In over my head

[skyraider]

I thought I knew what I was doing, and now I am in trouble. I just built a computer, BIOSTAR TFORCE TA790GX 128M AM2+/AM2 AMD 790GX HDMI ATX AMD Motherboard; AMD Sempron 64 3800+ Manila 2.2GHz Socket AM2 Single-Core Processor Model SDA3800CNBOX; Western Digital Caviar SE WD800AAJS 80GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive; G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ; some generic cd-rw, and a 350w power supply. When I try installing windows xp home, the system freezes at step where the windows setup says "Setup is starting Windows." What can I do to fix this?

 

[Outlander_04]

Computers are mysterious . We are all in over our heads , so no worries and we will sort it out .

Assuming the POST is ok and it makes one beep to let you know its all OK

aYou need to work through BIOS with your mb manual in hand, setting up options.For XP you should have either installed a SATA driver from a floppy or set the Mb to native IDE mode . The dvd drive will be set as the first boot device for now .

Xp disc partitions and formats the drive ok?

 

[caniba]

What brand and model is that 350w psu?

 

[Zenthar]

Maybe a PSU problem. You could also try to install windows with only 2GB of RAM.

 

[skyraider]

The PSU is a Rosewill iso-450, came with the case, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147024 I believe I have the IDE set to native, I will double check in the morning and the dvd-rom is the first thing to boot. It doesn't get far enough to have windows partition the drive.

 

[skyraider]

Everything beeps, the hardware indicator lights on the MB say everything is fine, from BIOS everything also looks like it should work.

 

[caniba]

It might be bad ram or the psu which, very low quality and not recommended, should have enough power but if the power is in consistent it could cause the freeze ot it is bad and when the hardware demands more power it freaks out.

run memtest to check the ram.

 

[skyraider]

How do I run a mem test?

 

[skyraider]

Ok, tried the ram individually to see if I could get it to boot with 2 gigs, nothing, with either stick. If it is the PSU, do you guys have recommendations for a replacement PSU? I have a chiefmax ATX 450 W that came out of the machine it is replacing, but the Chiefmax is 20 pin, and the new MB is 24 pin, would it work if I got a 20-24 pin converter?

 

[caniba]

Memtest burn the iso to a cd and boot from it.

Corsair, Antec, OCZ, PC Power and Cooling are all excellent brands of psu's, The chiefmax is about the same as the one you are using now.

 

[skyraider]

Well, that sounds right. I will have to wait until payday, 2 weeks or so, to get a better PSU, I'll let you know how that works. Thanks guys for your help, it has been much appreciated.

 

[sassan]

Is your copy of windows xp retail,OEM? 64 bit or 32 bit?

 

[skyraider]

Windows XP Home, 32 bit, retail, I bought it at staples.

 

[skyraider]

I am thinking that this PSU looks like good. I am wondering what you guys think? It is slightly more than I wanted to spend, but I think that I will not have to worry about power problems again with this PSU.

 

[nubb]

Might not be your issue, but i have this exact same board with a x4 920, and it would crash on windows vista install like you're describing. I found out that for some reason the VCORE was set too low at default. I raised my VCORE, and haven't had problems since.

 

[skyraider]

Ok guys, this is me feeling particularly stupid, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817703009 this was the PSu i was looking at. Nubb, how do I adjust my VCORE settings, and what should they be, ideally?

 

[Helloworld_98]

try what nubb said, it's a possibility though doubtful with a sempron.