New computer problems

[Chrono310]

I built a computer and put Win2k Pro on it. It worked for a few hours, then started messing up. It turns out this was a minute hardware problem that I resolved with some help from a friend. I had already reformatted though, so now I needed an OS. I tried to install Win2k Pro again, but it would go through the 4 floppies, and then restart and ask for floppy 1 again. I got fed up with this and tried XP pro (by the way... these are all legit disks and cd keys). XP pro would run through the install (the blue screen install in DOS), and then restart and the OS selection screen would come up (for some reason I was able to get 98 on there). The options are 98, and XP setup. When I choose XP setup, it goes back through the blue screen setup again. It loops.

I thought that this was just some wierd Microsoft conspiracy, but I just tried to install Slackware Linux (http://www.slackware.com), and it does the exact same thing. It goes through the initial setup, then restarts, and goes through it again. It just loops as well.

I'm thinking that this is probably another hardware problem, hopefully just a setting on the motherboard or bios that I have wrong? If anyone has any ideas or suggestions at all, I'd be glad to hear them. Thanks a bunch!

 

[EeyoreX]

I would think that the problem might be your RAM. A bad stick of RAM often causes BSOD errors. Try running memtest to see if your RAM comes up with any errors. If you have more than one stick, try one at a time and see if one gives errors but the other doesn't.

\Dan

 

[microAmp]

I agree with the above, also are you overclocking any? If so back off and see how it goes.

Memtest link for testing your RAM.

 

[Enoon]

I don't have a floppy to use that memtest, are there any other programs that I could use to test my memory?

 

[Chrono310]

I'm not overclocking any, so it shouldn't be that. FYI, I have a 1.6 GHz P4 (slot 423). My processor runs at a constant 40º C.

I have 2 sticks of Samsung 256MB pc800 RDRAM (meaning I can't just remove one of them). My friend has virtually the same setup as me, and his is running fine. I guess I'll borrow his ram for a day and see if that helps anything. However, I don't really think that's the problem. I can run 98 (or any other OS I would expect) fine. No restarts, no problems. The only time that it restarts and loops is when I'm trying to install another OS. So far I've tried Win2k Pro, WinXP Pro, WinXP Home, and Slackware Linux. They all do the exact same thing, restarting after the first part of the installation.

 

[Chrono310]

I think there might be a way to crate a bootable CD with that on it. I haven't checked yet to see if you can use it through Windows, but I wouldn't think so.

 

[WarCon]

Just a couple thoughts.

Have you tried to install any of the OS's from inside 98?

How is your hard drive setup partitioned and connected (standard IDE plugs, onboard RAID controller or separate controller card).

Have you repartitioned the drive or fdisk /mbr the hard drive to fix potential problems in the mbr? Or just reformatted?

Good luck man.

 

[Chrono310]

The reason I put 98 on there was to try and install 2000 and XP through it. I've tried both through 98 and they do the exact same thing as when I boot from a CD (except that they pop up an OS selector with XP/2000 Setup as an option when the computer resets).

The hard drive is a Western Digital 60GB 7200 RPM. It's all one big C: partition. It's connected with the standard IDE plugs on the mobo; primary master channel.

I've reformatted the hard drive several times, but I didn't even know that you could fdisk the master boot record (I'm assuming thats what the /mbr argument is). Would I need to make a new master boot record after doing this?

 

[whovous]

mbr does stand for master boot record, and following that advice cannot do any harm to a machine that won't run your new OS. However, if it will already run W98 (I am not entirely clear from this if it will or won't) then it is hard to see how doing an fdisk /mbr could make any difference vis a vis a later Windows OS. Either the MBR is your friend or it is not. Changing the OS is not a variable that matters to it, I don't think.

 

[WarCon]

I don't know, but is it ok to install multiple versions on one partition? I have never tried doing it that way. I always make separate partitions. I just realized from reading your posts that you only have one big partition. If your up to it, try it with multiple partitions. One for each OS, that you are trying to install.

 

[Chrono310]

It was running 98 just fine. I just tried clearing the master boot record, and it didn't really do much. After clearing it, I went ahead and repartitioned and reformatted the drive again. It still won't let me install Slackware.

Originally posted by: WarCon
I don't know, but is it ok to install multiple versions on one partition?

You can, but it isn't really a good idea. I was trying to install another OS over 98, so I don't think that having another partition would do me any good. = \

 

[WarCon]

What are you using to partition and format?

 

[Chrono310]

Actually, I've just been using fdisk for partitioning, and I used the format command that gets put on the ramdrive. I've been running on an old 98 boot disk.

 

[WarCon]

Why don't you try doing the format and repartition from within the install program. Try XP and format it to NTFS (just to be different than what you have been trying). One thing you might make sure is that you take the CD out after XP does its install so that it boots from the hard drive and not the CD again.

Grasping at straws here.......... (You have a very intriguing problem here)

 

[Chrono310]

It usually doesn't get that far into the install, I don't think. I'll try again to make sure. I have formatted it to NTFS, but that doesn't seem to make a difference. It wasn't even booting from a cd when I went to "XP Installation" in the boot menu, so it isn't booting to the CD.

Originally posted by: WarCon
Grasping at straws here.......... (You have a very intriguing problem here)

Yeah... this whole thing has been driving me crazy for about a month and a half now. I have a good new computer, but can't use it. I think it might be a mobo problem, I'll have to try and contact Asus again.

 

[oscoyle]

 

[oscoyle]

If you have the hard drive set to master, perhaps it may help if you set it as single drive instead. Sometimes this is an issue with WD hard drives.

 

[Chrono310]

It has the options of Single/Master, Master w/Slave, and Slave. I just checked it, and it's set on Single/Master.

=(

*Edit: By the way, I just sent this problem to asus via their website (Asus Helpdesk).