help! OS won't load Asus a8v

[dino8031]

I just built a new machine with an Asus A8V, AMD64 3000+ I want to install Windows XP Pro SP2 on my Samsung 80 gig SP0812C sata harddrive.

Everything starts nicely, I hit F6 and install the sata drivers, the drive is recognized and then windows starts to install. Then it hangs. When it asks me if I want to install windows I hit enter and it hangs at 1 of the 3 following points:
Please wait...
Setup is examinging your discs..
Accept the license agreement Hit F8, please wait.


I've tried installing on both the VIA and the Promise controller, in both slots. I've tried a new cable, I know the hard drive is working, I've used it as a storage drive on another machine. I've tried a couple of different ram chips I know work. The drive is set to IDE mode in the bios.

I'm stuck. Any suggestions?

 

[Ironmanstl]

Is all your bios settings correct?

I had the same problem with my install...
Auto was enabled in the voltages/cpu section
I switched it to manual and set everything to stock
install went great after

 

[Skoop]

If that is the only drive in the system, then you should have NO harddrives specified in the BIOS as IDE. Change your setting to "Not Installed" for IDE masters and slaves.

If it is not the only hard drive in the system, then unplug all of the others while you're trying to install an OS.

 

[dino8031]

It is the only hard drive installed, and there are no hard drives specified in the bios as ide.

 

[dino8031]

I tried a couple variations of this strategy. First I set it to stock voltages with no result, then to "standard" setting for everything and the install made it past the license agreement acceptance screen (f8) and now it's hanging at loading setup files.

 

[Skoop]

Try FDISKing the drive.

 

[dino8031]

nope, didn't work. To hell with it. I'm buying an IDE drive and using the SATA's for storage. If that doesn't work I'll run over it with a truck and bury it in the backyard. MSI, you're next.

 

[fullclip]

are you by chance running your ram in dual channel mode? i had a similar problem like this.

 

[sfgeek]

I have similar issues with my A8V, although I get even less far than you... I'm using an A8V with an Athlon64 3000+ and two sticks of Corsair PC3200 DIMMs (from Asus' official compatibility chart). I don't have any SATA drives and have disabled pretty much all onboard devices, and only connected my C: drive and my DVD-ROM.

When I boot my machine with the Windows XP CD in my drive, I get the "press any key to boot CD" message, followed by "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration". After this, the screen goes black and nothing happens any more.

I have tried everything I could think of, including:

- replaced two DIMMs with single DIMM
- used different RAM
- increased RAM voltage
- disabled auto overclocking in BIOS
- tried different keyboard / mouse
- tried to boot using DVD-RW drive instead of DVD-ROM

The same happens with all Windows XP boot disks (XP, SP1, SP2). I can boot other CDs just fine, including the Fedora Core 3 installation CD and Knoppix. Interestingly, I have also been able to boot my previous XP installation from my hard drive, and after upgrading a few drivers, it looks like it's actually in good shape. But of course I need to be able to reinstall Windows if necessary, and without being able to boot from the CD I don't see how...

Any ideas?

-sfgeek

 

[jkresh]

try raising memory voltage to 2.6, some memory does not like running at 2.5 and that may be causing some of your problems.

 

[Skoop]

I don't believe that memory has anything to do with it. This is a problem with Windows.

Are you certain that you have the right drivers on your disk for the F6 step?

 

[hawksballer]

I have that exact same problem, the OS install would freeze at various points up to formatting the hard drives, I tried every bios setting, Pata drives and 2 different Sata drive, and 4 different sticks of ram. I spent 3 days on it, I finally thought to run memtest to see of the Ram slots themselves were bad, Guess what I could only run it for 15 seconds before errors started popping up and it would freeze. I finally got fed up and did something rash I went out and stuck everything into a MSI Neo 2, Right off I was up and running, I ran memtest and had no errors and XP installed without a hitch. I am going to be sending the ASUS back right after thanksgiving. I really wanted to use it but so far the MSI has been great. Run memtest86 and see if it is your ram slots as well

 

[dino8031]

I'm positive about the F6 step. I have the correct drivers for both the VIA and the Promise controllers. Both floppies were written directly from the Asus install disc. I've tried 8000 different combinations of install and nothing works. I've tried different slots, different ram, different voltages, and every conceivable bios setting, and still no install.

 

[hawksballer]

Dude, have you tried memtest?

 

[imported_Deuce]

Dude, you need to up the bios. Go with 1008 while you're at it.
But use only one stick of memory in slot b1. Up the bios and then put the second stick in.
Could work to upgrade with both sticks in but haven't tried it.

