New P5Q build, Cannot Install OS

[kauffmbe]

So I am in the middle of a new P5Q Pro build as a replacement for my horribly obsolete Athlon XP system. Here are all of the new parts

P5Q PRO (stock 0506 BIOS)
C2D E6850
WD 640GB drive on SATA 1
Antec NeoHE 550
EVGA 8800GS 384mb
GSkill 2x2GB ddr2 1000 set
plus an older IDE NEC DVD R/RW that works fine in current build.

Everything went together nicely, I went into BIOS and brought VDIMM up to 2.00 as that is the memory specs, left mem speed @ 800 for stability, system posts fine and memtest86+ ran fine off bootable CD, no errors. However, when I attempted to install either Vista 64 SP1, x86 SP1, or Server 2008 (technet discs) the installation gets stuck in an endless reboot loop.

Basically, the disc loads so the windows is loading files message comes up, the background changes to the blue /green vista background, but then it reboots. No text, options or messages ever make it up. Also, there is no blue screen or error message, just a complete reboot. It does this at the exact same time and place with all three OSs. I tried both AHCI and IDE mode, and I pulled one RAM stick after hearing about the problems of an install with 4GB, but still the exact same event occurs.

Any thoughts here before I throw this thing out of the window?

 

[AmberClad]

I'm not sure which port "SATA1" is. If that's the white or orange port, try it with one of the reds instead. The only other thing that comes to mind is to try updating the BIOS to the latest.

Edit: I'm not aware of any issues with 4GB on this board - I never ran into any installing Vista and XP.

 

[kauffmbe]

Actually SATA1 is a red port, on the ICH10R controller. I thought that Vista would work fine with this even without any updated drivers.

 

[AmberClad]

It should work fine, and the stock BIOS that the board ships with worked fine for me, but maybe there's something in that updated BIOS that addresses issues with the hardware you're using. There's no guarantee that it will, but it's worth a shot I guess if nothing else seems to fix it. Any way you can get ahold of non-SP1 Vista to give that a try?

And you are running everything at stock settings, right? Didn't mess around with anything else besides setting the RAM?

 

[kauffmbe]

Yep, no overclocking. I also tried both ACHI and IDE mode, thinking maybe it was having a problem seeing the hard drive. Same exact results either way. I doubt its a memory or power supply issue as it is occurring at the exact same point in the process. What is bizarre is that there are probably a bunch of people here with the same or very similar configuration on this board not having any issues like this.

 

[AmberClad]

Yeah, your situation is a bit unusual. I have not tried doing an install with Vista SP1 - I have the original version, so I apply the SP1 patch afterwards. Do you have access to XP or the old version of Vista? Just to rule out an issue with the OS DVD itself.

 

[SolMiester]

You shouldnt need to touch the RAM setting just yet anyway....I would leave at default, then try again......It wont blue screen yet because the O/S inst installed, but same behaviour appears to be happening, therefore as no hardware drivers yet loaded, I would imagine RAM issues......Just let the board sort the RAM volts until you have an installed O/S 1st....

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: SolMiester
You shouldnt need to touch the RAM setting just yet anyway....I would leave at default, then try again......It wont blue screen yet because the O/S inst installed, but same behaviour appears to be happening, therefore as no hardware drivers yet loaded, I would imagine RAM issues......Just let the board sort the RAM volts until you have an installed O/S 1st....

Bad idea actually, especially for higher end RAM.

He's actually running his RAM underclocked, & they test Memtest stable.

kauffmbep
I had a hell of a time getting Vista installed on my P35-T2R as well...IIRC, the solution i ended up with was getting my hands on a version with SP1 included...
I would say definitely update bios (ALT + F2 + USB drive), & try using the Marvell SATA ports maybe.

I had no issues installing Vista using the Intel ports with AHCI with all 8 GB installed on my P5Q-D, but that was w/ SP1, so i dunno.

 

[Operandi]

Another thing to check is the video card. Memtest86 will work the RAM, CPU, and northbridge, but won't stress the GPU in any way.

Usually videocards simply work or fail but I've seen them cause weird stability problems before. If the card isn't a known quantity try swap in a known good one if you can.

 

[g00n]

I have this EXACT same issue. The 32-bit copy installs fine. The 64-bit hangs just before it begins the install process. I tried everything I can think of. Ive used two 64bit images, one was SP1. I also have an older IDE NEC 2510a dvdrw. Everything else is SATA. I suspect its the IDE dvdrw...

 

[g00n]

It seems more like some odd issue with my older IDE dvdrw and the 64bit OS. The 32bit vista installs fine. I would assume both have the same native IDE drivers for the Jmicron IDE controller. Why the 64bit hangs on install is beyond me. It is recognized and I can boot from it to the DVD, after that it just hangs once it loads the install program off the DVD.

Saw a post like this over at Asus' forums too. It is definitely an issue others are having. I may just bite the bullet and get a new SATA DVDRW which I need to do anyway.