New Build Can't Get Passed Stop Error Screen

[mfenn]

mfenn, yes we did, but when we get to the part where we hit F6 we can't get it to read the AHCI drivers off our floppy. Basically, it asks for a manufacturer's CD (we're assuming it means the HD CD), but no matter how many times we tried this it would not access the floppy and just kept asking for the manufacturer's CD.

The bolded is most certainly your problem! You definitely don't need to RMA this board. Describe the directory structure of your floppy to me (i.e. what files and folders are there). If you don't have the files on there correctly, setup will not read them.

Also, be aware that this has NOTHING to do with the HDD itself, but with the controller. If you had an CD that came with the HDD, it would do you no good.

 

[dcloud]

I can't describe them at this time because I'm at home and the floppy is at my friend's house. All we did was get the AHCI drivers off the Gigabyte website like you suggested and extracted them onto a floppy. We then hit F6 during WP install and then "enter' when it asked for the manufacturer's CD. It would not read anything off the floppy and kept asking the same thing over and over.

 

[mfenn]

I can't describe them at this time because I'm at home and the floppy is at my friend's house. All we did was get the AHCI drivers off the Gigabyte website like you suggested and extracted them onto a floppy. We then hit F6 during WP install and then "enter' when it asked for the manufacturer's CD. It would not read anything off the floppy and kept asking the same thing over and over.

Right, but it matters how exactly you put them on the disk. When you extract the files, you get a folder named "SB750". If you put this folder on this disk, you will never get setup to read the disk correctly. This is because setup looks for the file txtsetup.oem on the root of the disk. What you need to do is put the contents of the SB750 directory onto the disk. You want to end up with:

A:\README.TXT
A:\AHCIx86
A:\AHCIx64
A:\TXTSETUP.OEM
A:\x86\AHCIx86.INF
A:\x86\AHCIx86.SYS 
A:\x86\AHCIx86.CAT
A:\x64\AHCIx64.INF
A:\x64\AHCIx64.SYS
A:\x64\AHCIx64.CAT

 

[dcloud]

Well, he just wrote Newegg last night about the RMA, but I will be going over there tomorrow to help him pack up the board. I will suggest doing what you described one last time before we take the board out of his computer.

Just to make sure we are getting the right file you described when we go to the Gigabyte site we click "Drivers" and then chose "AMD SATA RAID Driver (Preinstall driver, press F6 during Windows* setup to read from floppy)". The date for these drivers is 2009/07/09.

Is this the correct file?

Also, can you describe how we should have the BIOS configured for SATA/AHCI? I just want to make sure we are setting that correctly before moving on to the WinXP install and the F6 procedure.

Thanks.

 

[mfenn]

Well, he just wrote Newegg last night about the RMA, but I will be going over there tomorrow to help him pack up the board. I will suggest doing what you described one last time before we take the board out of his computer.

Just to make sure we are getting the right file you described when we go to the Gigabyte site we click "Drivers" and then chose "AMD SATA RAID Driver (Preinstall driver, press F6 during Windows* setup to read from floppy)". The date for these drivers is 2009/07/09.

Is this the correct file?

Yes, the name of the zipped file once you download it is "motherboard_driver_sata_amd_bootdisk_m7x_xp.exe".

EDIT:
In the BIOS, go to Integrated Peripherals. Set OnChip SATA Controller to Enabled. Set OnChip SATA Type to AHCI. Set OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type to As SATA Type.

 

[dcloud]

Ok, so when we download that file we should run (or extract it) to the floppy, correct? Then after that we should order what's in there like you said earlier?

 

[mfenn]

Ok, so when we download that file we should run (or extract it) to the floppy, correct? Then after that we should order what's in there like you said earlier?

It doesn't matter where you extract it to initially. It may be easier to extract it to your HDD and arrange the files there. All that matters is that they get onto the disk in the locations as specified.

See my previous edit for BIOS settings.

 

[dcloud]

We've been using his other computer to get the drivers and make the floppy, because that computer is working. We can't extract anything on his new computer because we don't even have Windows installed yet.

