NEW RIG old hard drive

[Gutter_Mag1c]

Power Supply: Acheive atx 500 w
mobo: ASUS P5Q SE
CPU: Intel 2.83 GHz FSB 1333 MHz Core 2 Quad
GFX: Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT 1Gb DDR2
RAM: Corsair 4Gb DDR2 1066MHz
HDD: Hitachi DeskStar 250 Gb 7200 RPM (IDE Style) IDE to SATA adapter? Check! but not connected.
cd: an unimpressive one
dvd: present but would like advice for a good all in one not sure if i want bluray yet
OS: Windows Xp Pro serv pack 2

Oll Korrect! now my problem is my comp boots to the safe mode/with command promp /safe mode with networking and start windows normally.... the cycle repeats from here. i tried booting with my XP Disk to repair the OS but no effect....what could be wrong? what can i do from here? I need some advice. any takers.
Thanks in advance!

[Panama Red]

Do you have the CD or DVD drive first in the boot order? Are you using a legit XP cd or a copy?

[Gutter_Mag1c]

The boot order is set to default settings; floppy, hdd, cd. and my copy of Win xp is 2 legit 2 quit. I designated the cd drive first to read from XP Disk..didnt work, then the hdd didnt work either...
my CD Drive connects IDE Style it was salvaged from a DELL desktop Ions ago but it still worked. I will take any advice and apply it and report back
thanks Panama Red.

[Panama Red]

Sounds like you have a bad CD drive.

[Gutter_Mag1c]

i got my cd drive connected to the mobo thru IDE and my HDD is connected with an IDE to SATA adapter ..boot up and now screen is stuck on a blinking underscore top left

[Panama Red]

Is your hdd showing up in the bios as a boot device? Can you link to the adapter you are using?

[Gutter_Mag1c]

yes the bios reads the hdd and it boots me to a screen to choose safe mode/ last known config/ and start windows normally

[Panama Red]

Check the bios and see if the SATA configuration is set to IDE instead of AHCI. Does your ide/sata adapter require a certain hdd jumpering in order to function correctly?

[piasabird]

Try using only SATA drives. IDE Hard Drives and Optical Drives are not worth fighting with.

Hook up as few devices as possible.

Try rearranging the CD/DVD and checking the jumpers.

A clean install on the Hard dirve might help if you can read the XP CD/DVD.

Also try using only one optical device until you get the OS to work.

[Gutter_Mag1c]

The BIOS is OK SATA Config choices are; disabled, enhanced and compatible. i removed the HDD and placed it back in to my old comp and it worked fine. so, i put the HDD back into my new rig and i get the same problem. it boots to safe mode/run win normally prompt.

[piasabird]

One suggestion I have is to connect the hard drive and the CDROM up on the same IDE Cable and see if that will work for now. If it will work that way, then do a repair install of XP. Then maybe you will have less trouble getting it to work with the SATA Adapter.

You could run the Hard Drive off of the IDE and use a SATA DVD R/W drive.

I dont suggest using any IDE devices in a new computer system.

[Gutter_Mag1c]

I tried your suggestion PIASABIRD but after the POST screen when its time to boot from any drive i designate thru the bios it just hangs there with a blinking coursor at the top left of the black screen.
the jumpers for the HDD and CD are both in Cable Select and connected thru one IDE cable no SATA converter this time with similar results.. im so lost right now i think ive tried everything i can think of except utilizing the floppy drive to boot windows but i dont have those disks at my disposal. Rat Turds!!!

[phigdon]

take the CD drive out of the loop, set the HDD to master and try booting. if it does work then set the CD to slave and put it back in.

I have used the IDE to SATA adapters and they are a royal pain. look on the adapter and see if there is a reset button. Mine were rectangular, hook the SATA adapter and power connector up, no cd. hold the button in and boot. when you see the POST let go. i had to do this and try different SATA connectors until it saw the drive and booted from it.

[Gutter_Mag1c]

My Update
well, my old hdd crashed after i got it to wrok steady for 3 day then kaput! it was connected IDE so now i have 2 SATA 500GB SeagateHDDs im trying to run RAID 1 and a brand new copy of WIN XP home CD. And a ZALMAN CPU Cooler.

i try to complete the install of WIN XP but it kinda hangs when WIN is installing the drivers and then resets and tries to complete the installation then i wait for 45 min and nothing..... now i got like a half ass installaton of win. and my drives are not reconized...
my 2 drives and DVD drive are connected SATA2 to the ports on the ASUS P5Q SE. now i need tips on priority. their are 6 SATA ports. so, which drive takes the first slot and so on? and how do i get my mobo to detect my new HDDs and finally complete this installation its being a friggin pain!!!

[minsonngo]

Does the ASUS P5Q SE even have onboard support for RAID? I don't believe it does...


If you have a RAID controller card installed... did you load the drivers for it during the installation process?

[Gutter_Mag1c]

no raid card installed...the two Seagates were Grabgage from geeks. they were referbrished and one platter on both drives were bad so that explains why I crashed when windows was installing windows durring the graphics prompt which couldnt load windows onto either one of the individual drives..so I ditched the Seagates and went with 1 WestDigi Caviar SATA II 500GB and i think im gonna need a new case in the very near future, which sux cuz this build has already costed me more than i wanted to shell out, monetarily and effort wise...
my hard luck story with hard drives these days can rival with the best of them. so im not really optimistic about my success booting win xp into all this beautiful new not cheap gear in my cheap 30 dollar case heh..hmmmm do i need a driver for this friggin HDD??????..

thank you for your tips and guidance are no doubt greatly appreciated!!!

[Gutter_Mag1c]

for the love of pete i think ive spent enough money to get an apple g5mac
CASE: Cooler Master HAF
PSU: Logisys 450w total / 575w max
MOBO: ASUS P5Q SE
CPU: Intel C2Q Q9950
RAM: Cosair 4GB 1066MHz PC2-8500 C5 dominator kit
GPU: BFG Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT
DVD LG super writer master SATA
HDD WD Caviar SATA 500GB 7200Rpm
LCD: LG 22in Flatron

im broke!
Everything is connected. I attempt to boot this beast but my Monitor wont turn on!!!!!the monitor has power and it goes to screensaver mode, which is just like shutting it off and i dont know why!!!!!
my GPU is perfectly seated what is wrong this time?!?!?!?!?!!?!??
Im ready to be done with this build!!! ive been desperatley seeking help here but no solutions i cant spend another friggin dollar to swap anymore parts

[minsonngo]

Logisys power supplys aren't that great. So keep that in mind while you check on the rest of the machine.


Try leaving only one stick of memory installed.

Double check and make sure you have the 24-pin connector and the 4-pin/8-pin power supply connector connected to the motherboard.

Also make sure nothing is shorting out the motherboard and you have brass standoffs in between the board and case.

Make sure the CPU heatsink/fan is installed as it should be as well.