My hard drive won't boot

Remember to change the boot order back to the hard drive as first device.

I did. still doesn't work I'm desperate at this point

I'm guessing the install didn't complete successfully then. Try it again. Delete any partition that it created. Do the full format. Then try the install again.

I've reformatted a couple of times. Maybe I wasn't clear in my first post. The actual windows xp installation doesn't go to completion. What happens is:
1- I boot from cd
2-format the disk, windows copies some files
3-computer restarts to continue windows installation, this time needing to boot from the hard drive.

I freeze at stage 3. So the windows installation doesn't go to completion, but it is stopped after the first restart, when the installation is supposed to continue from the hard drive boot.

you newly bought the entire system and build it yourself?

If so, you might have to set up the BIOS to work properly with your RAM sticks. I had the same problem. Set the frequency to whatever the Sticks are to run with, and set up the Timing and the voltage.

Maybe this iformation is irrelevant, Maybe I didn't fully understand your problem.

I had this problem too, and my suggestion solved it.



Although, if you bought the system fully prebuilt, the parts are to fit with each other to let the user start immediatly, or are to be set up by the store or manufacterer.

You are probably using XP SP1....it doesn't have the SATA drivers. You'll need to slipstream them in with your OS, or make a bootable floppy and load them at the beginning of the windows install (f6 prompt).

It's a good thought, but the OP said the format and initialization process completes fine. If it was RAM voltages, it would become unstable and fail to boot or restart at an earlier time than it is.

thanks for the responses. I set the proper memory settings. The pc doesn't have a floppy drive but you're correct I am trying to install xp service pack 1. Can I put the drivers on a cd?

You can use nlite to slipstream the drivers into a disc.
http://www.nliteos.com/index.html

Once you do that, you can do the format/install process again.

thanks for the continuous responses aford10. Western digital doesn't seem to have any drivers for the caviar black.

I tried zeroing the hard drive but now the windows installation crashes on me and won't even get through the first stage.

I'm not sure what to do since WD does not have ANY drivers for the caviar black on their website.

I'm considering 1- connect through and IDE cable (would that help)
or 2- install vista

any thoughts are appreciated

The drivers don't come from the hard drive manufacturer, they come from the motherboard manufacturer. Here is the link to the UD3 - R. You need to pick your version, and it'll likely ask for the OS version. There you should find the SATA drivers.
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Search/Search_List.aspx?Keyw...