First build help :/

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 13:33

So all my parts arrived and I put it together following the guide on here. Everything seemed fine. I try turning it on and installing windows 7 and notice it's VERY slow, the dvd-rw seems to stop spinning and I have to wait for minutes before the next section of the installation comes up. So I get to the part where you have to choose which HDD to install to, And I get the error 0x80300024. Now whenever I try it no HDDs are detected at all :confused:

I tried to put my old IDE HDD in with windows xp on and that won't boot into windows either :confused:

Help anyone :/

Edit: Oh and in the bios it says my cpu is AMD Unknown (I have a phenom II x2 550)

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 15:19

Anyone? Really wanna get this sorted today... I'm on here using an Ubuntu cd at the moment.

Edit: I should add that my HDD doesn't show up in ubuntu either

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 18:14

Ok I have

XFX 4890 1gb version

AMD Phenom II X2 Dual Core 550 3.10GHz Black Edition (Socket AM3) - Retail + Colin McRae Dirt 2 Full Game

OCZ StealthXStream 600w Ready Power Supply

Gigabyte GA-M52L-S3P nForce 520LE (Socket AM3/AM2+) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard

Samsung SpinPoint F3 500GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (HD502HJ)

4 x 1gb OCZ ddr2 800mhz ram

Akasa Rev.4 Zen Case - Black

I updated the bios and now it displays my correct cpu and I ran memtest from the Ubuntu cd and got no errors.

Edit: How do I clear the CMOS? I see 2 pins on my mobo with CLR_CMOS next to them but I guess I need a jumper to put on them??

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 20:07

Still the same, HDD not showing up in the bios. :mad:

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 20:14

Tried a different socket and it's the same, this is the only lead I have though.

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 20:30

It only has 2 SATA slots (SATA2_0 and SATA2_1) where I can plug it in, there's a SATA2_2 and SATA2_3 written on the mobo but nowhere to plug anything in :confused:

I reset the CMOS and loaded optimized defaults then manually upped the RAM voltage by 0.30.

Edit: My DVD-RW is IDE.

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 20:42

Yep I tried 3 different sata connectors from the psu. This is so confusing, why would it show up at first but not anymore, and why won't xp boot from an IDE HDD :mad:

finalcloud · 18 Dec 2009 at 22:41

Well i installed Windows 7 on the IDE HDD and it took about an hour, and it takes over 5 minutes to start windows every time....

I don't know if it spins up, I'll check.

finalcloud · 19 Dec 2009 at 02:06

I think it does spin up yes (quite hard to tell over the roar of the 4890)

I disabled the Sata controller in the bios and now I boot into Windows 7 in 30-45 seconds where as with it enabled it takes 5 minutes. Also when I'm in the bios it doesn't take an age to do anything anymore. Also the Gigabyte splash screen stays there for like 30 seconds or more with the Sata controller enabled and only about 5 seconds when disabled. Reckon the mobo could be the culprit?

finalcloud · 19 Dec 2009 at 04:41

gamesaregood said:
Ok so we know that it appears to be an issue with the SATA Controller or the Hard Drive..

If you disconnect the SATA HDD but enable the controller does the system act fast and normal or slow?

Haha well that's confused me again, I thought the Sata controller was to blame but I just unplugged the HDD and enabled the Sata controller and it's fast and normal

Edit: Btw off topic but I'm very impressed with the performance! I figured because it was a gaming pc built on a smallish budget that it would be mediocre but it's lightning fast compared to my old p4 2.4ghz, radeon 9800se, 1.5gb ram pc

Even with everything on very high, 8x aa and at 1440x900 (monitors max res) the Crysis demo is smooth.