Is there a problem with arrogantly plugging power from the power supply?

[c4sTr0]

components-
antec neopower 480 watt (atx12v, v2.0) psu
msi 975x platinum motherboard
intel core 2 duo cpu
geforce 7900 gs oc (256mb) video card
two 160 gb sata hard drives im going to put in raid
3 dvd rw drives
floppy drive

story-
Im having a problem with a computer im making. This is only the second computer I have made so naturally im getting a lot of problems.
I plugged in all the components which was easy (im thinking too easy). When I turn it on it comes to a screen that reads out the dvd drives, the hard drives, and my floppy drive (when it says it gets to floppy it says "floppy drive error()" or something like that and when windows setup asks for my raid software, which is a floppy, the floppy drive doesnt even make the floppy drive sound it makes when it reads a floppy. I just talked to a guy tonight though and he said I plugged the data cable that hooks it to the mobo invertedly. He said i just have to remove the cable from the floppy drive and turn it upside down and put it back in. Im going to do it tomorrow and ill let you know if that does it). at the bottom of this screen there are two options, either press F1 to continue (which brings up a screen that says "booting from cd..." (reason for this is because I have my windows cd in)) or press DELETE to set up (which takes me to BIOS). When I press F1 it continues to a screen that boots from my windows cd. It does the first step of windows installation great (press F8 to agree to terms, format partition, and copy files to partition) but after it copies the files to the partition (hard drive) and it does its little mandatory reboot (where it counts down from 15 and then restarts) the computer starts up from the reboot and does exactly what I just explained again. It powers up, shows the F1 or DELETE screen and when I press F1 (which I have to, I cant wait this screen out) it just boots from cd again and does the first step of the windows setup again. It copies the files and does the mandatory reboot. Its like it has no idea it just did it. Im in a windows-setup-looping-problem. I came to this forum and asked for help and they said to go to bios and make it boot from the hard drive and that didnt fix it. I then went to my neighbor and showed him the computer. I told him how I put the components in. He asked me how I plugged everything to the power supply and i told him I just did it blindly. Wherever a plug went I plugged. I had no concern of voltages or anything like that. I just used the plugs that came in the psu box and plugged away. He told me that was dangerous and I could hurt/fry my components.
His advise to me was to research my power supply unit, research the voltage requirments for all my components, dismantel my computer, and then reassemble it voltage-correctly. He pointed out that the hard drive might not be getting the voltage it needs to be booted from (but if thats the case how did the files get copied to the hard drive alright?). That was two or three days ago and I havent been able to get off my ass to do it.
Just an hour ago I was at a birthday party and I talked to a guy there (the guy that told me how to fix the floppy).
He told me how to fix my windows installation loop problem and that there is no problem with arrogantly plugging up the power. The way he told me to fix the windows problem was exactly the opposite of what the people in this forum told me. He told me to go to bios and make it boot from the cd primarily. His reason for this is that the windows cd has 3 steps that it does automatically. I have to make sure that these steps are not interupted at all, thus I have to make sure it boots from the cd every time without question (without the F1 DELETE question screen). He said that all my problems were here and not to even worry about the voltages.

question-
Is there a risk in frying parts by arrogantly plugging power to them? If the plug fits into the psu and into the component is that good enough?


thanks
hope this is a sporting challenge

 

[The_Other_One]

If you're floppy interface cable is backwards, the drive almost always has it's light constantly on. It still can't hurt to flip it, though. Also, be sure you're not off any pins, or have any bent pins.

After windows copies the files, are you removing the CD so it's not just booting back to windows setup?

I have NO idea what your neighbor is talking about... There are standards PSU's follow, so you certainly wouldn't get one that puts out "damaging" voltages unless somethings seriously wrong with the power supply. The only real problems you might have would be a weak power supply(either weak wattage or weak amperages, neither of which should affect that PSU) or the wrong ATX standard(20 pins instead of 24 pins, but typically boards accept both)

As for your question at the bottom, if a PSU fits, it SHOULD work. There's always that exception to the rule, but it shouldn't cause damage to the system, just incompatability. As stated above, there are standards that have to be met.

 

[StrangleHold]

Yea the floppy cable is probably backward, the red stripe on it goes toward the power plugin on the drive, as far as the boot loop, after it shuts down the first time you boot to the harddrive after that, not back to the cd drive

 

[c4sTr0]

Yes flipping the floppy plug fixed it but this looping error just wont be fixed.
I just pulled up another computer and put in a 320gb sata hard drive I had extra and tried to install windows and the same error is happening.
This would make you think it is the windows cd but I also have another one and I am getting the same problem (I havent tried using the other cd on this computer im speaking of though).
I cant believe this problem isnt more widely known.
any suggestions?

 

[Archangel]

and it does its little mandatory reboot (where it counts down from 15 and then restarts)

as for that.. you have to remove the windows disk during those 15 second's then it will continue the installation (in a semi-windows screen )
that is because some pc's automatically boot from the cd, others dont, it will ask for the cd again later on if its needed, but you can jsut remove it during that 15 second timer, let it reboot, and it will continue the installation

 

[c4sTr0]

as for that.. you have to remove the windows disk during those 15 second's then it will continue the installation (in a semi-windows screen )
that is because some pc's automatically boot from the cd, others dont, it will ask for the cd again later on if its needed, but you can jsut remove it during that 15 second timer, let it reboot, and it will continue the installation

that doesnt work, it just restarts over and over