64-bit XP trial CD won't install

[dl41]

Hi,

I've been building computers for several years for a living. I know how to install drivers for SATA/RAID/etc at the f6 prompt. I'm using the latest BIOS (f12, also tried f7 and f10 which are supposed to support 64-bit).

When trying to install XP 64-bit from the MS trial CD, I load the RAID 64-bit drivers at the f6 prompt. Normally with 32-bit, if the drivers aren't loaded properly I can't get past the "agreement" page, as it will say no hard drive is found.

However this is finding the hard drive, formatting it, and copying the setup files. Upon the first reboot, it loops back to the CD instead of finishing the installation. If I change BIOS boot back to the hard drive during the first reboot, it errors. (Can't recall exactly, but missing windows system file of some sort).

Had XP Pro 32-bit installed previously with no problems and have it installed again afterward with no problems.

Anyone else seen this and/or have a fix for it? Any and all help is much appreciated. :-)

System Specs:

Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI

3700+ San Diego

2 X 1g OCZ PC4000 Gold

2 X 200G WD SATA2 (RAID 0)

2 X 120G Seagate SATA (RAID 0)

OCZ 600W Powerstream

2 X BFG 6800U (SLI)

Exos2 Water Cooling on CPU and Vid cards

[Gedrog]

OK first of all which controller are u using on the motherboard Sil or the Nvidia raid controller. Are you trying to run a dual boot or single boot and are u using raid or base or mirror configuration. Furthermore when it reboots often than not it asks u press any key to boot from cd does this message come up. if so just ignore it. I overcame this problem by first installing 64 bit XP on a normal IDE drive then downloading the XP 64 bit drivers and created my driver disk with the 64 bit version instead of the 32 bit version. I found the Sil controller to be a better controller than the NV raid controller. I had a hard time setting up a multiboot with the 64bit version but do not recall the problem you have.

Also make sure your bios boot settings are correct as there can be a setting wrong there that works ok with win 32. Also the silicon controller works better with single drive than the NVraid controller. I have the GA-K8NSNXP-939 motherboard and it loaded up a treat with the Sil controller. And I got the driver from the manufacturer of the sil component not the gigabyte website. GL-HF

Here is the link to website for sil driver

http://www.siliconimage.com/support/downlo...s=1&sataraid=0&

Here is another guy with the same problem by the sound of it have a read. Different mobo same chipset

http://www.planetamd64.com/lofiversion/ind.../t8163.html

Good site for all things 64 bit

http://www.planetamd64.com/

as well as in the beginning days this was a good site.

www.amd.com/edge

However I have to admit I am using a full XP 64 bit product and not the trial version. there are some issues with the trial versions. I did have a few problems with the trial version myself.

Edited February 3, 2006 by Gedrog

[dl41]

Not dual boot. I have 1 RAID 0 (stripe) on the NF4 controller with 32-bit. Trying to install 64-bit on the RAID 0 (stripe) SIL controller as the only OS. I use the BIOS to disable whichever controller that I'm not using as I don't care to corrupt my 32-bit installation. ;-)

There is nothing in BIOS specific to 64-bit vs 32-bit.

I'm not hitting any keys upon reboot and don't get that option if I reset to boot to hard drive during the first reboot.

I don't have any IDE drives in house as we only sell SATA anymore. I'll try to install to one (without the RAID) and use your drivers to see if that makes any difference.

Agreed that the Nvidia controllers have issues, although mine have been limited to RAID at this point. Mainly the RAID configuration becomes corrupt upon shutting down for no apparent reason. Have the same problem with the NF4 controller on a DFI LP SLI-DR board. Seems like a random power surge, since the fix is to shut down, unplug the corrupted drive from NF4 controller and plug it into the SIL, start up, shut down and swap HD back. Then the RAID array comes back as healthy.

Thanx for the response. :-)

System Specs:

Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI

3700+ San Diego

2 X 1g OCZ PC4000 Gold

2 X 200G WD SATA2 (RAID 0) (NF4 controller)

2 X 120G Seagate SATA (RAID 0) (SIL controller)

OCZ 600W Powerstream

2 X BFG 6800U (SLI)

Exos2 Water Cooling on CPU and Vid cards

[BJMckay]

I wouldn't bother, there are too many bugs in the trial version, and it crashes on a regular basis.

Since i installed official release it hasn't caused any problems and is very stable especially when overclocking.

Install at your own peril.

[Gedrog]

Ok what I refer to is that when you dont change the order of boot devices and it reboots youll sometimes see that if the cd rom has a bootable Media on it it will automatically ask you. "press any key to boot from CD-rom" does this come up if you leave the boot order as default or does it automatically boot.

And when you set the boot order to boot from sata does it come up with NTDLR missing.

