Problem w/ new harddrive

[Grimbones]

Basically i just RMA'd my old harddrive because i thought it was broken, but when i tried to install this new one, i was getting the same sort of problem, so now i'm feeling like there may be something more horribly wrong with it.

When i begin the windows install (on the blue screen) It prompts me to hit f6 to install some drivers or something, but usually sometime during the install process everything just stops and hangs, it freezes, so i'm not really sure if it is a problem with the drive, or if i s hould begin to suspect my motherboard. If that is the case i may be forced to upgrade sooner than later, unfortunate isn't it.

 

[amdskip]

Could you list out your complete system specs including your power supply.

 

[Grimbones]

I'll try to remember to my best ability.

I have a KV8 max3 motherboard
AMD 64 3000+
512mb kingston value ram (everytime i put in my 2nd stick of ram something horrible happens, another problem for another day i suppose)
Raptor 74 gb harddrive
40GB WD harddrive (forget which kind)
6800GT, i'm not sure if this thing is having problems as well, sometimes the video on my screen will tweak out. Weird stuff.
Anyway if i forgot anything let me know.
I'm not overclocking or anything like that.
Thanks for the time.

 

[Grimbones]

And by hanging during install....here i'll give you an example.

On the bottom it will say something along the lines of "loading windows executive files" and then just sit at that place for like the rest of eternity...

 

[happycat]

what's your power supply? if your viddy card keeps crapping out too, its more than likely power related. good power = happy computer

 

[Grimbones]

Well i'm not really sure it is the power, i have some 400w antec PS. It's kind of a weird problem, like if i plug in my monitor it sometimes wont recognize it, but if i jiggle it around a few times it will work. So i don't really think it is power related, but i suppose anything is possible.

 

[fogeyman]

Maybe motherboard? If you have to jiggle the monitor plug around, your mobo may be busted.

 

[Grimbones]

Well the real problem atm is with the harddrive freezing, so i am going to try to reformat on my dads computer, and if that works then i guess on monday or tuesday ill plug the harddrive back into my computer and go from there...if it doesn't work then i guess ill go from there.

 

[birdpup]

The F6 button during windows install is for loading SATA drivers for a SATA hard drive interface. This step is not necessary for IDE drives and I would guess that your drives are probably IDE, with a wide ribbon cable and separate power supply connected to it. If the drives are connected by a single thin wire, then they SATA and require the explicit loading of the SATA drivers during the windows installation. This is because the Windows installation CD does not contain SATA drivers due to the recent introduction of the SATA interface.

Your power supply may require replacement. Read the following two posts to obtain more information concerning power supplies.
Power Supply 101
Understanding Power Requirements

Furthermore, the following procedure may help.

[*]Detecting a defective hardware component

1. Remove or disconnect all hardware components except for the PSU, CPU, RAM, and video card,
2. Start the system and run memtest for 2 passes minimum and preferably longer than 12 hours,
3. Connect the system hard drive and run manufacturer diagnostic tests on the hard drive,
4. Start windows and see if error occurs,
5. Shutdown the system and add one hardware component,
6. Start windows and see if error occurs,
7. Repeat steps 5&6 until component is detected.

[*]Hard Drive Manufacturer Diagnostic Utilities[/u]

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  Western Digital