Windows freezing during install and while running... help?

[davion615]

Hi Guys, hopefully i can get some help here, i've tried everything else...

So here's the story, I bought some components to build a new computer.

Intel - Core™2 Quad Processor Q8200 2.33GHz w/ 4MB Cache

eVGA - nForce 750i SLI FTW w/ DualDDR2 1066, 7.1 Audio, Gigabit Lan, 1394, PCI-E x16 SLI

Mushkin - EM2-6400 Enhanced DDR2 SDRAM, 4GB Dual Pack (2 x 2GB)

eVGA - e-GeForce 9800 GT SuperClocked 512MB PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDTV-Out

SEAGATE - 500GB Barracuda 7200.11 SATA II w/ NCQ, 32MB Cache

Corsair - VX 550W Power Supply w/ 120mm Fan

Now i thought i had a pretty decent setup even though i was using some of my older components which were a dvd drive, and cd-rw drive both using the ide cable that came with the MOBO, the tower which is only a couple of years old, and my p/s2 mouse and keyboard. but when i tried installing windows xp media centre edition... it would freeze at 34% every time. after reading up and finding that some people were having hardware compatibility issues, i tried unhooking everything i didn't need to get the install to work. same problem persists. maybe it was an issue with the windows disc. I downloaded a copy of vista from the internet and it would do the same thing. to be certain i installed it on my laptop and the vista worked perfectly. after about 15 attempts, it worked! good stuff... except... now windows continues to freeze at random times during operation.

So far, what i've tried is updating the drivers from the internet for the motherboard and videocard, changing the memory voltage to 1.8v from 1.9v as per memory specs... unplugging the front usb ports, running memory tests (unsuccesfully, couldn't get them to work).

Also, the chassis fan doesn't work. I have tried it in all of the motherboard ports, and still nothing. I'm picking a new one up because i think it might possibly have something to do with overheating, although when starting up windows and in bios settings, it said it was only running at 111 degrees farnheit/ 40ish degrees celsius.

so please... anyone with any ideas... please please please help

 

[Outlander_04]

seagate 7200.11 's were shipped with faulty firmware that caused lots of drives to fail , or to have erratic moments . I'd assumed all were fixed by now but if your hard drive has been on a shelf for a month or two waiting for you to buy it then ......

The problem you are having could be caused by that . You need to head over to seagate and get the firmware update . Install it using their instructions .

If you dont the drive will die completely . Its only a matter of time .

 

[aford10]

If you've confirmed the disc is good. I would bet it's a HD problem as Outlander said. It could be firmware, it could be bad sectors, could be a corrupt installation. HD's are so cheap now days, if I were you, I would just get something new/fresh like the 640Gb WD cavair black. It runs about $70.

 

[shawn510]

I have the exact same problem with completely different hardware.
I have a Asus p5n7a-vm mainboard -new
P4-LGA775 3.06 processor-old
2x1gb kingston DDR2 ram -old (also tried 2x256 set of hynix with identical results, both sets memtest fine)
Maxtor 200gb SATA HD - OLD
HP dvd-rw -old
generic cd-rom -old
antec trio 430 PSU -new
old ps/2 kbd and old usb mouse

Everything else has been left out until I can get it running. I'm using the onboard geforce 9300 video and the latest BIOS.

The situation is the same as above, it reliably freezes on install, and if I somehow get past that, it freezes shortly after boot.
Windows 7 install freezes either at initial dialog or part way through the install process.

The weird thing is that a Bart-PE XP live-cd works fine, safe mode works fine. The weirder thing is that if I manually force the "Standard PC" HAL during XP install, I don't get freezes, but I wind up with a non ACPI system. Also Win7 does not have a non-ACPI HAL at all, and that's where I'll eventually be going. Other people with the same mobo report no problems with Win7.

Any ideas?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I already RMA's the mainboard thinking it was that and the new one shows identical behavior.

 

[aford10]

You need to start your own thread.

 

[davion615]

thx for the comments guys, so my HDD was affected by the firmware problem. i've created a boot disk and applied the firmware update, however the problem is still persisting. should i format again and re-install? or is it likely another issue?

 

[aford10]

Run the install again with the thorough format. If it really was a firmware problem, it could've corrupted the install. If you've updated the firmware, reinstalled widows, and it still is freezing on you, buy a new HD. I would recommend this WD cavair
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136319&Tpk=640Gb%20cavair%20black

It's always best to get a good windows install. Start fresh now before you load files on it and find out down the road that you need to format.

 

[davion615]

ok, so bought a new hard drive, same problem. checked the memory, it was ok. paid my store to install windows and they find out that there was a bent pin on the back of my old optical drive... a week of diagnosing, second guessing and frustration. all because of a bent pin on my cd drive. thanks for all the help guys and if it's happenin to anyone else... check the pins.

 

[aford10]

Thanks for letting us know. That'll do it, just not one that I would think of right off the bat.

Save yourself the trouble, get SATA =)