 

[mfenn]

We've been using his other computer to get the drivers and make the floppy, because that computer is working. We can't extract anything on his new computer because we don't even have Windows installed yet.

Yes, of course. I was referring to arranging them on the HDD of the computer on which you downloaded the zip and then copying them to the floppy.

If that's too complicated, just extract them to the floppy and arrange them there.

 

[dcloud]

mfenn, thanks for your help. I downloaded the file onto my computer here then extracted it into a folder and copied all the files onto a floppy. There were two folders in the extracted files and I opened both of them and placed their contents onto the floppy. I now have all the files you listed on this floppy (with no folders).

I will have to take this floppy drive out and install it in my friend's computer in order to do this, because I think the floppy drive we were using (in his new rig) was no good (we got it from one of his older computers).

We'll give this a try like you suggested and see what happens.

 

[dcloud]

mfenn, one more question. My friend was wondering why he has to go through all this (with the hard drive and drivers) to get his new system to install Windows? He asked me this because with my rig (I also have a Gigabyte MB) I didn't have to do any of this: I just installed Windows (XP Home) without having to mess with any SATA/AHCI drivers. I have a GA-P35-DS4 (rev 2.1).

 

[mfenn]

mfenn, thanks for your help. I downloaded the file onto my computer here then extracted it into a folder and copied all the files onto a floppy. There were two folders in the extracted files and I opened both of them and placed their contents onto the floppy. I now have all the files you listed on this floppy (with no folders).

I will have to take this floppy drive out and install it in my friend's computer in order to do this, because I think the floppy drive we were using (in his new rig) was no good (we got it from one of his older computers).

We'll give this a try like you suggested and see what happens.

No, the bolded is wrong. You didn't understand the notation in my previous post.

A:\TXTSETUP.OEM

The above means that the TXTSETUP.OEM file should be directly on the floppy.

A:\x86\AHCIx86.INF

The above means that the file AHCIx86.INF should be inside a folder called x86. The folder x86 should be directly on the floppy.

mfenn, one more question. My friend was wondering why he has to go through all this (with the hard drive and drivers) to get his new system to install Windows? He asked me this because with my rig (I also have a Gigabyte MB) I didn't have to do any of this: I just installed Windows (XP Home) without having to mess with any SATA/AHCI drivers. I have a GA-P35-DS4 (rev 2.1).

I addressed this in my previous post. The fact that the board is made by Gigabyte has nothing to do with it. All mobo manufacturers use the same physical chips, they just manufacture the board itself and place the components onto it. Your problem is with the drivers for one of these chips. His board uses much newer chips than yours (~2-3 years) and will, of course, not be as well supported by a 10 year old OS.

As as aside, many mobo makers are not extensively testing with WinXP anymore because most of the world has moved on to Windows 7 for new builds. Expect these problems to get worse as time goes on. Eventually (next 2-3 years) manufacturers are going to drop any pretense of XP support. Just something to think about.

 

[dcloud]

No, the bolded is wrong. You didn't understand the notation in my previous post.

A:\TXTSETUP.OEM

The above means that the TXTSETUP.OEM file should be directly on the floppy.

A:\x86\AHCIx86.INF

The above means that the file AHCIx86.INF should be inside a folder called x86. The folder x86 should be directly on the floppy.

We already tried it that way and it didn't work. Are you saying then that the x86 folder should be on the floppy and NOT the x64 folder?

 

[mfenn]

We already tried it that way and it didn't work. Are you saying then that the x86 folder should be one the floppy and NOT the x64 folder?

Those files were examples. I'm not sure how I can explain it any more clearly. If you have the files on the drive in the way that I specified. It WILL work (unless your have a bad floppy drive or hooked it up incorrectly).

You need every single file and folder I listed on the floppy, in the locations that I specified. You need the 4 files in the root AND the x86 folder with the 3 files under it AND the x64 folder with the 3 files under it.

 

[dcloud]

Ok, we'll try it again, but it did not work when we did it the other day (and we had the files on the floppy just as you specified). Hopefully using my floppy drive it will work this time.