Please remember with the Nforce chipset there are varios menus that determine your booting order.

Download the manual they have on the website and have another read through it.

If you are going to use the sil driver select the r version for the the instalation its better.

I see they have the newer drivers on their website at Giga-byte.com.

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Suppo...A-K8NXP-SLI.htm

System specs Gaming PC

CPU AMD dual core FX60

A8N32 SLI Deluxe

4X1gig Corsair PC3500LL

Creative X-Fi fatality edition

2X74 gig westerd digital raptors boot raid 0 partition1 winxp32 part 2 win64bit

2X 400gig sata 2 western digital raptors

2X Seasonic 600w psu

2X XFX GeForce 7800GTX Extreme XXX Edition

Vapochill lightspeed cpu

Waterchill extreme for the rest with dangerden VGA water coolers

Edited February 4, 2006 by Gedrog

[dl41]

Price isn't a problem since we're a registered business (system builders). I can get OEM XP Pro64 for $175AUD. I just want to check all drivers and programs and do a speed comparison before I pay for a full version.

More interested in testing MYOB, MS Office 2003, networking and Exchange with our server (2003 SBS) and other computers (XP Pro 32-bit), anti-virus, etc., than games. Was also looking forward to a few benchmark comparisons. My 32-bit is rock solid, so would only be worth changing over if everything worked AND was a bit faster.

Unfortunately, the SIL drivers still didn't solve the looping back to CD problem (SATA drive). Guess I'll live without 64-bit for now. Thanx for the help and links. :-)

[Gedrog]

Aaah I understand your pridicament better now. Have you had a look at the Microsoft website for the systembuilder yet they will also have loads of details .

Did you download the trial or did you oder a cd from them DL is very buggy I then ordered a cd from them.

My home no play work PC have the 64 bit version installed as well with office 2003, visio pro 2003, Frontpage 2003 and project 2003 onenote 2003 with XP 64 bit here I used the dated A8V motherboard with 4400 dual-core with 4gig of ram and it works a treat. Very fast. No hassels so far.

I build systems for family and friends and use volume lisencing. registered small system builder.

Motherboards used so far

Win XP64bit

GA-K8NSNXP-939 very good easy driver suport from giga-byte got it working

A8V poor suport for 64 bit got drivers from oem supliers. ie chip manufacturers Via and promise

A8N SLI poor suport 64 bit used drivers from another manufacturer Managed to get it working stable.

A8N32SLI good success so far runs a treat.

AMD.com/edge had a list of all supliers and 64 bit drivers. But they have changed the website since I was last there

there is sligtly better suport for 64 bit now but frustratingly there is a lot of manufacturers that doesnt suport it fully yet. HP is one of them and belkin lots of others advise they will suport it in future

Edited February 4, 2006 by Gedrog

[dl41]

I ordered a CD. I have looked at the system builder info, but too much to sort through and no specific mention of this problem that I could find.

Actually got it to install using the Gigabyte drivers and disconnecting all other HDs, but only on the NF4 controller as it didn't show on the SIL controller. Unfortunately my 32-bit RAID array OS was corrupted when I hooked it back up and tried to start it. Loaded slowly to cntl/alt/del (for the network) put in my password, loading personal settings.... and logged off. Hmmm. Doesn't make sense that the 64-bit installation had anything to do with it. Oh well.

Reformatted 32-bit and made a Ghost image. Good thing I back up daily. Back to trying the 64-bit again. Still need to install drivers and such. So the test continues. :-)

[Gedrog]

Aah I understand your problem better now. The Nforce chipset dont allow you to have 2 raids as boot partitions I had a similar problem and the only way I got around it was to install them individually without any other hard drives connected Because in the bios you set the hard disk priority and then the boot priority

And this thing would almost always default to some weird setup and I could not get it to stabalise on 2 raids eventualy I opted for the 1 raid boot and on the NV sata controller I left them as normal single hard drives. And as yourself I disconnected all drives apart from the one that I was working on.

Its not the 64 bit versions fault neither the drivers fault it is something to do with the way the Motherboard Bios operates.

And if you are thinking of running a dualboot youll have to set the boot device 1st for the controller that holds the 64 bit version. And then edit the 64bit boot ini file. The 64 bit always wants to be the master and it wont allow the a modified 32 boot ini to control it I know that you dont run the dual boot but these were the problems I had with trying to get the dualboot to work. It is more a problem with the bios than the software itself. This problem have been comming along from the Nforce 3 and I see they still havent resolved it on Nforce 4. Happy hunting for th drivers ect.

Ghost aka Driveimage7 is a good backup utility I love it works a treat.

Good luck and I hope the 64bit is all that u was hoping for Not much change in the shape but underneath the bonnet luvely.

Edited February 4, 2006 by Gedrog