Issues with friend's custom pc..

[codeman0013]

Hey,

My friend brought me 2 computers and wanted 1 built out of it. I have got all of the parts together and it will post but no matter what i do i cannot get either one of the hard drives to install windows. I have tried removing all the hardware but the bare minimum yet it just wont work. It will get to setup is starting windows and hang or blue screen. I tried to run Boot and Nuke and it wont do anything either. Suggestions anyone I'm at a loss on this one..

 

[jamesd1981]

do you have a windows disc ?

 

[codeman0013]

Yes I have tried 4 of them all genuine XP cd's none of them have worked they all get to differnt points and freeze

 

[JHM]

Download Memtest and run it from a CD. Chect to see if the RAMs any good, but first check the RAM timing settings in the bios.

 

[jamesd1981]

try running hd shredder, it strips your hard drive bare even of the sectors, then try fresh install.

 

[Okedokey]

Do you have the F6 install SATA drivers for XP ? Go to the mobo manufacturer and get them, press F2 on initial CD boot.

 

[codeman0013]

Its an IDE drive.. its a syntax motherboard.. no matter what i do it doesnt work.. i have switched the drives out and memory and the cd roms but still nothing any other suggestions you guys might have..

 

[JHM]

It might be a memory conflict. What kind of video card does this mobo use ? If it is a PCI Express card, you might try taking it out, and putting in a plain old PCI video card in one of the PCI slots, clear the bios; and hook the monitor up to that, then see if you can get it to load windopes. If it does work, you can check for memory conflicts once windopes is loaded; and try to change any conflicting memory assignments.

 

[codeman0013]

Its a PCI card its an older motherboard. There is no on board video i was going to try that but i cant. I cant load windows i have tried like 100+ times with 4 different cd's.. I have been running memtest thats the only thing i can see as a problem now is the memory..

 

[JHM]

If its an older mobo check the caps for the "Capicitor Problem". Also do the clear the bios bit for sure; cause some mobos require that whenever there is a hardware change, and you've been changing hardware quite a bit.

Another thing you might try is slowing down the RAM timing settings, cause maybe the RAM is low grade, (a problem that I had on this machine, solved by changing my RAM timing from 5, 5, 5, 18, 3, 3 -- to -- 6, 5, 5, 18, 3, 3. Yours will of course be different but the idea is to raise the numeric value of one or more settings to see if slowing it down helps.

Finally, if these parts you are working with came from proprietary machines, (Dell, HP, Compac, IBM, etc), you might try using as many parts as you can that came from 1 machine. Reason : I would not put it past proprietary manufacturers to deliberately use oddball memory and IRQ assignments, so that nobody else's hardware will work in their machines. "BUY OUR HARDWARE !!!" For that reason you might also try Low Level Formatting one of the HDDs, becaue normal formats don't touch the boot track, and there might be a flag there that is causing your problems, if the HDD came from a proprietary machine.

 

[Okedokey]

Have you identified the motherboard model and downloaded (and give the XP installation) the chipset drivers and F6 drivers?

 

[chamgamer]

I think there's no operating system installed inside the computer.

 

[Okedokey]

I think there's no operating system installed inside the computer.

with respect, i don't think that will have much to do with it. The F6 drivers can be dowloaded on any computer and the motherboard model will be printed on the PCB and can usually be see easily.

 

[codeman0013]

Ok so here's what i have done...

1) Different memory from another pc i know works.. still didnt boot bluescreened right as the setup gets to starting windows...
2) Completely wiped the harddrive still blue screens
3) Reset cmos to defaults

I have no idea what else i can do.. Any other suggestions?