XP SP2 won't install

[Redtarga]

Hi all,

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hell, I'd PAY you to visit and fix this if you are in the San Francisco area. I've already had a COMPusa service guy out here for $149, but he couldn't figure it out (I'm not surprised, having seen him at work...but I had to try something).

I've reduced the system to the basics: eVGA 7900 GS KO, and nothing else in the slots, Plextor PX-755SA, a floppy drive, and now no SATA drives, but a new Seagate PATA: ST3120814A, connected to the blue PRI IDE port. The BIOS version is 1201. The processor is an E6600. The RAM is SuperTalent T800UX2GC4. Everything in this system is brand new.

I continue to get this error when installing XP Pro, SP2 slipstream (KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe, and no other updates). It happens when Setup tries to start Windows:
**** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524, 0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000

This started with the first config: all SATA. I installed the ASUS CD ICH7R drivers, and then the latest INTEL drivers, to no avail. I quit trying the SATAs and installed the PATA, but no luck. All the SATA drives are disconnected.

Any ideas? I'm serious about payment for services, guys. If you are in the area, post a reply and we'll talk.

 

[phile]

Originally posted by: Redtarga
Hi all,

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Hell, I'd PAY you to visit and fix this if you are in the San Francisco area. I've already had a COMPusa service guy out here for $149, but he couldn't figure it out (I'm not surprised, having seen him at work...but I had to try something).

I've reduced the system to the basics: eVGA 7900 GS KO, and nothing else in the slots, Plextor PX-755SA, a floppy drive, and now no SATA drives, but a new Seagate PATA: ST3120814A, connected to the blue PRI IDE port. The BIOS version is 1201. The processor is an E6600. The RAM is SuperTalent T800UX2GC4. Everything in this system is brand new.

I continue to get this error when installing XP Pro, SP2 slipstream (KB835935-SP2-ENU.exe, and no other updates). It happens when Setup tries to start Windows:
**** STOP: 0x0000007B (0xF78D2524, 0xC0000034,0x00000000,0x00000000

This started with the first config: all SATA. I installed the ASUS CD ICH7R drivers, and then the latest INTEL drivers, to no avail. I quit trying the SATAs and installed the PATA, but no luck. All the SATA drives are disconnected.

Any ideas? I'm serious about payment for services, guys. If you are in the area, post a reply and we'll talk.

You're using the P5WDH, correct? Just so you know, the BIOS has SATA drives set to run as Standard IDE by default. No driver need be loaded prior to windows install, in order to run SATA drives - assuming you do not switch the AHCI or RAID modes.

Before troubleshooting your hardware, one question: have you successfully installed windows using the same CD? BSoDs can be caused by problems with the media, itself.

Ok, my first suggestion would be to run memtest on your kit, and then on each dimm separately, should the kit have any errors.

http://www.memtest.org

Burn ISO image to CD and then boot with it. Run all 10 tests. If you run this test on both DIMMS separately, and received errors with only one, there's a good chance you have found the problem: a bad dimm.

One more thing I would suggest, while waiting to hear back about the memtest: flash to BIOS 1305 or 1407. the only time I ever got a BSoD on my P5WDH/E6600 rig was right after I flashed to 1201.

<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775/P5W%20DH%20Deluxe/"><a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775/P5W%20DH%20Deluxe/">ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socket775/P5W%20DH%20Deluxe/</a></a>

I'm willing to help you through this, so do me a favor and copy any replies to a PM, just in case I forget to check back here.

-phil

 

[Redtarga]

Hi,

Thank you very much for your reply. For starters, this is my first Forum post, and I don't know how to copy this reply to a PM, though I'd be happy to do it. Also, I believed my post would appear on the P5 WDH section of the motherboards forum because I posted it while there, but I was wrong about that. Tried to edit my message header to include P5 WDH, but that didn't work. Cripes! I hope you're still here.

