New build - XP install freezing on file load screen

Dave

Dave

Dave

Soldato
Joined
30 Oct 2004
Posts
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Location
Sacramento, CA, USA
Hi all

I just put together the new PC:

Mobo: Abit P35
CPU: Core 2 Duo E6550
Memory: GeIL 2x1gb PC2-6400 (4-4-4-12)
DVD Drive: LG GSA-H66NBAL SATA DVD-RW

It's all working and spinning up. When I put in the XP install CD (which I think is from September last year, so it has the SATA drivers integrated on to it) it loads up the first couple of batches of files, but then freezes on loading the Windows installation files. The DVD drive at this point isn't spinning and it's not reading from the CD.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening? I've tried an older XP CD and it does the same thing. Do I need more drivers for it, or a new CD?

Cheers
 
Right I'll run Memtest - my housemate has a linux CD that boots up and it's got Memtest on it. Back in 10 mins or so.

(fingers crossed it's not memory, as I got it from OcUK on this week only, and now I'm back in Sheffield)
 
I had this installing xp on a system. Was bad memory. Would give errors at different times of the install saying it couldnt read the file. Tried 3 cd-rom drives. Took the bad stick out and it was fine
 
Well at the moment the PC won't even turn on! We tried an IDE drive but it didn't work, and now the PC won't even start. No idea why not, all we've done is plugged/unplugged an IDE drive.

Checked all the connections and it doesn't fire up. The LED on the board says there is power going through it, but nothing happens when you press the on switch!
 
Yep, we've removed the CMOS battery to reset it all.

Computer is now on and running Memtest - been running for about an hour now and it's got no errors. I'll leave it running for another few hours, and try and acquire another XP CD from somewhere to make sure it's not just a dodgy CD.
 
Right, got a bit of an update.

Ran memtest for about 6 hours and I got no errors. I tried another XP CD (the 3rd) and exactly the same thing happened - it just hung on loading files.

I took out 1 stick of RAM and it actually loaded all the files. I left the hard drive formatting and came back to a BSOD of "IRQ less than or not equal to" - which I always thought was a RAM issue. Upon restarting the computer I get a "INITDRV is missing, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart" which I assume is where the BSOD kicked in whilst copying files over to the formatted partition.

The confusing thing is my RAM has no errors on Memtest, but it looks to me like a RAM problem. Is anyone else running the GeIL Ultra Low Latency PC2-6400 RAM on this motherboard? Is it worth slackening the timings to see if that rectifies things? Is it worth getting RAM that I know will work with the system?

Cheers :)
 
See here...

One thing to consider, the system was beeping like mad with ram errors on 1st boot as I forgot to increase voltage by 0.3 to the recommended 2.1v
 
Hmm OK cheers, I'll give that a try. It does say on the spec "1.9V-2.3V Power Supply" but I'm sure my BIOS is putting 1.8V through it by standard.

I'll up the voltage in the morning (can't be bothered now!) and report back.
 
Yep, bumped it up to 2.1V this morning and it's all fine now.

Only problem is now I have this system (my old PC was a 3000+/6600GT) I'm now going to play CoD4 all day when I should be studying!

Cheers everyone! :)
 
:D, anyone else think the Abit p35 motherboards should come with a nice big warning to check memory voltages at first boot? Such a common occurence with these boards.
 
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