Boot issue driving me batty

[ignotium]

Any help would be greatly appreciated, so here is the lowdown:

Computer initially working, but post would occasionally say incompatible ATAPI drive.
Shortly thereafter, it won't boot to windows XP sp2 at all.

It begins to post, recognizes the drives (Wester Digital HD and LiteOn DVD), then freezes. Won't even let you into setup. If you clear the CMOS by switchign the jumper and then turn on the PC, it will say GVN/cksum bad and ask you to either go to setup or load defaults and continue. I've done both - you can get into setup and everything appears normal, but once you save and exit it will freeze again. If you F2 - freeze.
The system worked in the past and I've changed nothing. Brief description:
MOBO: Biostar GAVRX
CPU: Athlon XP 2400
512 mb ddr 266 crucial (tried switching sticks, don't think it is the problem)
Radeon 8500 64ddr

I am at a loss. Could it be PSU? Doubt it. CPU check is okay. Ram okay. Virus? I disconnected everything but the hard drive and agp, still no go. Bad mobo? I switched that out as well and it froze in the same spot. Help.

 

[LTC8K6]

CMOS battery bad?

 

[Rocket321]

Bad Hard drive? I've had issues with a failing hard drive that prevented getting past POST.

 

[ignotium]

I don't think so, but I suppose it could be a possibility.

 

[ignotium]

I tried a different hd, but that didn't work either. Could it be bad cables?

 

[KGB]

Ingo,

Welcome to the Forums! :beer:

Are you absolutely sure you have your WD HD jumpered correctly?

There is a setting for "single drive" and one for "master w/ slave".
If your LiteOn is on the same channel as the WD, the HD needs to be jumpered as "master w/ slave.
If it's on the secondary channel, then the HD needs to be set to "single drive".

 

[ignotium]

I believe so.. the ide cable first goes to the cd rom, which is slated as the slave, then the connector in the middle of the cable is going to the hd, which is the master w/slave. However, I neglected to change the jumper pin when I removed everything but the hd, so I will try that next.