Problem in booting with Epox 9NPA+Ultra, help needed...

[cornellian]

Hi everyone, couple weeks ago I asked your advice on computer parts for a new build, and you were all very helpful. Well, I got every part and built the computer yesterday. Motherboard is an Epox 9NPA+Ultra and the Cpu is a Venice core 3200+.

However, when I first booted the thing it gave me a floppy disk fail(40) warning in POST, even though I just took out the floppy from my previous computer and put it in the new one, with IDE cable and floppy connector in place. Any ideas about what the problem might be?

Furthermore, the CD that came with the Epox mobo didn't work (I am supposed to boot from it first). I removed the DVD from the new comp, put it back on the old, and realized that they sent me an empty CD! The problem is definately in their CD as my DVD read other DVDs I put to test pretty well.

So, what should I do? I already contacted the Epox support (which is by mail only, disappointing) but even if they send me the CD it will take days for me to get it, and I don't wait to wait of course.. Does anyone know a site that I can download the contents of this CD, or is there any other way to circumvent the whole thing? Thanks for your help...
cornellian

 

[zephead]

epox makes low quality products that often prove to be troublesome. i wouldn't ever buy an epox board or reccomend one to a customer. try booting to your OS installation CD.

 

[wolfram]

Yes, like zephead said, use your windows XP cd. I hope you have one...

 

[War_Ensemble]

well u could get ur drivers and ect... from the site www.epox.com download them there and u can get ur updated drivers and as far as ur 1.44 floppy try to turn ur ide cord 180 degress of course w/ ur system powered down and reset it in there and then start it back up might take care of the problem

 

[cornellian]

Thanks for the replies, I do have an original XP Pro CD, yet I discovered yesterday that it died for no reason.. Luckily I'd made a copy of it but it won't boot.. I wonder if the directory structure is different from the original copy.. The copy I made is like this:
....
XP
serial number.txt

This is why it won't boot correct? I included that .txt not to write the serial on a case, but never thought it wouldn't boot because of it, thought it would at least give the subdirectories a try when searching for the main boot files. By the way there won't be any problem if I burn a copy of the copy to a DVD right; I mean the computer wont' have any problem from booting from a DVD, will it? Thanks everyone...
cornellian

 

[cornellian]

Well the computer still asked for a system disk and I am running out of ideas.. Anyone has any advice? Thanks...

 

[wolfram]

Why doesn´t it boot?

Do you get an error message??

 

[cornellian]

If only I knew why it doesn't boot...

I turn the computer on, with the copy of XP Pro inside the DVD/RW. Computer goes through POST, information accurate as far as I can see. then it verifies DMI pool data. Then, the screen is:
Boot from CD: (tries the CD for a few secs)
boot disk failure, insert system disk and press enter

and thats it.. I retried the XP Pro, it doesn't help... The CD is the first boot device and first it tries the CD, and couple seconds later the floppy (the third boot device, HDD is 2nd) and gives the same warning again....

 

[wolfram]

That means that the boot sector of the cd is damaged.

Do you have access to another cd?

 

[cornellian]

But you see, I made a copy of XP Pro on my old computer and it still gives the same error. I am close to getting royally pissed off and burn my new comp while dancing around it under fullmoon light.

 

[wolfram]

Now try the original XP cd and boot from it if possible....

 

[cornellian]

Strange thing Wolfram, I couldn't boot from the Xp Pro DVD in my 'old but working' computer, even though DVD writer is the first in boot order...

Why can't I boot from the damned thing? It seems it had nothing to do with the motherboard, but something about the DVD copy I created... Is it because that it is a DVD, or is it because the drive is a DVD writer (not likely though) or is it just another reason? Any ideas? Thanks a lot...
cornellian

 

[wolfram]

I have the same problem as you sometimes. I have two optical drives (1 CD-RW, 1 DVD-ROM) and I can´t install Windows from the DVD-ROM. Windows says that the disk is defective, and it refuses to continue.

Then I boot from the CD-RW drive with the same disk, and Windows install perfectly. No errors and installs VERY fast.

If you have two drives, or you can install a normal cd-rom drive, try to boot from the new drive using your original or the copied cd. Then see if it works.

Weird things, aren´t they?