[ASUS P4C800] Won't install windows...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ben Baker
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Ben Baker

Hi all,

Wondering if any of you can shed any light on this problem...

I have the following setup:

ASUS P4C800 (obviously!)
P4(c) 2.8ghz - 800 FSB
1gb Samsung 3200 DDR Ram
2 x 120gb Western Digital HD
Sony DVD Writer
Radeon 8500 64mb


I am using the default bios settings.

I am not using the two HDD's as a RAID array. Just a straight master >
slave IDE setup.

Everything appears fine, the machine turns on and in the bios it can
see all of the hardware.

When i try installing windows, be it 98(!!!), 2000 or XP pro it
formats the drive and then when copying the windows setup files across
it fails to copy some system files...

It is not always the same files and if you hit return on the first
three or four files it continues, but eventually stops and causes a
blue screen of death!

I have tried the following:

* Changing the DVD drive, to see if that's the problem

* Tried using a different OS

* Checked the IDE cable from the motherboard to the DVD drive

* Tried formatting the drive using WD's data life gaurd

It does the same in all of the cases!!!

Any ideas on what the problem could be?
 
Ben Baker said:
Hi all,

Wondering if any of you can shed any light on this problem...

I have the following setup:

ASUS P4C800 (obviously!)
P4(c) 2.8ghz - 800 FSB
1gb Samsung 3200 DDR Ram
2 x 120gb Western Digital HD
Sony DVD Writer
Radeon 8500 64mb


I am using the default bios settings.

I am not using the two HDD's as a RAID array. Just a straight master >
slave IDE setup.

Everything appears fine, the machine turns on and in the bios it can
see all of the hardware.

When i try installing windows, be it 98(!!!), 2000 or XP pro it
formats the drive and then when copying the windows setup files across
it fails to copy some system files...

It is not always the same files and if you hit return on the first
three or four files it continues, but eventually stops and causes a
blue screen of death!

I have tried the following:

* Changing the DVD drive, to see if that's the problem

* Tried using a different OS

* Checked the IDE cable from the motherboard to the DVD drive

* Tried formatting the drive using WD's data life gaurd

It does the same in all of the cases!!!

Any ideas on what the problem could be?
Click to expand...

Memory. Get a copy of memtest86 and run it on your system. And I really
hope your using 2 x 512 meg sticks and not 1 1 GB stick, or else you're
shooting yourself in the foot memory wise.
 
I had an issue with the first release of Win2k Professional and my 80GB hard
drive capable of UltraDMA/133. Win2k kept crashing on the install. The
original release of Win2k does not support DMA modes above 4 (or 66MHz).
This is documented in theKnowledge Base on the Microsoft web site.
Microsoft fixed it in later releases and it is patched in Service Pack 2, I
believe.

In order to resolve my issue I went into the BIOS and set the DMA mode to 4.
Win2k loaded without a problem. I then ran all the Service Packs available
from Microsoft. Then I went back into the BIOS and turned the speed back up
to DMA mode 6 (UltraDMA/133MHz). It flies now.

Try it out. Good lcuk.
-Paul
 
Ben Baker said:
Hi all,

Wondering if any of you can shed any light on this problem...

I have the following setup:

ASUS P4C800 (obviously!)
P4(c) 2.8ghz - 800 FSB
1gb Samsung 3200 DDR Ram
2 x 120gb Western Digital HD
Sony DVD Writer
Radeon 8500 64mb


I am using the default bios settings.

I am not using the two HDD's as a RAID array. Just a straight master >
slave IDE setup.

Everything appears fine, the machine turns on and in the bios it can
see all of the hardware.

When i try installing windows, be it 98(!!!), 2000 or XP pro it
formats the drive and then when copying the windows setup files across
it fails to copy some system files...

It is not always the same files and if you hit return on the first
three or four files it continues, but eventually stops and causes a
blue screen of death!

I have tried the following:

* Changing the DVD drive, to see if that's the problem

* Tried using a different OS

* Checked the IDE cable from the motherboard to the DVD drive

* Tried formatting the drive using WD's data life gaurd

It does the same in all of the cases!!!

