PLEASE HELP! Weird problems with new build.

[geekisthenewcool]

I just built a new machine and it's having some really ridiculous issues. The computer's components are also listed on my profile, but I will cut and paste here:

2.4GHz Intel Core2 Quad (which I hope to overclock once it's up and running)
4GB of DDR3 RAM
Intel mobo
650W Rosewill PSU w/ variable speed fan
300GB, 10,000 RPM SATA2 hard drive
80GB, 7200RPM SATA2 hard drive
80GB, 7200RPM SATA1 hard drive
Also, an Arctic Cooler heatsink on my CPU and some nice case fans.

So, my buddy and I put together this machine and installed two different boots of WindowsXP on two different partitions of my 300GB sata drive (one partition was 30GB the other was 35). Both boots were working just fine. One was connected to the internet (C, the other was not (D. The non-internet boot was strictly for working on music, and I wanted it to be streamlined so that no extra, un-needed processes were running. For the record, though. Both boots of XP were working just fine.

To achieve this, I applied several tweaks off of a list of tweaks from www.musicxp.net. After applying the tweaks (to that particular boot of windows ONLY), I rebooted so I could go online on the other boot of windows and download a couple disk maintenance and diagnostic tools. When I got to the boot selection screen, I picked the net-connected boot and was told that the SYSTEM file was missing from windows\system32\config\system. I rebooted and tried the D: drive and got the same message.

I ran the Windows setup CD in repair mode and searched around on the C: drive and it was true. The system file was not there. I don't know why.

After trying things fruitlessly for a while, I gave up and decided to reinstall windows. Upon trying to do so, the windows installer told me that it couldn't format the drive because it was either corrupt or a cable had come disconnected. The latter couldn't be true, because it was still reading information off the drive (i.e. the location of files and folders on the drive, partition information, etc), and a SATA cable is either plugged in or it isn't. This drive is brand new as well.

I ran the "Ultimate Windows Boot Disc" and ran a bunch of diagnostic tools and couldn't find anything wrong with the drive or the RAM (though I admit I only checked the first 1GB). After running that and rebooting, it didn't even get to the boot selection screen. It just said "error loading operating system."

Please help me. I have exhausted all of my knowledge in figuring this out.

Help me, Obi Tom('s Hardware) Kenobi, you're my only hope.

 

[geekisthenewcool]

I for got to turn smiley faces off. Those were supposed to be ( C: ) and ( D: ).

 

[17rawr]

This is what I would do. You said that you have a total of three HDDs in your system. Install a new windows copy on one of those drives. After you do that see if you can boot into that copy of Windows. If not just reinstall windows (you WILL lose ALL of your data though...). In order to do this you need to change your BIOS settings to boot off of your DVD/CD drive.
GL on your problem.

 

[geekisthenewcool]

This is what I would do. You said that you have a total of three HDDs in your system. Install a new windows copy on one of those drives. After you do that see if you can boot into that copy of Windows. If not just reinstall windows (you WILL lose ALL of your data though...). In order to do this you need to change your BIOS settings to boot off of your DVD/CD drive.
GL on your problem.

Here's the thing though: I already tried to reinstall windows to the original drive, and it didn't work. I suppose I could try installing to one of the other drives.

 

[17rawr]

Idk if that would do anything but Troubleshoot to see of the CD is not working properly though. Now I've got it, youe should reset your CMOS on your motherboard. This may work.
Edit: btw how come my email was in french?? I do understand some French though. lol
Edit2: If you need help locating your reset CMOS button please tell me the model of your motherboard

 

[geekisthenewcool]

Idk if that would do anything but Troubleshoot to see of the CD is not working properly though. Now I've got it, youe should reset your CMOS on your motherboard. This may work.
Edit: btw how come my email was in french?? I do understand some French though. lol
Edit2: If you need help locating your reset CMOS button please tell me the model of your motherboard

I actually have no idea why everything is in french. I can't get it to default to english. Whatevs.

My motherboard is an Intel DX48BT2 LGA 775.

 

[17rawr]

The cmos reset button should be somewhere around the red circles.
Link: http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn278/iforgot1711/?action=view&current=13-121-338-05.jpg
Edit: The circles arent very red lol

 

[geekisthenewcool]

The cmos reset button should be somewhere around the red circles.
Link: http://s306.photobucket.com/albums/nn278/iforgot1711/?action=view&current=13-121-338-05.jpg
Edit: The circles arent very red lol

Hey thanks. Now, forgive the fact that I know less than I'd like to and tell me this: What is the CMOS, and what does resetting it do?

 

[buzznut]

try to google cmos

 

[buzznut]

BTW I would NOT install two XP installations that are bootable on the same disk. You are just asking for trouble.

Dual boot you could go xp/linux, or win7beta/xp. You might even go xp/vista, but I wouldn't personally. Unless it was XP32/Vista64.

But XP/XP you are going to have MBR problems.

 

[geekisthenewcool]

BTW I would NOT install two XP installations that are bootable on the same disk. You are just asking for trouble.

Dual boot you could go xp/linux, or win7beta/xp. You might even go xp/vista, but I wouldn't personally. Unless it was XP32/Vista64.

But XP/XP you are going to have MBR problems.

Really? I know several people who have dual XP boots and have no problem, but I will take that into consideration. Thanks.

 

[geekisthenewcool]

try to google cmos

How do i do the CMOS reset? Do I turn the computer all the way off first? Like an actual PSU shutoff?

 

[17rawr]

FOR CMOS:Turn off the computer and I don't think you have to unplug the computer. (google search b/c I have not worked with it lately).

I do know alot of people that have double booted XP, but on two different drives. I would put your regular/gaming boot on your 10k rpm drive with RAID 0 and your music editing on a safer RAID 1 with your 80gb drive. Then use your 3rd drive as a simple backup for your 10k rpm drive (use RAID 1).
If you need a bigger HDD for your music editing I would recommend this drive:
Link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148377

EDIT: You do not need to unplug your system, but I would recommend doing so because it is just safer.

 

[geekisthenewcool]

Ok, not sure if I did the CMOS thing right, but it didn't make a difference. I installed XP to a partition on one of my other hard drives and have been tentatively trying it out. If I go a week without any crashses, I'll clone that partition and put it on the 10kRPM drive.

 

[17rawr]

ok GL to you