DOA mobo???

[torotoro]

I'm attempting my first build and I can't get the OS (XP Pro) to boot from a hd that I'm reusing (WD Expert ATA 33 20 gB). I'm guessing that I have a dud mobo, but I really don't what to do after following the steps in the "Try This First" thread.

My hardware is an Asus A8N-E mobo, 1 Gb Mushkin SDRAM 400, AMD Athlon 2.2 Gb 3500+ Venice, Enermax Noisetaker EG495P-VE (485W), HIS Hightech H130HMF128E1N Radeon X1300 512MB. Temporarily re-using a WD ATA 33 hd with XP Pro previously installed and working properly.

With the mobo out of the case on a plastic mounting tray atop a wood table I got the Asus logo. Then I attached the hd, which spins and clicks (also checked okay out of case on old mobo). I get the blue screen with the msg about checking h/d for viruses and running check disc (error code=Stop:0x0000007B (0xF7C46640, 0XC0000034, etc.)

The keyboard blinks but I get no beeps. the board has onboard sound and I also plugged in the external speakers. I'm able to get into the BIOS.

If anyone can give suggestions as to what to try next, I'd appreciate it greatly. Thanks for looking.

Off to mow the lawn.

[freakitchen]

You're most likely getting that bluescreen because the copy of XP on that harddrive was installed with different hardware to the computer you're using now. In order to get the existing installation to boot, you'll need to run a repair install of XP, which is done by booting from the XP CD. Here's a guide on how to do that:

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

This keeps the data on that drive intact, and just re-installs the core OS files. You will need to run windows update again, however.

FK

[torotoro]

Thanks for the swift reply Freakitchen. Of course I have some dumb questions and annoying additional info. I have never installed windows myself. Please bear with me.

The OS was installed by my son from his version and he is away at school. He installed XP Pro SP2 and I have purchased my own copy OEM SP2 version. Will it be okay to boot from a cd that is not the one used originally?

Prolly not pertinent but I am just trying to see if everything is okay outside the case wihile I wait for a new case as I decided not to re-use my old case as planned due to various reasons aside from the fact that its a 7 y.o. Micron/Intel model.

All data has been copied to cd but I was wanting to wait 'till I get everything going before reinstalling XP. The reason for the new 'puter was the fact that everything was unstable after the XP install on the old 500mb P3.

Thanks again for the advice.

[freakitchen]

As long as you also bought XP Pro, then there shouldn't be a problem repairing with your CD. Unfortunately, that will mean you'll still be using your son's product key - which if the software is already installed on his computer - is in violation of Microsoft's EULA.

I believe you can use 'magical jelly bean' to change the product key to your fully legal one, and then safely activate the software with Microsoft.

http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder.shtml

To me, however, that seems like a bit of an effort if you want to eventually Re-install XP. I'd go ahead and do that fresh install now

http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...p_sg_clean.asp

FK

[torotoro]

okay, while I do want to be legal (the main reason I got my own version) I really didn't want to reinstall all apps just now. Being out of the case, no time, super busy at work 'till next year and all that rut. Will I be able to at least get see my good ole familiar desktop if I do the repair? Also I'm not able to do any downloads 'till I get everything together (though I guess it is possible outside the case). Posting this from a job issued laptop that blocks any and all downloads not allowed by admin.

Thanks a ton FK.

[torotoro]

Again, I thank you very much FK.

I did a clean install as you suggested as repair was not an available option. I thought everything was fine and this post was to be telling you that all was well, the village is quiet and the natives are happy. But as it turns out, the stupid thing still isn't booting properly.

I went through the whole setup/install process, then got adventurous and decided to install the video card drivers. Now it doesn't want to boot. I get the msg. "Couldn't open drive multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1) NTDLR: Couln't opendrive multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)PARTITION1"

After everything insalled and I had to chose an OS there were 2 selections: both were XP Pro: the first one (highlighed) didn't work when selected. I went back and selected the 2nd line and then everything looked okay 'till I installed the drivers.

