Help - Win 2k install problems, need help finding culprit.

[eternalpeace]

I am having a bunch of problems installing win 2k pro.

Here is my system: (everything is brand new)

2.4C (stock hsf; arctic silver 3)
Abit IS7-e
2 x 256 Corsair XMS 3200C2 (initially recognized as 2.5-3-3-8)
Maxtor 80gb 7200rpm

Here is my problem:

Plug everything in, boot it up - no problems.
I partition all 80gb to FAT32 using maxtor's utility.

Just before the copy file stage of win 2k setup, I get a message that says my bios isn't ACPI compatible. I reboot and it never gives me that message ever again.

Second time in the copy file stage keeps giving me copying errors
e.g. xxxx.xxx cannot be copied....

I reboot, same problem at the same place but with different files.

I take out one of my memory modules so now I have 1 x 256, go into bios and notice that the cpu temp is at 51C (open case) and the memory timings are now at 2-3-3-7. I clear the cmos, reload bios defaults, and the timings are STILL at 2-3-3-7, everything seems to work correctly, so I forget about it and move on.

I repartition only 5GB of the HD with FAT32

This time, (1 x 256) everything copies correctly, and I get to boot into windows for the first time... I get a physical memory dump, (didn't note the hex numbers)

Reboot, going into windows.... another physical memory dump.

Reboot, going into windows.... no physical memory dump, but says a file is corrupt

Reboot, going into windows.... no memory dump, but says ANOTHER file is corrupt.

I give up and go to bed.

What is the problem here? I know IS7 has issues with PC3200 memory, could that be it? Do I need a newer version of my bios? Or do I just have a really ghetto copy of windows? Should I try NTFS? I would like to do a little gaming, would NTFS get in the way?

All help is MUCH appreciated.

 

[foofoo]

hi,
in my experience, install problems like this are most often bad/incompatible memory. the error "I get a message that says my bios isn't ACPI compatible" i've only seen with bad memory before (with any modern mb that is)
you can run memtest link to be sure but i'd say the you've probably got some bad/incompatible ram.
good luck.

 

[RReed]

Yep I have ran into this problem many times, Even in WinXP , everytime it has been the memory. If you have more than one stick you may try installing Windows with one stick at a time. But I agree get memtester and test your memory.

 

[ojai00]

Had the same problem with a friend's computer also. Tried using different disks but every disk seemed to be bad. Someone also suggested bad RAM to me. I took out the new stick and put the old stick back in and the install was successful. I tried replacing the RAM with the new one after the installation was completed, but got messages about I/O errors when trying to install an application. I'm going to have my friend return the RAM for another stick. It was a Corsair Value RAM, I think.

 

[capricorn]

I was going to say you might want to try different memory, but it sounds like everyone else here already knew that. I had one system that installed Windows 98 SE just fine. Sometime later, I went to install Windows 2000 (as a dual boot system back in the days when 2000 didn't do DirectX games so well and games didn't handle W2K so well), it would fail when copying files. I found out that any time I tried to copy large numbers of small files the system would lock up. After about 3 hours on a tech support line (after hours of trying things myself), we removed one of the two sticks of memory and the problem disappeared. Other than when trying to install W2K, I had never had a problem before.

-cap