XP nightmare with Soltek SL-75DRV2

[Guest]

Add another notch to XP's bragging rights for frustrating would-be first time system creators. I have entered the nightmare and find myself in the dark, alone, and in desperate need of help. (End drama.)

Okay. Like so many, I cannot get XP to do a fresh install on my HD: it refuses to begin installation on my HD raw or with partition; it locks up while copying system files after the drive has formatted; it gives any of numerous STOP error messages (never the same); it even, ONCE, completely installed on my HD and then my computer refused to boot from the HD.

I have tried so many work arounds, I'm fresh out of ideas.

Here's what I have.. I'm listing all the bits and pieces I've interchanged, trying different setups in hopes that one, just one, would work:

CASE: Antec PP-352X Case, 350W
MBRD: Soltek SL-75DRV2
CHIP: Athlon XP 1700+
MMRY: 512MB PC 2100, Samsung K4H560838B-TCB0
CARD: GeForce 3 Ti 200
CARD: Radeon All-in-Wonder
CARD: Voodoo3
HD : Western Digital 80 GB, 7200 RPM
HD : Maxtor 80 GB, 7200 RPM
CD : Sony Spressa CRX145E CDRW
CD : Hitachi DVD GD-2000

I only keep one HD, one CARD, and one CD device active during the install.

I have also updated the FLASH BIOS at www.soltek.com/tw. The update was successful, but no change to the installation process.

Also, just FYI, I have set the jumpers S1-S3 myself, in the following fashion:

S1: 11.0x
S2: 1.75v
S3: 133.3Mhz Internal clock, 33.3Mhz PCI clock, 266Mhz FSB

I have, of course, set these at default.. no change.

I have gone into BIOS (hit delete during boot), turned off all cache, shadowing, usb, serial and parallel ports.. I've really tweaked everything, disabled and re-enabled the bits and pieces.

The only thing I have not changed, outside of the case, processor and motherboard, is my memory stick... as I don't have access to another (unless I buy another one).

... could the memory stick be the problem? Could the stick REALLY be the big deal? If so, please, please say the word.

ANY help appreciated.

-- you know it's bad when you look at your first-built computer, so proud that you've properly constructed it physically, so frustrated that it won't run and everytime you try something new, it fails, that you think to yourself, 'suicide would be better than having to deal with this'. (jk)

Thanks in advance.


-Edward

 

[Zoron]

Could be RAM, could be mobo, maybe even the CPU. It's sometimes hard to tell. The RAM would probably be the easiest to check and probably the most likely problem.

Could you post what you're getting for a stop error? Even if they are different, two or three of them might help get a grasp on what's going on.

Good Luck!

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[Guest]

Mobo? (What's that?)

Anyway.. here are the stop errors, with some parameters for good measure:

STOP - 0x000000A5 (0xF89FA0C0, 0x00000011, 0xD100000C, 0x000000A7)

STOP - 0x00000050 (0xF89BE15c, 0x00000001, 0xF8179FFS, 0x00000000)
ntfs.sys - Address F8179FF5 base at F8159000, Datestamp 3b7dc5d0

STOP - 0x00000027 (0x001902F8, 0xF89A8554, 0xF89A8254, 0xF815A8FA)
ntfs.sys - F815A8FA at F8158000 DateStamp - 3b7d?5d0

STOP - 0x00000023
run chkdisk /f

-----

Those are the ones I have written down. I tried so many things and kept getting so many error messages, I simply stopped writing them all down. There were more.

Anyway, I'll give the RAM a check (I'll just bring the system to a store, I guess.. no one I know has DDR 266 sitting around).

Thanks again.


-Edward

 

[Zoron]

Mobo = motherboard.

I'm no expert when it comes to stop errors, but it looks like it could be RAM or possibly IDE controller... I hope new RAM solves the problem.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[Guest]

Zoron,

Thanks much. It was indeed the RAM. Returned my 512MB chip to CompUSA (where a clerk proceeded to not only 'explain' that I couldn't return the chip (explained nowhere in the store or on the receipt) AND that the problems I was haven't "couldn't be caused by the memory chip").

What a whack job. Anyway, I got home with a 256MB chip, just to try it, and whallah! NOT ONE PROBLEM.

So thanks again, Zoron.


-Edward

 

[Zoron]

Hmmm.. they should have their return policy clearly posted in the store and written on the receipt. They should take it back just under those grounds. I realize it's the manufacturer's warranty, but if it's under a certain time period, there's no reason they should not be able to exchange it for a new one.

<font color=red> If you design software that is fool-proof, only a fool will want to use it. </font color=red>

 

[Guest]

Oh, he let me return it, all right. I asked him where it says memory is non-returnable. He said it should be posted.. he looked where he thought it was, but there was no posting. I told him that if he didn't let me return it, that I'd like to speak to the manager.

He then asked me how long again I bought the memory.. "five days", I said. "Oh, I can probably take that back."

So he let me return it. =)