 PS2 keyboard from Walmart etc. Once you have the OS installed switch back to the USB one. I always keep a PS2 one on hand for BIOS access problems etc. The USB keyboard is the biggest scam ever pulled on PC users IMO.

Yea, that whole PCI-E IDE controller card would have been helpful lol... But you could do the same thing with the drivers for the controller card, hit F6 to install 3rd party drivers. To try to solve your keyboard issue, look in your BIOS and see if USB support for keyboards and mice are enabled, which they should be if you're able to hit a key to get into BIOS. If not, you'll need a PS2 keyboard to even get into BIOS. However, as I was writing that, I think the CD should load USB drivers shouldn't it? I'm not sure, but you should be able to find a PS2 keyboard from somebody right? Also, I'd install the drivers for your PCI-E IDE controller card so you don't have to run your HDD and CD drive on the same PATA channel.

To get the USB keyboard working go into the BIOS and enable legacy USB support or sometimes it is called enable DOS support. The problem is that you need a PS2 keyboard to set the option in the first place so you will have to borrow or buy one.

Thanks for the replies. CMOS shows USB support enabled and no mention of PS/2. I plugged a PS/2 kbd in, rebooted and no luck. The 'caps lock' light gives a few one-time blinks, then goes dark. No response after that. I plugged a working PS/2 kbd in, no luck. I suspect the port is dead.

You could just try a different USB port with your other keyboard then, just for $hits and giggles...

These cheap mobos aren't worth the savings.