Confuzzed computer - will it, won't it

I didn't say change the power supply ... yet
Large molex to SATA adapter is OK.

nLite is used to slipstream SP3 to your XP CD so when you install windows, it already has SP3. nLite has other cool features.

I already found the motherboard, the ATI 2100 would do as good a job if not better than the 6200.

To test power, can you disconnect both optical drives and the video card, use the on-board. Eventhough this does not prove the output capabilities of the 400W per rail and combined, the results could shed some more light.

I'm posting off site, back in the shop later.

my xp cd is a corperation (meaning no product key is needed and i can do as many installtion as i like) so will it still work with that and what the risk of it damaging the disk as it's not something i can get hold of easy
I'll do the power test after memtest has finished in the morning

(by the way are you in the US cus i'm in the uk-i was just thinking time zones)

XP Corporate edition is only for corporations not individuals
MS can not offer any support for individuals who use this

Newegg is selling valid XP CDs with the key and all.

XP Pro: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116515

XP Home: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116511

I have a corporate CD as well that I slip streamed manually with SP2 and now with SP3. nLite takes the manual work away and does the same job with a few key strokes.

With nLite, your original CD is not altered in any way, and more importantly, you get and ISO with Sp3 that you can burn as many copies as you want specially if the original CD has scratches and it's been used many times standing on it's last leg.

All nLite does, uses your i386 folder from the CD and integrates SP3 in to it, it uses a space on your hard drive, basically it makes a copy of your CD, adds SP3 and any other changes you might want to make as in adding your Product Key, drivers, user name, Network perfrences, time zone and such, but let's keep it simple the first time.

install nLite then run it, put your XP CD in your CD-ROM drive (close the box that comes up after you put the CD in)
Select your language, click Next
Use "browse" and select your CD drive, nLite will take a few seconds to ID the CD
Click Next, leave the Presets screen blank, click Next
Select Service Pack and Bootable ISO, click Next
Cick "Select" and browse to the SP3 file, as soon as you select the SP3, it should start slip streaming, wait for the "Integrated install has completed successfully" message and click OK then Next.
Now you can click on Make ISO and you're done, you can also change the Lable to something that you know what the ISO is, like XPCRPSP3 or whatever.
Then find the ISO and burn.

You do need to download SP3 in full first.

I am in Canada but since I do 24/ 7 on-site service, I have crazy hours, never know when the phone will ring next!

You realize the problem points to the XP install as kimsland suggested first, we can continue to make sure everything is OK or you can attempt to re-install with SP3 and few other steps which I will include later.

k I'll do a clean install then
why do you say i need to download SP3 (in full) when my computer already has SP3 or is it you need the file

You need to download the full SP3 then use nLite to make a bootable XP Corp CD with SP3 already on it.

You said you had to apply the SP3 in Safe Mode meaning the CD you are using does not have SP3.

When you start your clean install, your SP3 will be gone if the CD you have right now has older SP on it.

not true, the corporate has a key also but does not require activation and unlike VLM has no limit. Most probably your IT admin used something like nLite to include the key in so you don't have to enter it.

True

I sell enterprise AV as well as OS through my suppliers, with AV, we allow the employees to install a copy at home as well for their own protection if they work at home and bring it to work.

With corporate OS, only the management and certain employees get to install a copy at home (for work use) as well.

ok so I just tried booting the computer with out either of the drives and the graphic's card and it booted fine, and when I restarted the computer it booted fine again so would this suggest it may be the power after all.
and memtest showed no errors

problem using nlite
when I try browse and select my CD drive a warning message comes up saying 'select where to save CD installation files for modification chose of creat an empty folder'

Yes it does point to the power supply, both optical drives draw about 48W from the +12V rail to spin (2A each but the newer drives around 1.5-1.8A) and about 10W each from the +5V rail to read and write. The Vid card as I mentioned 117W while idle from all the positive rails. The difference from 75W that is provided by the PCI-E slot, has to come from the +12V rail.

Let me look at the link you provided and get back to you.

Sorry, seems like I missed a part, you do need to tell nLite where you want the work to be saved, either make a new folder or point to where you save your stuff.

ahh ok thanks

I don't feel comfortable recommending power supplies for UK since they are internally different than what is designed for North America.

If anyone from UK has other suggestion for a power supply for your needs based on our discussion, please let us know.

After checking lot of on-line stores in UK, all the ones I read, don't show detail, I can't get any info on the one you selected, it says it has 2 X 120mm fan which I find hard to believe, it has no PCI-E 6pin plug.

