Gigabyte P965 DS3 Problems

[Tasiin]

I'm helping a friend set up a machine with this board, and we've run in to some problems. Whenever a serial ATA drive (or some USB devices it seems) is connected to it, the computer will freeze during the Windows XP setup at "Setup is starting Windows". I've tried pretty much everything at this point -- removed any unnecessary components, underclocked the CPU and memory, disabled integrated peripherals in the BIOS, moved the memory sticks around, and even tried a different Windows XP disc. The exact system specifications are as follows:

Core 2 Duo E6400
Gigabyte P965 DS3 Rev 3.3 with the latest F10 BIOS
GeForce 7600 GS
2GB of Kingston DDR2-667 value RAM
Corsair 520HX PSU

That's all that's in the system right now, I've removed everything else that wasn't absolutely essential. I'm not really sure what to try next. There's a Microsoft knowledge base article here that says that the problem might be caused by setup being unable to detect some hardware in the computer, but I've already tried everything that it suggests (other than the last two options, but that really should not be necessary). It also says that if pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL works during that phase of the setup process, it's probably not hung -- but it does not. We may try returning the board tomorrow assuming the store will take it back if I can't find a solution, but I'm not optimistic at this point. Anyone have any ideas as to what might be the cause of this?

Thanks!

 

[vailr]

Are you installing to a blank HD?
If not: delete all existing partitions.
Connect the SATA HD to the first orange Intel SATA port:01.
Re-configure the new partitions & re-format, while booted from the WinXP SP2 install disc.
If using an older WinXP install disk, you may want to create an updated WinXP SP2 disk first.
Use default bios settings: "optimized default".

 

[Tasiin]

The hard drive is completely new, as is everything else in the system now, so there are no existing partitions.

I just tried moving it to different SATA ports, but it made no difference. Also, I just remembered something else that happened before and just now as well: If I leave the computer running for a while and frozen on the "Setup is starting Windows" screen, the background will eventually change from blue to red. Bizarre.

I've also tried both the fail-safe defaults in the BIOS and the optimized ones, nothing seems to have made any difference. :/

 

[Chapbass]

maybe try doing it with a different cd rom drive, or with no HDD's installed at all? you could at least see if it goes past that screen.

 

[Tasiin]

I've actually tried three different CD-ROM/DVD drives now, and nothing's worked unfortunately.

It does get past "Setup is starting Windows" if no hard drives or USB devices are connected, but I obviously can't install Windows on it like that.

 

[Fallengod]

Geez man, I was considering buying this board but damn, all I see are issues with it all over the mobo section. bleh.... How come it seems like all P965 mobos have issues with IDE/sata drives together. Starting to make me angry.

 

[BadThad]

Try reading this

 

[alantis13]

my method is to use floppies and another computer
you will need 7 floppies or switch back and forth between machines with at least 1 floppy
get microsoft setup boot disk
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310994
run the program

get your SATA/raid driver and install it on a floppy
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Moth...ProductID=2456&ProductName=GA-965P-DS3

setup ds3 to boot from floppy
and you should be able to install

bios config
(not using intel(orange ports) so sata disabled
320gb sata seagate on jmicron(purple)
achi enabled on jmicron
ide dvd rom on ide connector

 

[Bozo Galora]

If original poster hasnt already RMA'd the DS3..........

I bet you have AHCI set in the bios for Intel SATA
There is no AHCI on an ICH8 chipset (without hack)
Gigabyte has given you a BIOS option that doesnt exist for some strange reason only they could answer.
Win XP cannot load an O/S to a controller type that is not part of mobo recognizable HW - the southbridge.
When windows install starts up it looks to see if it has in its bag of drivers something to use temporarily to get the O/S on HDD, either natively or by F6 option. It cannot support AHCI SATA on the DS3, even if you had separate (no RAID) Intel AHCI drivers.

Change AHCI to native.or IDE

A second, but less likely problem if you DONT have AHCI set on Intel, is bad or set high RAM/CPU. Just for driver/OS loading, you may have to run one stick, allow ram to run at SPD, set CPU to run at native 8 X 266, ratio of 2 (1:1) which makes your RAM 533, set PCIe manually at 100, PCIe voltage at +.2V, RAM at +.1 of RECOMMENDED voltage, set bios to boot from floppy and run memtest86+ for 2 loops. On this board, since there are many ways to screw up the config the HDD/IDE/Intel/JM controllers at O/S setup, its best to run system at slow mode until everything is right. Thats why vailr said to run failsafe defaults.

 

[alantis13]

I'm not sure what you are trying to say B.G.
I am not using the orange ports so I have them disabled, I am using a purple port for my Hard drive, plus it speeds up the BIOS hardware discovery.
I ran into the same problem as the original poster. I couldn't install xp until I used the setup boot floppies to bypass the "Setup is starting Windows" stall.

 

[Bozo Galora]

In the year of the Lord 2006, no one should ever have to use the ancient 7 floppy boot set.
While the OP have a slightly dif PROBLEM than you, you assume he has the same CAUSE as you, which is not a known.
If you told the Gigabyte folks that you used the multi XP floppy pak to load XP they would look at you as if you just got out of a spaceship.
You solution, which you have now repeat posted as all of your three posts on AT, is ridiculous on the face of it, working or not.
What you dont seem to realize is that by running XP setup from MS floppies, you are using the floppy controller, which XP setup DOES have a legacy driver for, thus bypassing the need for "normal" detection of an unknown controller and config, either by F6 or internal to XP SP2 CD drivers.
You know, like a new SATA drive that doesnt recognize on a new system, with say, XP SP 0 and some of the earlier SP1's, when someone doesnt do F6. There is a post every week in GH forum about this.

I have to keep saying it over and over - the JM363 is a unique double sided (IDE-SATA) controller that Win XP SP2 has NO drivers or .inf recognition files for.
None.

If he had AHCI on in Intel - then thats his prob.
If he had it off, then JM recognition by XP setup is his problem.

Use nlite 1.3 final and just slipstream the damn F6 floppy files into you XP CD

Thats what I am saying.