Help with first build computer

[snkyweasel]

Well, I've finally got my first self build PC put together and ready to setup. When I turn it on, everything is fine and I get to BIOS ok. The after a min or two, it turns itself off. What might be the problem? I have a Thermaltake Purepower 560W power supply and I'm using a Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 mobo. All help appreciated!!

 

[EightySix Four]

bad contact of cpu fan, cpu overheating and causing emergency shut down?

 

[snkyweasel]

WOW, you were probably right. I got a Gigabyte Rocket-PRO and after I opened it up to check some thins out, the power to the fan was half out. Thanks for the tip, I'm gonna give it another go.

 

[EightySix Four]

glad to help

 

[snkyweasel]

OK, I went through BIOS and then saved (I really didn't change anything, should I have?) Now I have my mobo driver CD that came with it in the CD ROM but I get an "ERROR: Hard Drive not installed" message. Do I install the hard drives in Bios??

 

[raanemaan]

Did you bump the ide cables when you were checking the cpu fan?

 

[snkyweasel]

I don't think so. I have 3 SATA hard drives plugged into the mobo. They are all connected using the cords that look like they have an "L" on the end.

 

[raanemaan]

have you installed windows yet?

 

[snkyweasel]

No, I have the mobo driver CD that came with the mobo in the CD-ROM. Do I just need to put my Windows CD in and restart?

 

[raanemaan]

I have limited knowledge of Sata but I believe as you start to load windows it will ask you if you want to install sata drivers. Then you press f6 and you should have a floppy disk that has the drivers on it for the sata hard drives. Check herehttp://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...atid=27&threadid=1543226&enterthread=y

 

[snkyweasel]

ok, I restarted with the Windows CD in and now its loading. It did ask if I wanted to load third party RAID drivers, and I did buy two raptors to put in RAID but I think I just gonna run them separate now. I have two Raptors (36GB) and a 160GB WD SATA drive. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing from here.

 

[raanemaan]

hopefully everything will work out.

 

[EightySix Four]

I'm going to assume no more random reboots?

 

[ComatoseDelirium]

Ahh general newbie mistakes, atleast they weren't ones that cost $$ .

 

[snkyweasel]

Thanks guys. Now I have loaded Windows XP (twice I think), but each time setup finishes, it resets and starts the setup again. Do I have to load Windows onto every hard drive separately? Because when I choose to install on the partition I originally it warns me against loading two OS on the same drive. Honestly, I have no idea what the hell I'm doing (obviously). Thanks for your help!!!

 

[snkyweasel]

Oh and crazy, no more random reboots.

 

[snkyweasel]

When setup finishes it just tells me that it finished successfully and that it will restart my CPU. Then after reboot, it just comes up to the setup crap again. Do I need to take out the Windows install CD? It never asked me for the Win Auth. code or anything.

 

[EightySix Four]

take it out

 

[raanemaan]

It will come up to the setup screen again and then will boot up. you just have to wait for it to start up. It will then finish installling windows.

 

[Loop2kil]

you also, might need to go into the bios and make sure it is set to boot from the hard drive you have windows on.

it automatically went to setup because no other options were setup in the bios.

 

[snkyweasel]

OK, I left it alone after setup this time and it restarted my CPU then the setup came back up and asked if I needed to load RAID drivers, then it asked if I wanted system recovery, then it started loading tons of drivers, again. After the drivers loaded it says 'welcome to setup this portion of the setup program prepares Windows XP to run on your CPU." Then I press enter to setup Windows XP. Then I have to press F8 to accept license agreement. Then it asks me which partition I want to install Windows on. I have already ran the installation on all three partitions it shows, so when I choose a partition it again warns me about loading two OS on the same partition. It just keeps repeating itself.

 

[blinky8225]

After it reboots, a screen should come up that says "press any key to boot from cd...". You DON'T want it to boot from the cd; therefore, you DON'T press any keys. If that screen isn't coming up, check your boot order in the bios.

 

[tfinch2]

If you are just going to keep the drives seperate for now (no RAID), disconnect the other 2 drives and just install the OS onto the Raptor. After you get into windows and everything is setup connect the other 2 drives and Windows will handle installing the drivers for them.

 

[raanemaan]

Originally posted by: blinky8225
After it reboots a screen should come up that says "press any key to boot from cd...". You DON'T want it to boot from the cd; therefore, you DON'T press any keys. If that screen isn't coming up check your boot order in your bios.

clearer than what I said

 

[EightySix Four]

Originally posted by: tfinch2
If you are just going to keep the drives seperate for now (no RAID), disconnect the other 2 drives and just install the OS onto the Raptor. After you get into windows and everything is setup connect the other 2 drives and Windows will handle installing the drivers for them.

this is what should be done, easiest install method