I found the web site for the HIPER 425 WATT 18db Silent PSU ATX with full details, this one seems to be OK, with 2 +12V rails each at 17A max (not combined) and with enough output on the +3.3V and the +5.V rails. I hope the +12V1 and +12V2 yellow wires are distinguished so you can better distribute power to your system. Try and use separate wires for your drives rather than using one or two for your 2 optical drives, the SATA, and the floppy, do not use the same cable that is used for the drives for a case fan. Here is the same power supply from novatech

As always, please check and see if there are any BIOS updates for the motherboard before starting XP install.

Check the web site for all your components and see if there are newer drivers than what is provided on the CDs, if there are newer drivers, save them to a USB stick or burn a CD, make sure the drive or the CD are free of infection before connecting it to your new installation.

During installation, delete all partitions, create new partition /s, format them (quick is OK) then proceed with XP install, this way your MBR is clean.

Don't connect any other hard drives with data on them until your XP is fully patched with a working AV and all it's updates.

As soon as XP is installed, install your chipset drivers first.

If you use the integrated ATI 2100, do not install it's video drivers till you have .NET Framework 2 at the least (available from foxconn or Windows Update)

It is best not to be connected to the internet during XP install till you have installed an AV (saved to the drivers CD or something) specially if you are not behind a firewall (router would be OK).

If you use Office products, do Microsoft update in Custom mode rather than Windows update, do not accept any hardware update from Microsoft or Windows Update, get them from the manufacturers site.

Remember, even with your XP Pro CD with SP3, there are some 50 or 60 critical updates that you have to install in Custom not Express mode.

Let us know how everything goes.

So lets see
get new Power unit
get BIOS updates (how do you do this once files are downloaded)
Find any driver up dates
clean Xp install
chipset drivers
install AV -update
windows update (custom)
other drivers etc
then transfer data over

chance the current graphic'scard will stay as it does what needed of it and my brother is happy having to pay out a 3 time for the power unit

Here is the BIOS file, please double check and ensure it is for that motherboard.

Download the Driver Free Disk For BIOS Flashing from BootDisk.com to your desktop

Download the BIOS image file to your desktop and extract.

Place a blank floppy disk in the drive and double click on the drdflash.exe

After your boot disk is made, copy all three files 813F1P05.ROM, AFUDOS.EXE and flash.bat to the floppy disk.

Boot the computer up with boot order changed to floppy first in the BIOS, once at the command prompt (A:\) type flash and press enter, this will run the batch file (flash.bat), don't interupt the flashing process, after prompted, re-boot the system, enter the BIOS and load the defaults, set boot order to CD-ROM first, make any other changes you need in the BIOS based on your configuration, save and exit, with the new XP SP3 CD in the drive, turn the system ON and proceed with XP install.

You should be more happy than your brother! His system will run better and you get less or no calls with problems you have to fix

Keep us posted.

I'm happy, I've leant a great amout for this (thanks to you guys)

the link for the BIOS I didn't download that one as did I needed it as is was for supporting AM3's I downloaded the other two
so can I flash all 3 updates at once then

The latest has the older fixes included.

Depending on the BIOS Engineer, there might be more small fixes they do not publish, doesn't matter if you have AM3 or not, always get the most recent BIOS image file even if it does not address your exact issue.

cool thanks

ok flashing the BIOS and it would of seem to of stopped but there is no clear promt to restart
it has been likew it for a while what would happen if I restarted

I was give the following instruction on flashing my BIOS

(http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic122987-2.html)

Here is the BIOS file, please double check and ensure it is for that motherboard.

Download the Driver Free Disk For BIOS Flashing from BootDisk.com to your desktop

Download the BIOS image file to your desktop and extract.

Place a blank floppy disk in the drive and double click on the drdflash.exe

After your boot disk is made, copy all three files 813F1P05.ROM, AFUDOS.EXE and flash.bat to the floppy disk.

Boot the computer up with boot order changed to floppy first in the BIOS, once at the command prompt (A:\) type flash and press enter, this will run the batch file (flash.bat), don't interupt the flashing process, after prompted, re-boot the system

The computer is not doing anythink it just have a lot of numbers/info at the top followed by A:/ then the cursor

there is no sign of a promt for me to restart
I really need help with this
I have already looked at http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic75555.html

Sorry had a late night, kind of on a night shift at the moment!

That does not sound normal, can you explain the steps you took and the prompts on the screen, I'll have a look at the batch file and see the syntax and switches they have used.

Could you give us an update on this?

don't worry about the late night thing I was sort of in the same boat my internet went so couldn't of go on

as far as the steps when I followed them the only other thing that was as normaly as it though it would be is when I did drdflash.exe thing was that it couldn't find some sectors

as for what is says on the screen

[PMODE/W]: about:00
EXCEPTION:06
then after that there about about 4 lines of things like EAX:, ESI, DS of of which are followed by some letter and numbers
then the very last time it has A:\> then the cursur