New Build - Windows wont install

EvilOne · 25 Dec 2008 at 20:59

GA-EP43-DS3, set to defaults, flashed to latest bios
E7300, set to defaults
640GB, WD formated NTFS
7300 pci-e graphics (old and not for gaming)
2x1gb Cas4 g-skill ram, set to recomended 2v.

It post's fine, and i can set all the options up on bios as needed. Problems start when i try to install windows, it just stalls while loading up.

My old XP CD can install all the way, then once the first reboot happans it fails to load (stalls). I can boot into safemode fine.

Vista loads the files needed to harddrive, then once it starts up with the nice background it stalls before any options show up.

No other divises are currently plugged in apart from an IDE DVD drive, 640gb sata drive and graphics card.

400W powersupply, that has worked great in the past, with a lot more attatched.

The only other windows CD i have, is a windows 95 one which i dont want installed lol.

I have avalable an old IDE 60GB drive, and another IDE cd-drive (not DVD). I also have a 2MB ram chip, that i was gonna add once the OS gets installed and everything was stable. My spare powersupply is in use in a work computer atm, so wont be avalble till into the new year.

Edit - this is about my 5th build, so i have had experiance with problems before, but i just cant seem to find the reason for windows not working at all (due to no error msg mainly).

Edit2 - running memtest from a boot-cd i just burned, seems to be running fine, but will leave it for 30min or so.

Lumeycom · 25 Dec 2008 at 21:39

How long did you wait at that apparent blank screen?

Vista can take an age at that point, iirc mine took just under 15mins to get past that screen.

J.B · 25 Dec 2008 at 21:48

Go into the BIOS and turn off all the additional hardware (network adapter, sound, serial ports) and see if it installs. If it does then try enabling said devices.

EvilOne · 25 Dec 2008 at 21:51

Lumeycom said:
How long did you wait at that apparent blank screen?

Vista can take an age at that point, iirc mine took just under 15mins to get past that screen.

About 15 min first time, about 2 min every time after that. Will try it again now while disabling all the other stuff in bios like sujested

Tried the vista dvd in this box, worked fine and brought the options up in about 30 seconds lol.

*edit - LAN and onboard sound are now disabled, will leave vista for around 20 min, see if that works.

EvilOne · 25 Dec 2008 at 22:37

Left it over 20 mins, by then it was so locked up even numlock wouldnt work.

Running a hd check on the new drive, will see if that sheds any light

EvilOne · 26 Dec 2008 at 00:51

Managed to get XP installed now, the dvd drive was stopping it booting correctly (apart from in safe mode). Cant install vista cause its on dvd, and now theres no dvd drive lol. Oh well xp will do, only took 10 hours to get that installed. Thanks for the help guys.