can't get into windows after mobo install

[imported_irate]

I'm past panic...now just feel real sick about this problem.

I installed my new Intel mobo D865PERLK and installed my new Intel P4 3gig cpu. All this went into my new X-Infinity Case. Also, installed new Graphics card by PNY called GeFORCE FX-5500 AGP 8X.

I installed from old puter my hard drive which all worked perfectly in that system. It is a Maxtor Quantum Fireball mdl: Maxtor 541 DX 5400 rpm 20 gig ultra ATA HD and my TURBOLINK mdl; LC-A350ATX DVD.

I turn on power and system fires up, recognizes hardware and 512 megs of ddr ram dimm. Two different brands but compatable. Both stick worked fine in my system I just took them out of. It asks me to press F2 to enter set up. I do and not much to change. Get a message on drives that a drive in brackets is disconnected from use. Well, all three of my drives had brackets (HD, FLOPPY and CD). Tried everything in the world to make teh bracakets go but nothing worked.

So, for the hundredth time, I exit and it tries to boot. It takes me to menu for Safe mode, normal startup etc with a message that it was not shut down properly. It actually was shut down properly. No matter which option I choose, for a half second blink, it shows the windows XP logo page and then return as though I had pushed reset and start this process again. It goes on like this all by itself in an endless loop.

I cannot get to a dos prompt, windows will not load, I get no error messages except the same one that prompots me to start windows normally and that windows did not shut down properly. It again trys to load windows and nothing.

On intel's useless site, they say if your computer won't boot, go into windows and get on the interent and download the latest bios because this bios is absolutely needed for pentium 4 with 3 gig cpu or higher.
Well, those clowns don't seem to get it. They already know your system won't boot so you can't get into windows or on the net to download and install the latest bios. This is true insanity.

I have unplugged all the wires and ribbons a dozen times. Made certain they were in the right place and all pins were correct. I took out the ram and put it back several times. I reinstalled the cpu. Also, I bought a new 500 watt power supply as I was using a new 350 watt one. No difference.

You guys are so much brighter than I am. I have run out of ideas and read every installation tip on every web site.

My last desperate thought.....don't laugh....is that the jumpers on my hard drive might be set wrong as well as on my cd drive. The old clone was built for me at a shop (now closed) and they may have configured teh mumpers on thoses drives to be master slave. I got no manuals or paperwork so I have no way to know how the jumpers should be set. I tried a google search for my HD to see if I could find a site for Maxtor and also turbo link to find jumper settings but could not find anything. I'm so tired I can't think of more.

I hoped one of you might know something about this problem or about the jumpers on those drives. Maybe my drive is too old or slow for this new board and cpu.

Any of your thoughts would be so very much appreciated. If you can solve this problem, I would gladly send you money. I'm on line so I'll wait an hour to see if anyone is up and feels like answering.

Oh yeah....my OS is Windows XP home edition

 

[Regs]

With a new motherboard and chipset you will have to reinstall the OS. Most of the time anyway, and your problem seems to be the case. The OS you have on it now still thinks its operating under your older chipset. Sometimes window's is smart enough to allocate the new hardware, but that's only if you're lucky.

I would also highly advise getting a new hard drive. I'm telling you now that Quantum Fireball does not have much life left in it. Mine failed on my old Dell after 2 years of use. They will not last long like the newer HDD's which are stressed tested to do. Not to mention, your whole upgrade is kind of pointless having a 5400 RPM HDD. I would get a 7200 RPM 8MB Cache HDD pronto.

 

[imported_irate]

Regs:

You make sense but I am still blocked. Maybe too tired to see the answer in front of me. I definately want a new hard drive but I don't see how I can reinstall my OS on this drive when I can't even get to a dos prompt to do the install. If I could do the install, then I could buy another hard drive and transfer all my stuff from this one to the new one.

Bottom line is "How can I install or reinstall my OS in this new puter when I cannot get out of this do loop that will not let me get into any mode but "normal instal". I get a menu that offers me the safe mode with prompts, safe mode, normal mode but no dos prompt at all. No matter which mode of the ones offered, that I click on, it ignores the request and attempts a normal boot to windows which then immediately resets just as though I had pressed the reset button? I can't get out of this loop unless I power off. I have tried removing teh batter, waiting ten minutes for CMOA to clear, and it starts all over. You are a genius if you can figure this one out. I cannot get anywhere.

Hope you are still on line. If you can't help, thank you very much for your advice. I need to get teh most reliable hard drive available. Don't know what that is. If I got a new hard drive and tried to boot, what would happen since teh hard drive would not even be formatted yet?

 

[Regs]

Originally posted by: irate
Regs:

You make sense but I am still blocked. Maybe too tired to see the answer in front of me. I definately want a new hard drive but I don't see how I can reinstall my OS on this drive when I can't even get to a dos prompt to do the install. If I could do the install, then I could buy another hard drive and transfer all my stuff from this one to the new one.

Bottom line is "How can I install or reinstall my OS in this new puter when I cannot get out of this do loop that will not let me get into any mode but "normal instal". I get a menu that offers me the safe mode with prompts, safe mode, normal mode but no dos prompt at all. No matter which mode of the ones offered, that I click on, it ignores the request and attempts a normal boot to windows which then immediately resets just as though I had pressed the reset button? I can't get out of this loop unless I power off. I have tried removing teh batter, waiting ten minutes for CMOA to clear, and it starts all over. You are a genius if you can figure this one out. I cannot get anywhere.

Hope you are still on line. If you can't help, thank you very much for your advice. I need to get teh most reliable hard drive available. Don't know what that is. If I got a new hard drive and tried to boot, what would happen since teh hard drive would not even be formatted yet?

1--Insert windows OS disc before switching Computer on.

2-- Turn on PC. Go into the BIOS set up- go into the boot set up and switch the first boot device to your cd-rom instead of your hard drive. Exit - and Save Bios.

3--It will then boot up the Windows OS CD which you will have to follow directions to reformat and reinstall.

 

[LTC8K6]

Can you boot to the XP CD? Maybe you can try to repair the installation?

You don't need a DOS prompt to reinstall. Just boot to the XP CD.

Go into the BIOS and set the CD as the first boot device if you can.

 

[Regs]

If I got a new hard drive and tried to boot, what would happen since teh hard drive would not even be formatted yet?

Pretty much the samething I stated above.

 

[imported_irate]

Thank you. I will try it. Will I lose my files in My Documents or saved letters and photogrpahs with the reinstall? When I had windows 98se, I could do it and not lose anything. I just got teh XP upgrade so I don't know how that works.

What favor can I do for you for all your help? Need a lotto ticket or something? It is difficult for me to accept help and not be able to do something in return.

 

[biostud]

Yuo can install without reformat and thereby keeping your data, just read carefully what the install prompts you for, or you might end up formatting the drive.

 

[imported_irate]

LTC8K6:


i WILL TRY THAT AND SEE IF IT WORKS. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIPS AND HELP. I OWE YOU GUYS AND I WON'T FORGET. NITE TO YOU ALL. BEEN UP TWO DAYS ON THIS PROBLEM...NEED AN HOUR REST AND WILL START AGAIN. ALL THE BEST TO YOU BOTH LTC8K6 AND REGS.