 

[Skoop]

There's nothing special about 1008 that would fix this problem. As far as I can tell, all it does is report during POST whether there is dual channel memory installed. I benchmarked it against 1007 and found no differences.

I would agree about trying Memtest to further isolate the memory as a possible problem. I'd try a single stiick of the Ram in Blue Slot 1 with nothing installed but the video card. Disable all onboard peripherals in the BIOS.

If the RAM does check out OK, then try the other RAM stick in Blue 1. If that checks out, then try both sticks on Channel 1. Work up to the drive installation one step at a time.

 

[dino8031]

I tried several diffeent sticks of RAM both in dual and single configurations. Memtest showed no errors. Tonight I'll slap in an IDE hard drive, install windows on that drive and then see if I can configure the SATA drives through windows. I've always had great luck with Asus boards but this one is a pistol. If I can't set up an IDE drive it will be RMA'd. It shouldn't be this hard. Maybe I'll go for a MSI Neo-Platinum. What 939 board does everyone like around here?, assuming I give up on this thing.

 

[imported_Deuce]

If you are running bios 1006 then that is the problem. You need at least 1007.

 

[Skoop]

Are you sure that the drive itself is OK?

 

[dino8031]

Now it gets interesting. I just ran memtest again. It runs for a few sedonds, stop and reboots the machine, either that or it loads an enless series of 6 (I think digit numbers with a letter prefix, all different.
I substituted other RAM chips and got the same Memtest result. I haven't clue how to interpret this.
I know that all drives are functioning correctly.

I do have bios 1006 but I don't know how to flash it without the windows utility. I could use a little advice here. Sigh...

 

[dino8031]

I should note that I also installed a a new IDE drive on the primary IDE channel. It was recognized in the bios but windows would also not load on that drive. I'm inches away from RMAing the thing but I would like to avoid it if possible. What's up here? Also, at this point how do I know if it is the board or the processor?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: dino8031
Now it gets interesting. I just ran memtest again. It runs for a few sedonds, stop and reboots the machine, either that or it loads an enless series of 6 (I think digit numbers with a letter prefix, all different.
I substituted other RAM chips and got the same Memtest result. I haven't clue how to interpret this.
I know that all drives are functioning correctly.

I do have bios 1006 but I don't know how to flash it without the windows utility. I could use a little advice here. Sigh...

What brand and model of RAM, and what voltage is it being given? And what brand and model of power supply? Give the rest of the system's components while you're at it, to help us gauge the power loadout.

 

[dino8031]

Ram: Corsair PC 3200 Value Ram (tried 2 sticks) 512 each
Also tried Mushkin PC 3200 Green 512 megs, matched pair. I've tried both single and double, it won't post with 2 sticks of either Ram. Only posts with 1 stick of either ram in B2. Voltage is set at auto. All sticks have worked fine with no errors in memtest in other XP machines.
Power: Thermaltake 420 watts.
128 meg Generic Video Card, Radeon 9200 Se.
No other installed cards at the moment.

 

[mechBgon]

Ok, and what BIOS version does the board have at this time? You have a 90nm CPU so you will need at least 1007 for that to be properly supported. And again: what memory voltage is the RAM being given? AUTO? 2.6, 2.7? edit: never mind, I see you answered that. Raise it to at least 2.6 volts.

 

[Skoop]

Default voltage is 2.6, so that's OK, but 2.7 may work better. I had memory errors with my Corsair RAM at 2.6, and it crashed games at 2225. At 2325 there were no errors. Setting to 2.7V allows 2225 and all is well.

Also, my board came with 1006 loaded and it worked fine out of the box. So that's not necessarily a showstopper.

These new developements with memory change the whole story. Initially, the memory seemed to be good. Now, with Memtest crashing and multiple sticks having been checked out with the same result, there appear to be two possible causes:

1. There is somthing funky with the board itself--broken traces, a crack, perhaps. You didn't have to force it into your box did you? Overtighten screws? And, did you check to see whether there is a loose screw or something UNDER the board grounding it out?

2. The CPU is bad. The A64s have the memory controller on-chip, so this is a real possibility. Try to run that chip in another machine to control for that variable.

Flashing BIOS just to be sure your default is not borked: download 1007 or 1008 to a formated floppy. Rename the file to A8V.ROM. Put it in the drive, and when the PC is POSTING, press ALT-F2. The board will search for the floppy, read the new BIOS, erase the existing one, and write the new one.

By now, couldn't hurt.