Please help install hardware/ OS

[190proof]

Ok... I'm stuck, go figure. After last system crashed inexplicably after 6 months, slowly getting it back up and running. System would randomly shut down. Usually on graphics-heavy applications, and during windows start-up. Sometimes shut down, sometimes re-start, only to shut down eventually.

First fix: power supply. Looks/sounds like psu isnt givin enough juice... problem remained.

Thought it was caused by a program... uninstalled/ re-installed, and problem was gone for a few days. Tried it again, problem stayed this time.

After prior fix, thought it was software related.... maybe OS??.... Tried a windows repair, didnt work, so a new installation of windows, formatted other partitions, the 200 Gb SATA drive was getting a fresh install. Problem remained.... then shut down for good. I could still post, that was it.

Must be OS. Bought new OS... previous copy wasn't exactly what you might like to call "legit". New copy of XP Media Center in hand, tried again. Install took 18 minutes (????) and looked like Windows 98, came up as Media Center 2002 (should be 2005), and performed like a Commodore 64. After a couple repair installs, the shutdown/restarts came back.

Now I have (brand new): was a gigabyte k8nspro mobo... now a Soyo k8usa dragon ultra black label, new 36 Gb Raptor hard drive, new aopen cd-rom

I have had the memory tested outside of the rig, and performed flawlessly. Same problems ocurred with a different processor, so proc is fine. Plenty of fans, arctic silver and cpu hsf... so cooling is not an issue.

All new components... new software... here we go.

Boot cd-rom, asks for 3rd party scsi drivers... I install SATA drivers for mobo. Copies files, restarts, I catch it, change boot order to scsi(sata), and disable other boot drives. Save and restart... tries to boot from cdrom. I restart, after taking out disk, and after some polite comments to the screen, it goes to windows installation screen. Asks for SP2 disc (which in the language of media center means "disc 1"). I insert. 30 minutes later, asks for disc 2, and I oblige. 22 minutes later it asks for info (product key, name, etc.). 14 minutes later, asks for SP2 disc again.... hmmm...... ok. 6 minutes later, asks for network information. 26 minutes later, it completes whatever the hell it was doing, and restarts. After posting, sometimes it goes back to looking for the cd rom boot disc, and errors, but if I give it to her, she goes to windows setup, and wants to install all over again. Sometimes it says "boot disc error" and wants me to ctrl+alt+del. sometimes it goes to a black screen, and after about a minute goes to the windows loading screen, and after about a minute, the monitors go to standby.

The reason I keep mentioning times, is because this should be a pretty fast system, right? I and apologize whole-heartedly for the ultra-long post, but I am so confused and frustrated, and needed to vent a bit as well. If anyone can get this situation fixed over these forums, and give me a lightning fast, stable system for Christmas, a check for 100 dollars will be sent. I know its not like winning the lottery, but I'm broke after the upgrades and holidays. If I can't fix this.... you'll be seeing me in the "for sale/trade" forum.

btw... both drives are sata, I have no ide drives... and I am trying a generic garbage vid card in a minute, so I will update, even though a disc read error shouldnt have anything to do with the video card.

p.s. :the $ offer is dead if I have to purchase anything else, hehe.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[mechBgon]

1) I heard from DAPUNISHER that the Soyo is glitchy

2) Soyos have their funky Fan-Off Control feature that will keep them from running if there's a low- or non-existent RPM reading to their CPU Fan header, so disable FOC in the BIOS

3) Give your memory a nice healthy 2.7 volts, don't try skimming by on AUTO memory voltage.

4) In the BIOS's hardware-monitoring section, do the voltages look reasonable, somewhere within 5% of target? Ignore the negative voltages, they don't matter.

 

[190proof]

already had upped ddr voltage to 2.7.... all other readings:

vcore: 1.45v, set at
+3.3v at 3.32v
+5v at 4.89v
+12v at 12.22v
ddr voltage at 2.68v
agp voltage at 1.71v
cpu temp. external: 41 C
cha temp : 36 C
cpu temp on die: 51 C
cpu fan1 speed : 2410 rpm

couldn't find any fan off control.... there is an option "cpu fan in suspend mode"... I have switched to "stay-on"
cool and quiet is disabled

got to repair console.... ran fixmbr...... now error after post says "error loading operating system"

 

[mechBgon]

Do you happen to have a nice normal non-SATA hard drive you could try installing to, as a fact-finding step?

 

[190proof]

of course not.....

If one set of drivers from soyo didnt work, should I try a different set?

or even, are there drivers from western digital specific for their drives?

 

[mechBgon]

I see the latest drivers at Soyo's site do have a mention of fixing problems with WD 200GB drives... if you want to keep hammering on this, that sounds encouraging. You could try updating the BIOS too, if it doesn't already have this latest version.

Or take that $100 and grab a shiny new Asus K8N? I have the K8N-E Deluxe and it's been doing pretty well for me. You'd probably have enough money left over for a pizza

 

[190proof]

bios has already been updated
newest drivers were already being used... problem is, there are 2 files. One for Win xp, and ione for win xp for amd 64 bit processors. Obviously, thats the one i want to use, but when i attempt to load the file from floppy during driver installation, says the file is corrupted, or an error occurs in the scr5ipt. I've used many different download links, different disks, different combinations of files, nothin doing. So, used regular xp drivers.... would taht make a whole hell of a lot of difference?

Latest news..... I was finally able to load and "finish" installation of win xp.... upon restart, there is a disc read error, switched boot order to scsi, for sata drive, it pauses, no hdd light, no activity sounds, then it says "boot from atapi cd-rom", then "system disc failure, please re-insert system disc and press enter".

??????????????????

 

[mechBgon]

One for Win xp, and ione for win xp for amd 64 bit processors.

The 64-bit version is almost certainly not for AMD64 processors, but for the beta WinXP Pro 64-Bit Edition version of WinXP. Use the normal drivers unless you are using the beta Win64.

 

[190proof]

Ok, all... mechBgon also... thank you for the attempt. All I will say is "jumpers". For SATA drives, no master/slave jumper is needed. However, in order to disable Spread Spectrum Controls", there must be a jumper on pins 1/2 for Western Digital SATA drives. It worked, installed easily, runs perfectly. I am now amazed at what a better motherboard, coupled with a raptor drive actually looks like.

To finish, if anyone can explain what the heck "Spread Spectrum Control" is, I would really appreciate it. I've spent too much money, and started smoking again because of it.

 

[imported_Phil]

Originally posted by: 190proof
Ok, all... mechBgon also... thank you for the attempt. All I will say is "jumpers". For SATA drives, no master/slave jumper is needed. However, in order to disable Spread Spectrum Controls", there must be a jumper on pins 1/2 for Western Digital SATA drives. It worked, installed easily, runs perfectly. I am now amazed at what a better motherboard, coupled with a raptor drive actually looks like.

To finish, if anyone can explain what the heck "Spread Spectrum Control" is, I would really appreciate it. I've spent too much money, and started smoking again because of it.

From this page.

Spread Spectrum Control: This function is used for meeting the specifications when complying with the CE acceptance test. Enabling it leads to a noticeable deterioration in performance. That's why it should always be disabled!

Hope this helps