Any ideas on what the problem could be?
Click to expand...

How's your memory configurated. 1x 1gig, 2 x 512 MB or 4 x 256 MB ?
If you use 4 x 256 MB to reach 1 gig that's probably the problem. See this
site: http://www.asus.com/products/mb/socket478/P4C800_DDR400_QVL.pdf
Are you using promise controller for your hd's ? If so, you have to install
IDE drivers for promise.
Hope it helps.

FairMan
 
******************************************************************************


THANKS FOR THE REPLIES GUYS,

I AM USING 2 X 512MB STICKS OF DDR 3200 SAMSUNG RAM.

IT DETECTS THE RAM AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE PROBLEM AS I HAVE
TRIED OUT OTHER RAM TOO.

WHAT IS THE PROMISE CONTROLLER?

IS THERE A SETTING I NEED TO CHANGE IN BIOS?

I HAVE SIMPLY PLUGGED IN THE HDD'S USING THE SPECIAL ATA 100 CABLE.

I AM NOT USING SATA OR RAID DRIVES.

I AM TRYING TO INSTALL WINDOWS XP PRO, I WILL GIVE SETTING THE DMA
MODE TO 4 AND SEE IF THAT SOLVES IT...

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT

BEN ; ]
 
what version bios? the early bios firmware had problems installing xp..
also if your drives are hooked to the promise port you have 2 install a
driver, the non raid one if u aren't using raid..
if nothing else, slap one of the drives on the mobo primary port (i think
its ide 3) and try that..

--

-
Ron Shaw

I Am a Criminal created by the US Government
A Medical Cannabis Advocate, User & Engineer.
I Designed your Space Shuttles, Cars & Software.
07D3 See - http://rtshaw.freeyellow.com/
 
Ron Shaw said:
what version bios? the early bios firmware had problems installing xp..
also if your drives are hooked to the promise port you have 2 install a
driver, the non raid one if u aren't using raid..
if nothing else, slap one of the drives on the mobo primary port (i think
its ide 3) and try that..

--

-
Ron Shaw

I Am a Criminal created by the US Government
A Medical Cannabis Advocate, User & Engineer.
I Designed your Space Shuttles, Cars & Software.
07D3 See - http://rtshaw.freeyellow.com/



what version bios? the early bios firmware had problems installing xp..
also if your drives are hooked to the promise port you have 2 install a
driver, the non raid one if u aren't using raid..
if nothing else, slap one of the drives on the mobo primary port (i think
its ide 3) and try that..
Click to expand...

Hi,

The Bios is that that comes with the Motherboard (P4C800 Deluxe - AI Series).

How do i install the promise bios for an IDE setup???

The HDD's are plugged into the blue IDE port - aTA 1000

thanks,

Ben
 
Ron Shaw said:
what version bios? the early bios firmware had problems installing xp..
also if your drives are hooked to the promise port you have 2 install a
driver, the non raid one if u aren't using raid..
if nothing else, slap one of the drives on the mobo primary port (i think
its ide 3) and try that..

--

-
Ron Shaw

I Am a Criminal created by the US Government
A Medical Cannabis Advocate, User & Engineer.
I Designed your Space Shuttles, Cars & Software.
07D3 See - http://rtshaw.freeyellow.com/
Click to expand...

Also how am i supposed to update the mobo bios, without being able to get to DOS???

cheers,

Ben
 
Try changing the mem I have run into this on a few systems I have built
Click to expand...


That's fixed it!!!

It was the memory, didn't like it. Swapped it for Crucial instead and it worked!

Thanks for the help all

ben ; ]
 
Also how am i supposed to update the mobo bios, without being able to get to
DOS???

cheers,

Ben
Click to expand...
Read the manual, one of the unique features of these current Asus boards is
the built in ability to recover from a bad flash or such by just using your
ASUS CD that came with your MB and booting with it. it has a bios on it that
will be flashed back to the board. Then you can go ahead and update to a later
version.
 
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