New build wont boot up

[DannyITR]

Hi all,

I just build a new PC for the first time.

INTELCORE 2 DUO E6300
P4 775 INTEL DG965 WH PCIE motherboard
Forsa NVidia GeForce 7900GS 7900 GS PCI-E Video Card
Seagate SATA II 320GB HD
2 x 80GB Maxtor SATA HD
2GB OCZ 800MHZ DDR2 RAM GOLD XTC KIT
LG DVD+/-RW GSAH22L 18X
Antec Case with 350W power supply

The first time I booted I got nothing on my monitor. It was as if the comp was off but the fans and HDs were all running.

I removed the video card and tried to boot (with my winXP CD in) and it worked. Setup started loading files (i pressed F6 because I wanted to do a RAID but nothing seemed to happen).

I got to a point where it told me it didn't recognize a mass storage device and to insert a disk if I had one. I put the RAID disk in but that didn't do anything. I had to shut down.

Now whenever I boot up I either get 3 louds beeps with no video on the monitor, or get sent to my setup screen with the same end result. Once I saw a screen for like 1 sec that said press F2 for BIOS and I tried feverishly to get the button pressed but nothing happened. That screen has since not re-appeared. Oh and whenever I reset I get no video afterwards. In order to get video I need to power off completely then start back up again.

Why is it a different situation each time and why won't it work? I hate Microsoft.

[Jimmy0]

Welcome to PCMech, we are all here to help you.

Read this thread and give it a try: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=132409

[DannyITR]

Hi Jimmy,

Thanks for the suggestion. My results from that thread are as follows:

The comp booted up fine, and went into dos mode and told me there is no botable device so I think all the components are ok.

What do I do now?

[DannyITR]

Everything seems to work fine...only now it stays at the windows setup forever with a message at the bottom: Setup is loading files (windows executive). Nothing is happening.

Earlier today it did get past this screen as I mentioned but it told me it doesn't recognize a mass storge device. Would that mean I need a driver for my DVD drive because it didn't come with anything.

[Cricket]

When installing Windows you want to have only the necessary components connected...anything not necessary to install Windows should be disconnected from the motherboard. You'll also want to try it with just 1 stick of RAM installed.

The DVD drive doesn't need a special driver, Windows already has a generic one built into it.

Cricket

[tempus]

recheck all your power connections and card installations. It sounds like you are almost there with the build.

Part of your post is puzzling though....

Originally Posted by DannyITR I removed the video card and tried to boot (with my winXP CD in) and it worked. Setup started loading files (i pressed F6 because I wanted to do a RAID but nothing seemed to happen).

How did you boot with no video card?
The power supply may be a little small for your system.
Can you get into the BIOS?

[DannyITR]

Thanks for the replies. My motherboard has a VGA connector so I plugged the monitor in there. Now its actually working with all the components including the video card connected except each time I boot up I get a different result:

- blank screen monitor light flashes
- blank screen monitor light stays on
- black screen with small E5 in bottom right corner
- freezes at windows loading files screen
- tells me it doesn't recognize my mass storage device

I have gotten into the BIOS (when it decides to give me the option) and everything seems fine. In the drive config it ask me to set SATAs as IDE (default) or RAID and I chose RAID since thats what I want but there was no difference.

Currently its booting to a blank screen as if the comp is off. What is going on?

[Cricket]

Is the motherboard in or out of the case right now?

And can you please post a complete list of the components in this computer.

Cricket

[DannyITR]

The motherboard is bolted into the case. The list of components you'll find in the first post.

[Cricket]

Originally Posted by DannyITR The motherboard is bolted into the case.

I would pull the motherboard from the case again and make sure there are no stray standoff that could be shorting/grounding out the motherboard.

Originally Posted by DannyITR The list of components you'll find in the first post.

So you're not running a floppy drive and no card readers? And you're trying to do RAID on the two Maxtors (is RAID enabled in the BIOS?)? Have you tried to install Windows to just the 320GB HDD without the Maxtor HDDs connected?

