The correct install process?

[M4nimal]

Hello

I have had it with my pc, I have tried win98, winXP and now win2k and with every OS I have problems. Hanging, programs giving errors after time, just in general I am not happy with any performance, things like my mouse lagging like hell when there is activity on the HDD.. so now, Im going to start from the basics but I need your help.

Firstly Im taking everything out, all LAN, sound, modem etc cards and beginning with one HDD and a graphics card.

This is my machine specs:
AMD KT7A 1.2 GHz
256 pc 133 ram
30 GB maxtor (I think) HDD
Geforce 2 MX 400

Now where do I begin?

This is what I think..

- remove and then create a new partition in fdisk
- format using fdisk
- install win2k
- install drivers for all hardware, (does it matter what order I do it in?, like if I do the GFx card before the network card or vise versa will this make a difference?) Should I install drivers for my motherboard? Should I flash the bios? (does anyone know where I can get the latest drivers for my mobo and the latest flash bios software?)
- install directx 8.1
- install service pack 3
- install other hardware components one at a time

THEN I should be hundreds, right?

I dont actually know the correct procedure on how to do all this, I just kinda go along in the dark and hope I dont bump my head (which I have been doing for the past month!)

*help*

M4
>

 

[kameleon]

try fdisk on fat32 first

reboot
format root drive
start install using win2k floppies these will give you the option of converting to NTFS

you are right by installing one component at a time. get the system stable with just the gfx card first (use the win2k drivers that came with the card NOT detonator drivers)
install service pack 3
install dx8.1 for win2k NOT 98/ME

make sure you have the latest flash bios for your board there was a problem with early versions of the kt7a not detecting cpus properly I had a problem with a 1.333 GHz showing as a 1.3 but with all the wrong settings. I also had a problem using soundblaster live cards with the same board. Once I took the board back to the shop that was resolved

 

[tris-]

i have never installed Win 2K but had the exact same system as you, here is how you are 'meant' to do it (according to something i read somewhere). So, starting with after Windows is installed, when it is restarted for the second time, it says new hardware is found, insert disk etc. Cancel them all. Get out the MO/BO CD and install the motherboard drivers. The mo/bo drivers are vital for installing the PCI cards, AGP cards etc, cos without em either stuff isnt detected or not installed right. So then, after the CD has installed the mo/bo drivers, download or get the newest 4 in 1 drivers from somewhere. Restart the PC. Skip anymore hardware things that popup and install the graphics card and restart and get newest drivers for that then restart again and install everything else normally.

Hope that is clear enough to understand

 

[Dimebag]

Its quite simple really, remove everything from the system that you dont utterly need (breadboard it).

Put the win2k / xp cd in and boot off it.

Install windows from the CD. You can turn ACPI off if you think it might be a problem, shouldnt really be. (can do this by pressing F5 when it prompts you to press F6 for an SCSI driver and select "standard PC")

Once installed install motherboard drivers, probably the 4 in 1 thingys right?

Flash your bios now if you need to, obviously be careful and make sure the floppy (if you have to use one) doesnt have any bad sectors.

Install service pak of your choice, i'd use 2 tbh but 3 if you want.

Install direct x, then reboot (if you need to, 2k does xp doesnt).

Install Graphics card drivers.

If everything is ok then proceed to add a device to the system one at a time checking for problems after each one. If a device doesnt work, try moving the slot (Crazy as it sounds some slots share irq's and dont like it etc, but with ACPI and virtual IRQ all external devices and cards will share a common irq anyway most likely.) and try different drivers. Sometimes weird bios settings interfere with cards or make the machine crash entirely.

The SB live fix for my old kt7 was to turn on PCI Master Read Caching. If i turn this on on my new kr7a raid with xp 2200 the machine slowly dies until it doesnt respond.

Settings in the bios wont really harm your machine, just dont fiddle with loads of things at once, because if you change more than 1 or 2 things at once and it suddenly works you dont know what you did to get the correct result :]

Follow this and you should be fine.

Hope this helps.

Dime

 

[M4nimal]

WOW, thanks for all the replies ppl >)))

Another stooopid question:

Is it necessary to flash the bios? If so then how exactly do I do it? Post a link to "flashing the bios for dummies" documentation if u can plz.

Thanx 4 all da help so far.

M4

 

[Dimebag]

Abit board...

goto www.abit.com.tw and lookup your board.

Find the latest version of the bios to download and grab it.

(ftp://ftp.abit.com.tw/pub/download/fae/kt7a9.exe)

Once downloaded put it in a directory and run it, the files will unzip.

Copy all the files either onto a floppy disk you KNOW to be alright, as in no bad sectors, or if you have a hdd that has the FAT 32 filesystem on it, copy them onto that.

Next thing you need is a win98 boot disk or cd rom. Bootup, press f8 before it starts and select "Safemode and bypass all system files" or something like that, its the bottom item on the menu (number 7 or something?)

Then put the correct disk in or go to the correct dir on your hard disk and type "runme" at the promt.