In BIOS under Main under Primary IDE drive my hd is shown and the cd drive is the secondary IDE master. In "Boot" the h/d is shown as the 1st device and the cd is the 2nd. If I don't enter BIOS and let the system attempt to boot itself, I get a DOS like, black and white screen that reports that there is no primary IDE master and that the CD is the secondary master. then this disappears and I see the msg described above about "couldn't open drive..."

I have no idea what to do now.

"boot disk failure, enter boot disk and press enter" is reflected on screen after exiting BIOS.

Still no beeps on startup and I'm getting a msg that the cpu fan is running at low speed if I do not enter BIOS after powering on. Can I be fairly certain that the mobo is okay?


A great BB. Thanks also to the mods and admins for running a great site.

I'll peep around in the software forums and see if I can figger this out, but any suggestions will be appreciated.

[Cricket]

At this point I would start over and run a zero-fill utility on the hard drive to wipe it totally clean and then install Windows.

Here are two zero-fill utilities that get recommended a lot around here: Darik's Boot and Nuke

KillDisk

Before you do the Windows installation, disconnect any drive not involved in the OS installation...even card readers.

Cricket

[freakitchen]

Concur with Cricket here. It sounds like you've now got two copies of XP on that hard drive (hence it asking you which version to boot), so it would make a lot of sense to erase the drive and start over.

The tools that Cricket mentioned can both be found on the Ultimate Boot Cd (www.ultimatebootcd.com), a free bootable CD with those and lots of other diagnostic tools.

I'd personally wait unitl you get your case, and fully build the computer before you go any futher.

FK

[torotoro]

thanks for the input guys. it's appreciated!

Originally Posted by Freakitchen I'd personally wait unitl you get your case, and fully build the computer before you go any futher. FK

sounds like a plan!

[torotoro]

any suggestions of scrubbers already on media from a store? I only have net access right now through a job issued laptop that does not allow downloads and I'd rather not ask an admin to make a disc for me as I'm currently in the field and the company gets its moneys worth from those guys.

Thanks again.

[flanzig1]

I checked on CompUsa web site and they have a couple disc cleaner programs for $30. Not sure if these would be in an actual store. Be best to have a friend download one of the cleaners that Cricket recommended and make a copy for you.

[torotoro]

who said I have friends? LOL!!!

[torotoro]

... Due to the fact that accessing the zero fill utilities programs is not convenient I reformatted the drive's partition (several times, including the slooooow method) assuming that this approach would be good enough for an install but I keep getting caught in a loop. After Windows setup copies the files, formats the partition, etc., it reboots and starts the whole setup process again.

I'm now going to try another drive that was also used in the older system but just for file storage.

I'm wondering if the OEM versions only allow one install?

If this persists after using the other drive can anyone suggest another approach?

Thanks for looking.

[doubledragon5]

Where you might be having a problesm with install is this.. When the system reboots after loading the files you might be getting the message "hit any key to boot from cd" ignore it and windows will pick up where it left off.. I have done this on several ocasions while building my first pc... Be sure to delete any existing partition, before atempting a clean install...

[torotoro]

long story short, I ended up buying a new HDD and everything went smoothly...

just for background for other readers this was prolly a classic case of several things going wrong at the same time and not being able to isolate them.

my guess is that I likely had some bad connections along the way and then at some point I really went and did it by trying to put the connectors in the HD backwards and pushed in the pin on the drive corresponding to the blocked hole (rail?). Did this on both old drives. Tried to pull them back with a pliers and they came all the way out. LOL!

still mystified bout the Boot failure after succesfull install of XP, but as suggested above, maybe I pressed any key when asked if I wanted to boot from PC and I'm sure having 2 instances of XP installed in the same partition certainly didn't help. Its all a whirl in my mind right now.

Anyways, I wanted to thank all for their help and patience. Its really appreciated. As I sometimes say, knowledge grows when it flows.