Envoi

About freakin' time. It's working and set up at their house finally. I picked up an abit AN8 SLI. Installed it with the Enermax PSU I still had. Windows installed perfectly. Ran P95. The f*cker failed in the first minute. I was fuming. But all it took was raising the RAM voltage. No biggie. Thanks for ALL the input guys. I hope anyone else with similar problems finds this saga helpful. -- Kris (scarred Abit consumer)

Well, thanks for that. But I'm all PATA in this rig. Quick update: Picked up a cheap PCI GPU, put it in, took out the PCI-E, no help. Got a new mobo yesterday; AN8 SLI. I'll let you know. -- Kris :edit: P.S. I've setup a half dozen, or so, rigs with SATA and have had no problems. ::knock on wood::

Hey guys, Sorry my updates have been so seldom, but honestly the troubleshooting process has slowed to a craw. I am still waiting for my account to be credited for the AMD 3500+ that I've sent back. Once that happens I'll be looking for a new 2.0 PSU. I'll probably go with one of the Enermax PSU's w/ a higher wattage. Really not much else to say since I've done nothing but research since the last post. It scares me to hear that someone has had the same problem and swapped out all parts with no luck. What really worries me is that this isn't a problem with one incompatibility, but rather a combination of two components. i.e. The mother board doesn't play nice with the PSU or the RAM. In which case, swapping the PSU makes no change; swapping the RAM doesn't help either, but swapping both simultaneously is the fix. If it is multiple components that are misbehaving then the process of finding which ones will be painstakingly time-consuming (not to mention expensive). If the new PSU doesn't work, I'll try knocking the RAM timings ALL the way down, see if it installs, then bump up slowly. I'm was going to try replacing the motherboard last, but I think I will try a new mobo after the PSU. It'd just be a shame since my clients were (key word="were") really excited about this board. I'm going to definately add some freebies into they're package after this fiasco. Maybe I can talk Asus into paying for these freebies... doubt it. I'll keep you guys posted (no pun intended). -- Kris

UHG! Yes, recieved. No, didn't help. I even tried a slower chip, the Athlon 64 3500+ (whinny core). In the process of sending back now. I'm getting a new ATX 2.0 PSU next. After that my only other options are the GPU and Mobo. I REALLY hope it isn't a combination of two different parts. That would be insain to try and troubleshoot. I mean, if I had unlimited amounts of cash lying around I could buy all new, comparable, but different, parts and go from there. But I don't! Man, this is getting to me. I let you know what happens. -- Kris

Hey, thanks for all the input guys. Firstly, yes. I did try a different install CD. It was still XP home but it was SP1. Same problems. Also, I do have an upgraded BIOS installed. I've got a new CPU ordered. It's a different model. We'll see if it works. I should have it by Wed. And the ATX12V1 is connected correctly. I'll keep you guys posted. -- Kris

Yeah I haven't swapped out the PSU yet cause I don't have another 2.0 PSU. I have ordered another CPU though awhile. I figured that is going to be the most costly component for me to replace so I'll get that out of the way now. Or I'll take my losses now, whatever. Either way I'lm taking a hit on this system, I'll let you guys know when I find the miracle cure. -- Kris

UHHGGG! Flashing didn't do it. I'm to the point now where I'm gonna have to buy parts to swap in. I want to try PSU now, but I don't have an ATX 2.0 compliant PSU lying around. Can I use a non 2.0 PSU and get awy with it? What is it that this board needs that the ATX 2.0 PSU gives it? <sigh> I am definately gonna lose money in this system. This is making me so mad. BTW: yeah I did try a different HDD. Thanks so far though guys, --Kris

<SIGH> Well, flashing didn't do it either. I don't have another CPU or MoBo lying around, unfortunately. My next course of action will be to swap the PSU. Someone on another board mentioned that they've run into compatability issues with Antec and Abit. So it's worth a shot. Hell, dancing for the machine is worth a shot at this point. If the PSU doesn't fix it, I'm gonna have to look into getting the CPU and/or MoBo RMAed. The thing I hate about doing that is it will be a couple of weeks of me just waiting; not being able to do anything. GRRR. Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate all the help so far. -- Kris

Thanks for the reply HyperHacker. I have tried two different Windows install disks and two different optical drives. No changes though. No there isn't anything on the HDD at all (poor thing has been through more reformats than... heck I don't know). Overheating was my first guess, I was getting some higher reading than I'd like. 48C - 50C before I removed the thermal pad and used coolermasters compound. Now it runs at about 46. Big whoop. I've read quite a few complaints though on the Abit forum about the Fatal1ty BIOS reporting higher than actual temps. So once I get my OS up I'll see what Motherboard Monitor has to say about that. I'll keep you guys posted. I'm off to flash. -- Kris

