Windows installation problems (and probably sata aswell)

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Hi all.
I recently bought a new system:
Gigabyte GA-8KNXP, 875P, RAID, SATA /
2 x Seagate Barracuda 7200.7, 120GB, SATA150
2,8 Ghz intel P4 800 Mhz. Processor.

When I boot from the winXP cd I press F6 and install the SATA raid drivers. Then I format my harddrive and start installing.
After all the files has been copied to my harddrive the system reboots and the installation continues, now this is where the problem is.
Now winXP wont copy several files from the cd and thus the installation isnt complete.
I've tried with 2 different winXP cd's, different dvd/cd-rom drives.
And with only 1 Hdisk connected, but it's the same problem, winXP just wont copy the files over.
Im running out of ideas here, so if any one of you have just the slightest idea whats wrong I'd be thrilled.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ulysses777]

Can you tell us what files it's trying to copy, or at exactly what stage in the installation that it stops?

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Well thats also a problem, cause it completely random.
Sometimes a file wont be copied over in the initial installation (when you boot from the cd)
and sometimes (though this is most common) when you boot from the harddisk (after the "starting windows xp" logo has appeared)

And the files that wont be copied over is also random, differs every time I try to install.
I also tried to switch cd's when asked for the file, that sorta worked but I ended up with a bluescreen :/
Bluescreen when trying to install is also a bit common.

 

[kameleon]

see here for help

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Originally posted by kameleon
see here for help

Nothing there offers a solution to my problem
I get bluescreens during installation now different errors ect.
Sigh this is too much.

 

[smurkin]

is your pc getting its drives in a twist ? ie. is it looking for the win disk in drive D:, when D is actually a hard drive ? common error ime.

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Nope, windows can see my drive c and d and boot normally from the dvd-drive. it's just when I try to install windows will either not copy over a file or go bluescreen, or both.
And I have no clue to whats wrong.

 

[kameleon]

what memory are you using?

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

2 x kingston hyper x 512 pc 3200 running in dual.

Just tried to install again, got passed the initial install, formatted (full) copied all the files over, reboot, windows started. the installation continued, I chose keyboard, language, country ect and installed network stuff, and then it wouldn't copy over the files.
All the files from the system32 folder.
And when you told the installation to go on without the files I got bluescreen.
Bluescreen happens at random that I know.

 

[kameleon]

do you know what bsod error you are getting?

 

[kameleon]

ps add me to msn messenger nbirchall@hotmail.com

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Haha I feel like such an idiot.
Wrote down the error and went on to search microsofts hp:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;da;315335

Removed 1 of the ram bloks and voila system works.


So all this fucking trouble over 1 defekt ram blok and me not searching hard enough :doh:

So I'm a happy camper now, and thank you all for your help

 

[kameleon]

can i suggest that you return the kingston memory and go for crucial? You pay more for it but it is worth it

if you can afford it go for the pc3500 low latency

 

[old.Gombur Glodson]

Hmm, turns out it wasnt the ram-blok
WinXP setup only gives me bluescreen when I run them in dual mode, but the motherboard supports it, so why wont winXP install cause of it?

 

[kameleon]

because the memory you have bought is not suitable for twinbank mode. I had the same trouble with my asus a7n8x and oem memory. Buying crucial RAM fixed the problem straight away.

 

[lovedaddy]

A fresh install of windows is a very good test of ram (dont ask me why, it must just use all of it during extacting files from cab files).

If during the install your finding that files at random will not copy (an error like 'cannot find such a such file on the cd' or it randomly blue screens, chances are its one of your sticks of ram.

I'd try and get a memory testing utility (memtest seems to ring a bell) and do a full check on your ram.

 

[fr00]

[This is Gombur posting from my brothers account]


Ok, I installed winXP whilst running both ram modules in single mode.
Then when windows started up it was terribly unstable, almost every program I ran or folder I opend stopped responding.
I then took out one of the ram modules but everything was still very unstable and stopped responding.
Then I switched the modules (having only 1 module in the system)
Now everything ran smoothly and all and I installed my mobo drivers and gfx drivers.
Then I wanted to test if the system would be unstable again if I switched RAM modules again.
But everything ran smoothly with the other module aswell.
Then I installed sp1 and other updates for windows.
I rebooted and then switched my ram modules to run in dual mode.
Now When I booted up, my wallpaper was gone and instead there was only a grey background.
I turned off my computer and ran both ram modules in single mode, and when I booted my wallpaper had once again been replaced by a grey background.
Then I tried booting up with only 1 ram module running in single mode.
Grey background again.

Now I'm confused

 

[Insane]

Personally, take that gigabyte board out and send it back RMA pretty dawm fast for instability issues, i'd at least try and get a refund and buy a different board entirely.

myself and a few guys i know who work in the industry all agree that Gigabyte are not stable at all, the biggest proof was the G-max P4 model, a P4 2.53 chip running 533FSB crashed every time, stuck in a 2.4 celeron (400mhz) and it ran fine.. they dont seem to like running at speed at all!...

get rid of the Gigabyte board and buy a new Nforce2 board, Abit's normally very reliable, fair enough they arnt the best for overclocking but i've seen them be more stable than anything else.

the memorys not at fault, its the board itself which is at fault.