XP (No Service Pack) Instilation Probs

[Nuke]

First let me apologize if this is the wrong place for this thread, but I'm pretty sure its an OS compatibility issue, though it could clearly be placed in the hardware or New Build sections!

Just put together a new rig:

Pentium 4 Dual Core E2160
2 GB Corsair Ram (1x2GB)
160GB Western Digital SATA
MSI P4M900M3-L VIA Socket 775 Motherboard (PCI-E)

When I try to install XP, it gets past pre-loading all the drivers, but after it says "starting windows" I get the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.

Windows has detected a problem and has stopped working and needs to shutdown to prevent damage to your computer...blah blah blah. STOP 0x0000007E - pci.sys ADDRESS F748E0BF base at F7487000 DATE STAMP 3B7D855E

It appears to be a common problem, and having looked around the internet (As best I can, given it's size) I've tried the following solutions, and none have worked. Any other suggestions would be great!

1. Test all components. RAM Checked using Memtest86. CPU tested in a friend's rig. HDD/Motherboard installed Ubuntu, which worked fine.

2. Install SATA drivers from MB manufacturer. Did so, XP said it already had working drivers, tried replacing them anyway, still no luck.

3. Install PCI/PCI-E drivers. As above.

4. Slipstream SP2. Created the slipstream disk, still didn't work. Tried with SP3 (No tutorial, so I probably did it wrong), no luck.

5. Alternative versions of XP. Home also fails.

6. Install on IDE drive instead. No luck.

7. Rip own hair out, and go to pub. Felt better, but didn't help the machine much.

I've spent two days looking at BSOD, and frankly I never want to see another computer again in my life!

Any help at all would be much appreciated!

Nuke

[amdalex]

So you installed the Sata drivers by pressing F6 during Windows setup via a floppy drive?

[shadowpr]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/330182/en-us

Is the hard drive recognized in bios? I assume it is. Try and zero fill it so you can start nice and fresh.

Then check and see if it works. (Doubtful, but try.)

According to that link, you might want to look into a bios update.

Check out that site, and see if you find anything else that might help.

[glc]

Exchange that motherboard for one with an Intel chipset. If you are looking for an affordable board with onboard video, look at an Asus P5KPL-VM.

[Nuke]

Hard Drives (Both IDE and SATA have been tried). Both Drives have also been formatted, so they are as fresh as daisy's!

I'd rather not swap boards quite yet, but its definitely on the cards as my last resort.

Bios is at its newest, but I've tried using an earlier one, just on the off-chance, and no luck. I'm thinking I may need SP2 on an "official" disk, rather than a slipstream...

[glc]

I'm telling ya - Intel processors on Via chipsets have had a poor history. There's a reason that board you have is less than 50 bucks.

[juppy]

Having an "official" disk instead of a slipstream shouldn't make any difference, as long as the slipstream came from an official disk in the first place. If so, nothing on the slipstream would be any different from an original.....just less disk swapping.

The only other thing I can find to try that you haven't already is if you're using a PCI-E video card. If you are, you can try disabling the PCI-E option in the BIOS and use the onboard video to get XP installed, then re-enable and install your PCI-E card afterwards. If you're already using the onboard though, that wouldn't apply. And if that's the case, I'd have to agree with G and say you've got a hardware incompatibility problem between the processor and mobo.

[Nuke]

Yeah, I'm already using on-board, and I've tried slipstreaming with both an XP Volume license and a Home (regular) disk. Unlucky!

Looks like I'm gonna have to get a new board. This makes me sad. And makes me hate Microsoft. I know they're probably not to blame, but at least its someone to hate!

[glc]

I'd blame Via before I blame M$. Their chipsets for Intel processors are pure trash.

[amdalex]

Via= trash, Microsoft= Corporate Greed, Alright operating systems. Get a new board.

[kennyyk_chau]

I had a similar case in installing XP on Asus P5KPL. I disabled the Giga-bit LAN in the BIOS, everything OK.

[dudeitskevin22]

I have the exact same probem

Need Help - Cant Boot

Exact same error. I cant figure it out, read my thread and scatch out trying the things I tried, if I had no success chances are you wont. Ill keep poking around maybe ill find the solution.

[dudeitskevin22]

Originally Posted by kennyyk_chau I had a similar case in installing XP on Asus P5KPL. I disabled the Giga-bit LAN in the BIOS, everything OK.

SUCCESS!!! IT WORKED. THANK YOU!