New Build problems HELP PLEASE

[InevitableTruth]

OK here is what i have:
Asus k8v se deluxe
AMD athlon 64 3000+
1G PNY pc3200 ddr ram
radeon 9225 256m Card

I finally got the system to boot to bios and i'm using the default settings. When I place the windows xp home disc in and reboot, I boot from CD (yes i have the cd rom set as 1st boot priority) and it goes to a blue screen that says setup on top and at the bottom says copying neccessary files. After this is takes me to a new screen(still blue) and asks me if I want to continue installing xp or repair the current version. (I am using a IDE 20g hard drive that was pulled from my other system.) well since the HDD will not boot up to windows and gives me the dreaded reboot runaround, I figured i would just go ahead and install new copy of xp. But when i select "enter" as an option it goes to yet another blue screen that simply says windows setup in the top left and "please wait" in the bottom left. After that the cd drive slows and the system stalls untill i restart.

also i have to press F7 when it asks me for storage drivers to bypass the aspi error. (no need for these drivers since i'm not running sata or raid). this is not the problem, however i figured i'd include this as well.

Once again all looks good untill I try installing widows xp and the system stalls/freezes at the "please wait " setup screen after i have pressed "enter" to continue with windows installation. KEEP IN MIND I am NOT speaking about the "Blue" screen that tells how much longer the setup takes. this screen is before that in what appears to be a DOS-like format.
I have called ASUS tech support and two different people advised me to rma the board..which i have a feeling WILL NOT HELP since everything else is working ok.
I have already pulled the motherboard out and got it ready to RMA but i really don't want to wait 10+ days for that process just to get the same results.
ANY suggestions???

 

[Lord Evermore]

Are you sure you're plugging the hard drive into the connector that is controlled by the VIA chipset, and not by the Promise chip? The connector you should use is up near the memory slots, either the black or blue slot, not the one at the bottom of the board by itself. I think that Windows does pretty much hang sometimes when it can't find a drive on the integrated controllers.

Tru running the diagnostic utility from the drive manufacturer, and using the "write zeros" option. That will completely erase the drive and test to make sure it's actually good, and will keep Setup from seeing that there's a previous install to try to repair.

 

[InevitableTruth]

i'm most definietly sure i am using the ide connection and not the raid on the mobo. I was wondering if having an OS on that HDD was the problem, however i tred a maxtor 200GB IDE diamondmax 9 (NO OS installed, just files) and it did the same thing.. so I'm hesitant to think it's the prev install of xp.

 

[techmanc]

well if you have the motherboard benched I would start by clearing the BIOS the go in and turn on the minimal settings you need. disable raid and all ports you wont needs now make sure you set the jumpers correct and your using the proper ide connectors on your mothrboard install your ide drive on lowest ide connector as master or cable select then your cd/dvd on secondary ide as master and you should be able to install windows make sue your cd is ahead of your ide in the boot order too

 

[InevitableTruth]

thanks, i double and triple checked my connections, as well as changed the ram slot, however still no luck. xp installation still hangs in same place, right before EULA.