A menu will come up with the name of the bios file to be programmed, dont think you have to touch anything, it will pause slightly while it picks up the make of the bios chip.

Let it do its thing, dont interrupt, reboot or turn it off. This must go smoothly.

When its done press F10 or whatever it is to restart. I'd recommend turning your computer off.

When you turn it back on remove the disk and it will be most likely that the settings will be wiped, you will have to go through the bios and set them up again (its not hard), post here asking questions if you need them on bios settings.
(thinking about it, it might be worth making a note of important ones before you wipe it if you arent sure)

This is how to upgarde your bios.

Dime

 

[cenobite]

UM the correct install process is surely:

Win2k OS
THEN VIA 4-IN-1. If you dont install them system SUCKS.
then everything else. that could be your problem. On win2k you also need the AGP fix for AMD (unless its rolled into sp3 mibbie).

 

[M4nimal]

OMG, I cant believe how helpful u ppl are! Surely you are not at work, you got way too much time on your hands to be helping lil ol me out >

I will take down all the settings in my bios tonight JUST in case.. and Ill connect tonight and ask any questions Im battling with from another pc..

So let me get my check-list right before I begin:

1. format
2. Install Win2k
3. Cancel any "hardware found" popups and go straight to installing mobo drivers
5. Install Via 4 in 1
6. Flash Bios with the wicked direction given by Dimebag
7. Install Service pack 3
8. Install Direct x 8.1 for Win 2k
9. Install GFx drivers from original disk, (then upgrade to nVidia Detonator drivers????)
10. Then start adding one component at a time making sure all goes well etc..
11. I think I should install the mouse last.. not sure why except that it worked once before that I had MUCH better performance so Ill do it again

So how far off am I?

 

[Dimebag]

UM the correct install process is surely:

Win2k OS
THEN VIA 4-IN-1. If you dont install them system SUCKS.

That's exactly what I said?

Install the Operating system then install the 4 in 1 motherboard drivers. I dont know how you'd install it the other way round anyway ceno? It seems a bit hard to install the 4 in 1 drivesr without an OS.

Then again you might have meant dont do anything else after installing 2k before you install the via 4 in 1's... whatever you meant your english it not so good.

Or were you not actually responding to me?

Dime

 

[tris-]

Originally posted by M4nimal
OMG, I cant believe how helpful u ppl are! Surely you are not at work, you got way too much time on your hands to be helping lil ol me out >

I will take down all the settings in my bios tonight JUST in case.. and Ill connect tonight and ask any questions Im battling with from another pc..

So let me get my check-list right before I begin:

1. format
2. Install Win2k
3. Cancel any "hardware found" popups and go straight to installing mobo drivers
5. Install Via 4 in 1
6. Flash Bios with the wicked direction given by Dimebag
7. Install Service pack 3
8. Install Direct x 8.1 for Win 2k
9. Install GFx drivers from original disk, (then upgrade to nVidia Detonator drivers????)
10. Then start adding one component at a time making sure all goes well etc..
11. I think I should install the mouse last.. not sure why except that it worked once before that I had MUCH better performance so Ill do it again

So how far off am I?

Spot on. although, after win2k install, restart after every step

 

[M4nimal]

I would just like to thank you all for helping me out!

MY PC WORKS WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOO!!!!

Hopefully I wont need a reinstall for a long time.

Now all I need to do is set a few Bios settings (famous last words...) for things like, pc shuts off when I shutdown rather than me having to press the off button (yes I know Im a lazy ass

Thanx again

M4
>

 

[tris-]

Originally posted by M4nimal
I would just like to thank you all for helping me out!

MY PC WORKS WOOOOOHHHHHOOOOO!!!!

Hopefully I wont need a reinstall for a long time.

Now all I need to do is set a few Bios settings (famous last words...) for things like, pc shuts off when I shutdown rather than me having to press the off button (yes I know Im a lazy ass

Thanx again

M4
>

Nice one.

 

[M4nimal]

*sigh* - spoke too soon

Installed my first game - Counter strike...

Tried to run it, set GFx to Open GL, tried to enter game... pc restarts

hmmm

tried setting it to Direct draw (or 3d, which ever cant remember now).. try enter game .. pc restarts

run direct x diag tool...

all tests run fine till I get to the "Test Direct 3D" button.. press it and it says, running test with directx 7 technology.. works, then next test says attempting to run under directx 8 tech.. press ok.. PC RE-FUCKING-STARTS!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

I just cant win can I??

When I first started I installed the original drivers (gigabyte GA-GF1280) drivers and then upgraded to the Detonator 30.82 drivers). Now... I try to downgrade to the original drivers. I uninstalled the GFx drivers.. restart.. only to come back to the drivers being reinstalled automatically (FFS).. so I just select upgrade, reselect the gigabyte drivers and everything is back to the way it was... I think.

Still I get the same problem when running directx diag tool..

gawd.. can any of u help this time round?

*sigh*

M4

 

[Dimebag]

radeon :/

 

[tris-]

That happend to me once, i did something and it worked again, but i dunno what i did

 

[kameleon]

run the detonator uninstall program