Computer build assistance

[evilsmith]

What do you mean the optical drive did not fit your case? Even if it's IDE, the motherboard has 1 IDE port.

The PSU manual should explain exactly where each cord is to be connected.

Do you have a second HDD? Maybe you could try using the HDD from your other system and see whether you are able to install the OS.

It didn't fit my cast meaning I couldn't jam it in the case but its not a major problem I just used my SATA Optical drive from my other computer and it fit.

I don't believe the PSU manual had all that info but I can always try to double check.

I have tried putting a second HDD. The hard drive has an OS and everything else I have in it. But when it started booting it would load the windows to where you see the green bars (loading screen) going then it would reboot(crash) and you get a glimpse of a blue screen. (blue screen of death?) I've only tried it once but I guess I can try it again. I'll try to make sure it isn't a HDD problem and see if I can use the new HDD on my old computer.

The essentials for powering up are the following:

1. 4 pin power connector (usually located top corner of the CPU fan area
2. 20/24 pin power connector from PSU to motherboard (righthand side of motherboard)
3. Fan connector for case fans (usually on the left side of the board)
4. Power connector for graphics card (if required)
5. SATA power connector for hard drive (s) and optical media drive(s).
6. SATA data connectors for hard drive(s) and optical media drive(s)
7. Case header plugs (for pwr/hdd led/pwr led/reset)
8. Obviously, the CPU/CPU Fan/RAM/GPU all fitted if your fitting them.

So you've built it up, and then you booted it and have already installed Windows XP to your new hard disc? From reading this thread you purchased a 500GB didnt you?

If you go into BIOS, is the RAM, and CPU listed correctly? If the CPU isn't reporting as correct, its possible the motherboards firmware needs an update.

So if you insert the XP CD rom in the drive, and then reboot and when prompted to press any key, does it then start the installation OK?

At which point exactly is the installation process failing?

I'll try to get pictures of what I've got plugged in and post em. So I've built the computer and tried to run it for the first time. It seems to start up fine you see the Gigabyte logo and it allows me to go into Bios after all that, a normal computer would start loading OS if they had one which I don't so it just says Loading Operating System and gets stuck there. Although I on my first initial boot up it actually asked for me to put a CD in so I just put my Windows XP CD Key it seemed to be installing normally but after a minute it crashed and give me the blue screen. So ever since then its just been stuck on Loading Operating System.

I'm not exactly sure what to look for to see if RAM and CPU is listed correctly or not but I'll go check again and post pictures of those too if needed.

It actually doesn't even ask me to press any key. It just gets stuck on Loading Operating System... _ As of this point the CDs I have for OS none of them are loading.

 

[Leeky]

Your best bet right now is to go into your BIOS screen.

Literally, on the very first page it will likely show you how much RAM is installed, and what CPU is installed. It will obviously show up as an AMD Phenom if it is correct. If its not showing as an AMD then its possibly the BIOS firmware is to old to support the CPU, and requires updatin before it will.

Also check the RAM is the same amount as you have installed. If its only showing 2GB and you have installed 4GB then you have an issue with one of them not being seated correctly.

While your in the BIOS menu, go to boot device order, and change the boot priority to the following:

1: DVD drive
2: Local hard disc (your new 500GB drive)

Then quickly verify your hard drive has been identified correctly, by selecting your hard disc and checking its got the right manufacturer and size etc.

Insert your Windows media, and then select save and exit.

The PC should reboot, and instantly try to access the windows CD in the drive. Press any key should then come up and this time work. I would try another fresh install.

A possible reason for installation failing is due to the lack of SATA drivers for your hard drive. I've had to put my drivers on a floppy drive and add them by pressing F6 as the XP installation starts everytime I've ever installed Windows XP from an OEM CD rom using SATA drives. I'd imagine the brief blue screen, and rebooting is being unable to find the SATA driver. It bugged me until I realised myself - Again with a newly built computer. lol. Your SATA drivers will be on the supplied motherboard CD.

 

[Ritwik7]

Since your second HDD already has an OS installed along with the drivers of the older machine it is but natural that there would be problems in booting into it. If possible try a fresh install of the OS on your second HDD and see if it works.

 

[evilsmith]

Your best bet right now is to go into your BIOS screen.

Literally, on the very first page it will likely show you how much RAM is installed, and what CPU is installed. It will obviously show up as an AMD Phenom if it is correct. If its not showing as an AMD then its possibly the BIOS firmware is to old to support the CPU, and requires updatin before it will.