Cricket

[DannyITR]

Ok I got further. I removed a RAM stick...it told me it noticed a decrease in RAM then proceeded to boot. Windows got past the last freeze point and when I got to where it said it didnd't recognize the mass storage device I simply chose ok and it continued.

Now its at a point where its telling me that there are no hard drives installed on the computer. Thats silly because they were visible in the BIOS whne I got into it. It told me I needed to exit setup. Its werid because the option to enter BIOs does not exist anymore.

And BTW I don't think removeing the RAM had anything to do with it. It had previously worked wiht 2 sticks. The comp litterally rolls a dice and decides whihc screen it will freeze on next with each reboot. This is a nightmare.

[DannyITR]

Originally Posted by Cricket I would pull the motherboard from the case again and make sure there are no stray standoff that could be shorting/grounding out the motherboard.So you're not running a floppy drive and no card readers? And you're trying to do RAID on the two Maxtors (is RAID enabled in the BIOS?)? Have you tried to install Windows to just the 320GB HDD without the Maxtor HDDs connected? Cricket

I will try that.

I don't undertsand what you mean by floppy drive and no card readers. Whats a card reader? I have a 3.5" floppy connected. I did choose RAID in the BIOSs that one time it let me in but so far I don't thin the comp knows whas goign on.

[tempus]

Originally Posted by DannyITR I will try that. I don't understand what you mean by floppy drive and no card readers. Whats a card reader? I have a 3.5" floppy connected. I did choose RAID in the BIOS that one time it let me in but so far I don't thin the comp knows whats going on.

some floppy drives have memory card readers incorporated into them. The can appear as a mass storage device in the device manager. Definitely check for an extra standoff under the MB. This is a common mistake when building a computer and will cause all sorts of problems. The other thing is the memory. Download and run memtest86 to check the memory is not faulty.

[DannyITR]

ok I made some progress. If I remove 1 stick of RAM, the comp boots but the hard drives are gone form the BIOS now.

If I remove the video card and plug the monitor into the MB, the hard drives return. I decided to put the second RAM back in and boot up and try to install windows but I got the following error:

File Setupdd.sys could not be loaded. The error code is 7. Press F3 to exit setup.

I took the stick back out and it actually worked. The setup finished and now Its asking me which drive I want to install windows on. The thing is, when to I get the chance to setup the drives in a RAID? I pressed F6 at the beginning to install the RAID driver but nothing happened.

[Cricket]

At this point I wouldn't even worry about RAID right now...you want to get everything sorted out first so you can install Windows on a single drive. If you can't do that then you may have a defective component.

Are you using a genuine MS Windows installation CD or a burned one?

Cricket

[DannyITR]

I have a burned winXP pro cd. I have used this CD for quite a few installs before. ok so I will proceed witht he installation onto one of the Maxtor 80gigs. If that works then what? How do I go about getting my video card setup and the hard drives in a RAID 0?

[DannyITR]

alright great news. WinXP is installed and running on the new comp. My video card isn't connected, 1 stick of RAM is not connected and I need to setup my drives in a RAID 0. Can you help me?

[Jimmy0]

If everything now works fine (well I mean everything at the moment without RAID or graphics or all your RAM), then I would shut down and then add in the other stick of RAM, boot up and make sure it is detected by Windows and everything still runs fine.

If everything is still OK after you have added in all your RAM, then I would install your graphics card, making sure to plug in any extra power connectors (if it has any) and then try booting up again and see if everything is still OK after you have added the RAM and the video card.

Report back and tell us if it works.

[Alaron]

Originally Posted by DannyITR I have a burned winXP pro cd.

Forum rules prohibit us from helping you further. We do not allow discussion of pirated software. See Rule 9: http://forum.pcmech.com/rules.php

You need to purchase and install a new, legal copy of XP.