Awful BSOD on XP Pro install, PLEASE HELP?

[balth]

Here is the deal guys, please help me:

When I try to install Win XP Pro here is what happens: I boot fine from the CD, but after the initial "Windows Setup" screen everytime it gives me the same BSOD stating:

"Plug and Play detected an error likely caused by faulty driver"

...

STOP: 0x000000CA (...)

Please give me some ideas what's this all about. I'm running one HDD in IDE mode, so I don't need any SATA\RAID\SCSI drivers (F6 method). Is it software or hardware related??

I tried two different Win XP installations and it gives me the same BSOD!

Everything same as before (when I had no problems), only the motherboard is changed now for the same model?

System specs:

ASUS P5K Premium

Q6600 G0

2x1 GB Crucial Ballistix

WD SATA2 500GB AAKS

G80TS 320

CFT-14C 750W

Ideas?

Edited December 19, 2007 by balth

[eyeball]

EDIT: dammit i just noticed you said its booting from the cd maybe update the bios of the motherboard would do it?

Edited December 19, 2007 by eyeball

[jda-au]

By your supplied STOP: (error),

If it was me, I would be checking PnP (Plug and Play) settings in MBoard BIOS.

There is usually a "Load Fail-Safe Defaults" option in BIOS Menu.

Problem does not relate to your XP Installation, but your PnP settings/configuration.

[Tarun]

I'd unplug everything except the keyboard, mouse and monitor. If the keyboard and/or mouse are USB, use a USB to PS2 converter.

[SyntaxError]

The entire P5K product line is plagued with a similar problem, as well as other Asus boards and some from other brands as well. The STOP error is usually 0x0000007B, meaning 32bit XP can't see the hard drive no matter what you do. The bsod always comes up right after the copying files part of the install.

X64 however will install just fine to a pata drive, but I didn't bother trying it on my sata as I was ready to commit murder after 2 days of fighting with it and I really don't want X64 anyway.

I just ran into this problem with a P5K-SE, which I've just gotten an RMA on. I don't know if the problem is inherent to the P35 chipset or to various sata controllers or what, but it's serious and widespread.

[balth]

@SyntaxError, thank you for this reply, but I must say, I know about those sata controller problems with the boards, that's why I have already RMAd mine and now I can't install Windows to check if everything is fine! Moreover, my BSOD is not 0x0000007B, but 0x000000CA, which I can't find nothing helpful about! I am out of ideas!

I tried with only a PS2 keyboard connected - same error! Only setting under the PNP menu in BIOS is PNP System, which was NO on default. I tried it on YES - same BSOD!

I wrote all the parts - all of them are necessery and nothing except the keyboard is connected so I just can't see where the PNP error is!

Any other thoughts?

[SyntaxError]

Wish I could be of some help, but these problems are new to me as well. I've yet to find a solution to my problem or yours. It seems several models of Asus boards are faulty right out of the box and all of those are probably made in China, rather than Taiwan. I know the entire P5K line is Chinese made.

My RMA'd board is still en route back to the store, so it's going to be awhile yet before I get anything back, what with the holidays slowing things down. If the new one has the same problem, I'll send it back for a full refund and avoid the P35 chipset from now on. I'd suggest you do the same.

I've also read that the Marvell Sata Raid controllers that Asus is using on non-raid boards, like the P5K-SE, has been rigged to not support raid. I haven't been able to confirm this though, but I wouldn't doubt it.

Even though the ICH9 southbridge doesn't support raid, hacking the controller has got to cause some sort of problem, if it's true.

BTW, can you put your ram in another pc and see if it works? The only thing I found in relation to your problem had to do with a cracked chip on the ram. I seriously doubt your ram is bad, seeing as it's Crucial Ballistix, but you never know what the package had to go through before it got to you.

Edited December 26, 2007 by SyntaxError

[PsiMoon314]

Hi,

Possibilities to check:

• Bad RAM; Use a good RAM tester such as MemTest 86+ or Windows Memory Diagnostic from floppy disk or Bootable CD to check the RAM and ensure it works correctly.
  
• Bad Hard Drive; Use a Hard Drive testing package (SpinRite or the manufacturers Utility on the Ultimate Boot CD) to check for Hard Drive faults
  
• Replace all of the SATA and IDE cables with fresh ones, preferably ones which have been testing and shown to be working
  
• Check the jumpers on the Hard Drive and ensure the SATA mode settings are correct. If possible ensure that SATA II / 3.0 is selected if supported by your motherboard. If not then ensure SATA I / 1.5 mode is selected
  
• Replace the CMOS Battery with a fresh one and reset the CMOS settings to defaults. Ensure that the "non-Plug and Play operating system" option is set to "No" for Windows XP. Ensure the other BIOS options are set to sensible values or defaults. DOn't overclock or fiddle at this stage!
  
• Check that your Windows XP install CD is not damaged or dirty. Clean it or replace it with another copy of the OS on a fresh CD or borrow another known working XP install CD to test.
  
• Try booting the PC from a Linux Live CD to ensure that all of the hardware is working correctly. If this also fails to boot then you may have a bad item such as a Motherboard or CPU.
  
• Use the Driverpacks from http://driverpacks.net to integrate the Mass Storage Drivers onto a custom Windows XP install CD. These drivers generally work very well, are up to date and should not require any additional non-native SATA controller drivers to be presented on a Floppy Disk during Windows XP installation. Bad Floppy Disks can cause problems during installation.
  
• Use an IDE hard drive on the IDE controller rather than using a SATA hard drive on the SATA controller. Ensure you have the IDE drive jumprered correctly as a Master drive and connected to the IDE cable using the connector furtherest from the Motherboard connector. Don't use Cable Select Cables or options, they don't work.
  If XP installs then you may have a bad SATA controller chip on the motherboard or the drive and controller are not working together correctly.
  
• Check the Motherboard manufacturers web site for an update BIOS version; perhaps there is something incompatible here which has been resolved with a BIOS update?
  

I am sure there may be other options to check here but this should keep you going for a while!

Kind Regards

Simon