 

[mfenn]

Ok, we'll try it again, but it did not work when we did it the other day (and we had the files on the floppy just as you specified). Hopefully using my floppy drive it will work this time.

Post up screenshots of the floppy in windows explorer and I will tell you if you have it right.

As an aside, even if you do RMA the board, the board you get back will have the same behavior (because this isn't a problem, just normal behavior). You might as well shell out for Windows 7 if you don't want the headache of getting a creaky, ancient OS loaded onto modern hardware.

 

[Russwinters]

Easiest solution; stop using a dated OS, move to 7.


Other solution: Go get Nlite: www.nlite.com


create a slipstream disc of windows XP with the drivers already loaded into the installer, this will help =)


Had to do this a bunch back when I was a PC tech at a major electronics retailer. When Vista came out everyone wanted to downgrade back to XP, but many of the notebooks use SATA drives with AHCI. Windows XP typically won't even see the drive, so you have to create a slipstream disc with the correct driver to be able to load windows XP.

 

[dcloud]

Here it is (extracted):

 

[dcloud]

He doesn't want to shell out the money for a newer OS so I guess he'll just have to deal with the headaches of this "ancient" one for now. Although I have read about people that have had to do this procedure even with Vista and Win7.

 

[mfenn]

He doesn't want to shell out the money for a newer OS so I guess he'll just have to deal with the headaches of this "ancient" one for now. Although I have read that people sometimes have to do this procedure even with Vista and Win7.

I meant post a screenshot of the files on the floppy disk! Those are still in the SB750 folder.

Oh, and 10 years is ancient by computer standards. :awe: You might have to do this with Vista/7, but there you can use a USB stick and the files can be put anywhere on the device (because you can browse to them)!

EDIT: Noticed SB750 folder.

 

[dcloud]

Thanks mfenn, you've been a big help. I know. I advised him to get Win7 myself, but he's kind of a tightwad (I say that lovingly, lol). I had already taken my floppy drive out of my computer so I just extracted everything into a folder to show you the screenshot.

 

[mfenn]

Thanks mfenn, you've been a big help. I know. I advised him to get Win7 myself, but he's kind of a tightwad (I say that lovingly, lol).

OK, I would really feel most comfortable if you took me a screenshot of the floppy, just to be sure you have it right. Enable the "Show full paths in title bar" thing as well.

If it still doesn't work, shoot me a PM and I will whip up an nLite disk for you.

 

[dcloud]

Well, those are the exact files that will be on the floppy when I get over to his house later today. Like I said I already took the floppy out of my computer. They will be the same either way. I hope by using my floppy drive that it will extract and install those files onto his HD. We've been at our wits end on this process for the last couple days. I was quite amazed when his OS installed without a hitch onto his ancient 10GB IDE drive. Kind of says something about newer technology when a twenty year old IDE drive can perform flawlessly in a new PC, lol.

 

[mfenn]

Well, those are the exact files that will be on the floppy when I get over to his house later today. Like I said I already took the floppy out of my computer. They will be the same either way. I hope by using my floppy drive that it will extract and install those files onto his HD. We've been at our wits end on this process for the last couple days. I was quite amazed when his OS installed without a hitch onto his ancient 10GB IDE drive. Kind of says something about newer technology when a twenty year old IDE drive can perform flawlessly in a new PC, lol.

OK, but I can't tell you absolutely 100% that it will work without seeing the files on the disk.

There is a very good reason that the IDE drive worked! It's because IDE is a much older technology and there are standard drivers that work with most every IDE device ever made included on the Windows CD.

 

[dcloud]

OK, but I can't tell you absolutely 100% that it will work without seeing the files on the disk.

Refer to my last post with the screenshot. I put my floppy drive back in and copied the files from the SB750 folder onto the floppy. I updated the screenshot.

Just to be sure you said to "In the BIOS, go to Integrated Peripherals. Set OnChip SATA Controller to Enabled. Set OnChip SATA Type to AHCI. Set OnChip SATA Port4/5 Type to As SATA Type." I only ask because earlier someone had said to set "OnChip SATA Type [Native IDE]".

So where in the BIOS do we ensure that the floppy drive is active?