I'm encouraged about your experience with 1201. I'll go to the FTP place you posted and see how that works.

Many thanks!!

Michael

 

[Redtarga]

Yes, Phil, I have successfully installed XP with the SP2 disk on another PC. I think the media is OK.

 

[phile]

Not to worry, I subscribed to this thread, so I should be receiving an email each time it's updated.

-phil

 

[Melectricus]

I had a DFI mobo with a similar problem. I put ps2 adapters on my mouse and keyboard and problem solved. Really, no joke. Can't say it's your problem tho.

Once windows and drivers were installed then everything was fine with USB.

 

[RayW69]

My 2 cents:

What you are encountering is almost certainly due to the setup using the wrong driver for one of your devices. When the install is in text mode, it pre-loads a ton of drivers, which you see flash by the bottom of your screen. If the wrong driver is loaded for your hardware, you will get a BSOD with STOP: 0x0000007B.

AFAIK, the mobo you are using comes with ICH7R, which is only specced for a single IDE channel. Judging by your post, your board must have a 2nd IDE channel from some 3rd party.

Go into your BIOS, and make sure all of the IDE channels are set to operate in LEGACY IDE mode, not NATIVE mode. If any IDE/SATA ports are configured to run in AHCI or RAID mode, change this to IDE. After making these changes, make sure you do NOT hit F6 to load any drivers. Since everything is working in Legacy IDE mode, using F6 is only going to cause problems.

If that solves your problem, feel free to paypal me my $149

 

[Redtarga]

Windows is loading right now! I updated the BIOS per Phil to the latest, did not have to use PS2 adapters (thanks, anyway, Melectricus), and did mess with the IDE channels per RayW69. I'm not sure exactly what I did with them, other than use "Standard IDE", and I chose to run the SATA as IDE, which I hope can be undone since I'd like to use SATAs features. I suspect that doesn't matter, though, since no SATA drives are presently connected. I didn't see any selection for IDE Legacy or Native modes, so I guessed on standard IDE. Also, I did not load the Intel ICH7R drivers this time, again per Ray. The only reason I had done this before is somewhere I got info that the ASUS CD drivers were too old.

Thank you all. I'll repost after XP is loaded and I try to setup the SATA drives and select AHCI for them. I'm sure I'll need some help with ASUS EZ-Backup for two of the SATAs, since I expect nothing to go smoothly. I mean, I don't even know how to use this forum.

 

[phile]

AS I explained earlier, you only need to preload the Intel Matrix Storage Manager driver (for the ICH7R controller) if you wish to run SATA drives in AHCI or RAID. Once Windows is installed, you can't just make the switch in the BIOS. It becomes more complicared.

If you wish to make the switch to AHCI post Windows install, follow these instructions:
http://www.neowin.net/forum/lofiversion/index.php/t457699.html

Then, download and install the latest Intel Matrix Storage Manager driver:
http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts...ct_Filter.aspx?ProductID=2101&lang=eng

So, if I undestand correctly, you're NOT using a SATA drive as your maon OS/boot drive? Seems to me, you should have used a SATA, connected to SATA1, as the main drive.

-phil

 

[Redtarga]

I intended to use SATA as the main drive, but had those installation problems. I'll try it. My plan is to pull the IDE out, reconnect the SATA1 as the boot drive, try to re-install XP with preloading the Intel Matrix Storage Manager driver, and if that fails, install without preload and follow the instructions you noted.

As far as all this goes, though, does it really matter on a practical level if I use SATA or PATA for the OS? I intend to run all the programs on SATA drives, anyway, and install the Swap file on a SATA.

Thanks for your excellent help!

Michael

 

[phile]

SATA is the superior interface, so (yes) it makes perfect sense to use SATA for your BOOT/OS drive.

If you plan to F6/pre-load the Intel Matix Storage driver, make sure to change the SATA mode to AHCI in the BIOS, prior to beginning the installation process.

-phil