Also check the RAM is the same amount as you have installed. If its only showing 2GB and you have installed 4GB then you have an issue with one of them not being seated correctly.

While your in the BIOS menu, go to boot device order, and change the boot priority to the following:

1: DVD drive
2: Local hard disc (your new 500GB drive)

Then quickly verify your hard drive has been identified correctly, by selecting your hard disc and checking its got the right manufacturer and size etc.

Insert your Windows media, and then select save and exit.

The PC should reboot, and instantly try to access the windows CD in the drive. Press any key should then come up and this time work. I would try another fresh install.

A possible reason for installation failing is due to the lack of SATA drivers for your hard drive. I've had to put my drivers on a floppy drive and add them by pressing F6 as the XP installation starts everytime I've ever installed Windows XP from an OEM CD rom using SATA drives. I'd imagine the brief blue screen, and rebooting is being unable to find the SATA driver. It bugged me until I realised myself - Again with a newly built computer. lol. Your SATA drivers will be on the supplied motherboard CD.

The BIOs doesn't seem to have any info on the name of my Processor all I see is 3100 mhz and bunch of other stuff for my voltage. And I've I already tried putting CD-ROM Drive before my Hard Drive in boot order. And as I've stated before I can't even boot in my CD so I can't even attempt a fresh install it just get stuck on Loading Operating System... _ .

@Ritwik7 As of now I don't really want to delete everything off my old Hard Drive what I think I'm going to try to do is install the OS into the new hard drive using my old computer.

 

[Leeky]

The BIOs doesn't seem to have any info on the name of my Processor all I see is 3100 mhz and bunch of other stuff for my voltage. And I've I already tried putting CD-ROM Drive before my Hard Drive in boot order. And as I've stated before I can't even boot in my CD so I can't even attempt a fresh install it just get stuck on Loading Operating System... _ .

@Ritwik7 As of now I don't really want to delete everything off my old Hard Drive what I think I'm going to try to do is install the OS into the new hard drive using my old computer.

The only issue with that is its unlikely to want to boot with a fresh install created using another computer.

Download, and burn a copy of a linux live CD, and try running the computer in live mode. This will confirm the computer is OK, and you should be able to access the new hard disk as well. You can then mount the drive, and using partitioner editor, you can then format the drive in FAT32 format, wiping any data on it so its fresh again.

Its not an ideal solution, but it will reassure you that if all works with the linux live disc, then your problem isnt related to your build (e.g. ram, mobo, CPU)

Any chance of a picture of your main BIOS screen so I can see whats listed for the CPU please?

Also, are you certain your DVD drive is being recognised by BIOS being as its IDE? It will require the jumpers setting correctly, and the correct connector used to make sure its working OK...

Right now I'd be tempted to fit your original SATA DVD drive, and then go back into BIOS and list it as first device, and then try again. You dont need to physically install the DVD, just connect the power and data cables to your PSU/mobo.

EDIT: I've downloaded your usermanual for your BIOS. (Manual attached)

Your CPU will be listed in the Advanced menu > CPU Configuration
Your RAM is displayed on the main page as you enter BIOS.
From the main screen, select IDE configuration > Primary IDE master and confirm the IDE DVD drive is showing in the device collumn.
Navigate to the Boot menu > Hard disk drives > confirm your 500GB is in this list!
highlight CD/DVD drives and confirm yours is here again
Confirm boot device priority is correct (if you've changed anything)

This will confirm that your CPU/RAM/DVD drive and hard disk are reading correctly in BIOS, and that the correct settings are in place to use them.

P.S. Sorry this post is so jumbled up. After my initial post I decided to hunt down your BIOS user manual so I could see its layout for myself. lol.

 

[evilsmith]

Well Thanks for all your help but I think I've fixed it by installing Vista OS on my old computer. While installing I basically just removed everything and basically rebuilt it again. After that I put my new Hard Drive into the new comp and it worked. So thanks again.

 

[Ritwik7]

Thanks for all your help but I think I've fixed it by installing Vista OS on my old computer. While installing I basically just removed everything and basically rebuilt it again. After that I put my new Hard Drive into the new comp and it worked. So thanks again.

Good to know everything works fine. However, when you say you installed the OS on your new HDD using the old PC, did you also install the drivers? Or did you install them after switching the HDD into the new PC.

 

[evilsmith]

I installed the drivers after I put the HDD on the new PC everything as of now seems to work fine.