Problems Installing Windows XP

[draxsath]

My computer has been broken all summer and i've spent countless hundreds of dollars trying to replace parts, and only coming up wit hthe same problem over and over again.

my system i'm trying to get to run is:
AMD XP2500+ Barton Core
Gigabyte GA-7VAXP Ultra KT400 (With the latest BIOS version)
Kingston Hyper-X PC2700 33mhz CL2 DDR
400W Allied Power Supply
Chaintech Geforce 4 Ti4600
Maxtor 40gb 7200rpb ATA133 Hard Drive
Samsung 40gb 5400rpm ATA100 Hard Drive
Maxtor 120gb 7200rpm ATA133 Hard Drive
Artec 16x DVD-ROM
Cendyne 48x CD-RW
Toshiba 6x DVD-RAM
SB Live! Platinum 5.1

I get either of these two error messages when trying to install windows:
1. Files on the disc appear to be corrupt.
2. Recieve an error when partitioning the drive that "the hard drive may be damaged"

Here is what i've tried, please tell me if i missed somthing!
- Tried 3 different copies of the Windows XP disc
- Tried a copy of the XP cd that has SP1 integrated into the installation
- Tried installing from all 3 of my CD/DVD drives
- Get the partitioning errors on any hard drive i try, even ones i KNOW work.
- tried another set of IDE cables
- tried installing with only minimal hardware installed
- tried the first step of XP installation with another computer on the drive from this computer, that is, the partitioning/formatting and copying files part, then switching the drive over to the other machine and all i get is a BSOD.
- RMA'd my motherboard and processor
- tried buying a totally new motherboard, MSI KT4A Ultra KT400A
- Tried buying new ram, Corsair XMS PC2700 333mhz DDR
- tried talking nicely to my computer
- tried buying an even more uber CPU cooler
- tried swapping my old CPU into the board, and was only able to get it to work with my old ram installed, but not my new ram. old CPU is an XP1800+
- tried another video card, Geforce 2 GTS
- tried pumping the CPU and RAM voltage up
- RMA'd the Hard Drive
- tried every combination of RAM, CPU and Motherboard and only one config works: XP1800, MSI board and Corsair ram. however i dont want to use my 1800, i want my 2500.

I will post later if thre is any steps that i forgot to put down that i did.

PLEASE SOMBODY HELP ME OUT! I'm stuck on this problem!

 

[jlanka]

I think you should just throw in the towel and give up computing altogether based on this experience

<pre> \|/
jlanka (. .)
___________oOOo_(_(_)_)_oOOo___________
</pre><p>

 

[draxsath]

i put all my old old hardware back in, all the stuff that i had working for about a year and a half, and decided it would be best to forget the upgrade and just sell all my new stuff that wont work together.

But i'm still getting errors.... *bangs head on desk*

 

[Toejam31]

Things I might try in your situation:

1.) BIOS Flash
2.) Underclocking the system and/or a combination of the default safest BIOS settings and memory timing speeds when installing the OS. This might also mean installing the OS with a minimum of devices ... only that which is needed to boot the computer; nothing in the PCI slots, and only one hard drive.
3.) Partitioning and formatting the drive with FDISK and FORMAT off a Win9x boot disk prior to installing the OS (and allowing a second format of the new active, bootable partition with the OS CD.)
4.) Testing or replacing the PSU, (and while you are at it, making sure that the current entering the system is "clean"). In other words, having the system connected to a new surge protector or a UPS, and trying the whole procedure connected to a different wall outlet. Drops in line voltage can cause unusual problems that are difficult to troubleshoot. Have you tested the wall outlet to be sure that it is properly wired with a VOM meter?

Toey

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[khha4113]

Simplify your system's configuration. Instead of connecting all 3 HDs and 3 CDs (!!!), just use 1 CD and the HD that needs to be installed OS (you can always add them later when successfully load XP).
Also, remove all unecessary components for OS installation such as sound card, modem and NIC.
Check voltages of CPU and RAM as well as their timing settings.

Good or Bad have no meaning at all, depends on what your point of view is.

 

[draxsath]

i've tried most of those things already if you read up on my post, all except the power supply stuff.

my only problem is i have no spare power supply that i can test it with really.... i might try to yank the one out of the computer i'm on right now, but its 100W short of the one i'm using in my other machine.

 

[draxsath]

ok i've got a new problem.

while usiing my old hardware, i noticed the temperature on the CPU in the bios reads as anywhere between 175F and 200F!

HOWEVER, the heatsink doesent even feel warm, so i decided to take a closer look, after seeing the temp rise to 200F i quickly shut off the computer and ripped the heatsink off, and touched the processor core with my finger, it was barely even room temperature.

whats worse is that not only am i getting a BSOD while the windows XP setup program is starting up, the computer thinks its about 2 times hotter than it really is, so the thermal shutdown kicks in and shuts the computer off about 5 seconds into booting.

i'm at my wits end here, i havent had a working computer in 3 months, after spending $600 upgrading and then another $400 replacing things that i thought where broken. i feel like killing a thousand baby kittens!

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by draxsath on 07/20/03 01:40 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[draxsath]

problem solved, i had to use my old ram with my 2nd motherboard and my XP2500.

then i had to tweak alot of bios settings and finally got it running perfectly.