Thanks a lot for the replies stanstan and it_ybd. Firstly, I've tried the switching off of the power supply. First just to see if it would help then to clear CMOS a couple times. No help, though. The PSU is a 480W. There are actually two opticals that will be in this system and I've switched one for the other but to no avail. Ran memtest86+ last night. It ran through almost 10 complete passes and no errors. But, I did swap out that RAM for 512MB of working Samsung ddr266. It seemed to help during the DOS portion of the install. The "copying files" section went faster then I've seen it go, yet in this system. However, it locked up at 39 min left during the GUI portion of Windows install. Flashing BIOS is in the works now. Just gotta find a darned floppy and a FDD. Oh yeah, about the RAM settings. I've done everything; auto settings, "By Spd" settings, manual stock settings, manual relaxed settings, raising voltage to 2.7v and bringing the other setting they mentioned to 1.35 as per Corsair, but nothing. I really haven't recieved any messages, per say. I've, mostly, been sitting through ridiculously slow file copies just to have it freeze up during that process or wait until the GUI portion to hang. It's hung most often at 57% of the way through "Copying files" during DOS install, and 39 or 34 minutes left to go during GUI install. I have had the HDD disappear once or twice, but an "auto detect" in BIOS fixes that. That's about the size of the problems. No real "messages", unfortunately, to unravel. But like I said, flashing is next on my list. I'll let you know how that goes. Wish me luck. Thanks again, -- Kris

Thanks for the reply gigabitfx. I have considered the PSU and I have a good one lying beside the PC. However, it's on the bottom of my List of Things to Do because I had a mother of a time getting the main power to sit on the pins on the MoBo. I wiggled those cables back and forth ever so slightly until my thumb bled. I never had such a hard time with snapping that bad boy in. I'd hate to have to go through that again for nothing. As far as heat. I fixed that issue early on. I had to take off that lousy excuse for a thermal pad and put on some better compound. I've been keeping tabs on it and heat has not been an issue so far. I'm running memtest86+ as we speak and I'll let it run through the night. I talked to my client and she is understandibly frustrated but, also, is being very patient and understanding (thank god). As for me, I'm going to bed... I've got a head ache. Thanks for everything so far guys. I'll keep you posted. -- Kris

I do have another Optical Drive I could use. I'll try that then dman. Thanks again. Thanks Ge0ph for that obvious reply. (I'm not being sarcastic) Really, thanks. I don't know why, but I haven't run memtest yet because I was thinking it was windows based. I'm 90% sure that's on the UBCD. I'll be sure to try run that when this install inevitably fails. -- Kris

Yes, did check for BIOS update and there is one available, but the changes to BIOS didn't sound like they'd help this issue. However, flashing is on my list of things to try. No floppy in this system. In fact, I don't even think I have one laying around anymore. But, I will add your fix to the end of my ever growing List of Things to Try. I'd just have to run out and get a FDD. BTW, you had to install your HDD in another system to copy setup, right? Thanks a lot for your post dman. -- Kris

Setup: Abit Fatal1ty AN8 AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Antec TruePower 2.0 TP-II 1GB Corsair DDR400 Dual-Channel Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 80GB ATI Radeon X700 Pro LG 16X DVD-ROM Problem: Windows XP Home w/SP2 will not install. I have ran into every error I have found on the net and some. Most of the time the install process is incredibly slow and eventually stop at some point. Unfotunately, that "some point" isn't consistent. Sometimes it will stop in the DOS setup at copying files. Other times it will creep its way through the DOS setup and freeze somewhere in the GUI setup portion. I've tried TOO many BIOS settings to list here but they range from simply loading optimized and fail-safe settings to setting the RAM voltages to manual and choosing new voltage settings (which was one fix I found on another board). But NOTHING has worked, yet. I thought the HDD was to blame, but knew that in order to send it back I'd have to get a PowerMax error code. Well, the HDD passed both the quick and advanced PowerMax tests. I've removed everything that is unnecessary from the system and have changed the IDE ribbons. I have even tried using a different copy of Windows just for giggles and it still ran into the same problems. This system is for a client and I am exhausted. I've tried everything I know and things I have just read. ANY input will be greatly appreciated. I've already lost money and time trying to fix this system and I can't keep this client waiting any longer. Heck, if I didn't think it would be against the forum rules I'd post a reward for the fix. :-) Please help. Thanks ahead of time for any input. -Kris Windows XP Home wont install