installing XP2

[DinkyDoink]

Well, it looks to me like the Super PC ain't so super after all. I have installed soundcard Gforce 8800, crucial memory-2Gigs 1 gig each, motherboard M2N32-SLI Deluxe, and the 3000 meg memory CPU, 750 gig HDD Western Digital, DVD drive with CD burner, and floppy drive, DVD and CD burner placed as first in drive configuration, HDD on Sata 1 port, only have one HDD I don't have it configured as a raid, it is set at 0 for raid I guess since it has only one HDD, and BIOS setting seem to be recognizing all installed components. Anyhow when I put in the XP disk to install with service pack2, the files install then after I accept the agreements, the screen says inspecting disk configuration, then on to checking HDD, then after I press enter, I get a stop error message that goes like this-- Stop:0x0000008E, (0x0000005,0xF7417E4C,0XF6FBD778,0x0000000)
setup.sys-address F7417E4C base at F73F3000, datestamp 3b7d8507 and it also asks to check BIOS updates from vendor and to disable caching and shadowing in BIOS settings but there is no caching or shadowing in BIOS, and from what I understand isn't caching and shadowing suppose to have something to do with the video, of which I can't find any video or anything to do with my sound card in the BIOS. If caching or shadowing is the problem where do I find it. I have also tried to install Driver CD for HDD, western digital says to install HDD driver at boot up but it only asks for OP disk,the HDD driver disk won't install, I haven't got to the DOS based utilities and how to access DOS yet, still learning that one, if there are drivers to install it looks like I will have to go through DOS to install. Well, any info appreciated. Thanks D.D.

[The Wise Monkey]

First of all, some paragraphs would be helpful. :)

When you first booted from the CD, did you run a full format on your HD?

[DinkyDoink]

No format. ASUS tells me that the M2N32-SLI Deluxe BIOS settings are defaulted to accept the drivers from Win XP. There should be no need for changes in BIOS, except to configure drives, of which I have my DVD as drive one and my HD as drive two and it is a SATA HD. I haven't seen or heard anything about formatting the HD. How can I format it, when XP won't install. Like I said I get through installing files from XP onto PC then the agreement acceptance, then HD configuration then I get a Blue Screen and the Stop error warning. XP won't install because, I need to either do a few things, like disable caching and shadowing which I cannot find in the BIOS. Or I need to install drivers listed in error message, but I know not what they are because I don't have a manual and not only that, but I did download an HD driver CD from Western Digital, but it won't install either, it is a DOS based disk, but I haven't tried the M2N32 DOS installation. There is a certain way to do it, and I haven't figured it out yet. I need to read the manual on that one. I have been told in other forums that it may be the memory, I don't think it is the memory, and I can't test the memory when I can't even install windows XP.

[The Wise Monkey]

I doubt it is the memory as well, but you can check it using memtest:

http://www.memtest86.com/

OK, so the furthest you have got is pressing F8 to accept the License Agreement on the text part of the installation?

[chunkylover53]

Two things:

Wise Monkey, are you sure it isn't the memory? Sounds to me like the Blue Screen of Death, and that feels like a memory issue. Course I have been out of pocket for a few weeks, so I might be getting rusty...

Dinky, you can test the memory without installing the OS, assuming you have access to another computer that can create burn CD's. Just use the directions on the memtest link above that WM posted to create a bootable CD. However, that's step 3 for me.

First step for me would be to reset BIOS to setup defaults, with the only exception of changing boot order to CD, then try to install XP. Step 2 would be to try installing XP with only one stick of RAM. If it won't work, try the other one. If not, try memtest.

[The Wise Monkey]

It is definitely worth trying what chunky suggested, just in case there is a problem with the memory. I wouldn't have thought that it would BSOD at the same point each time if it was a memory problem, but it is worth a try. :)

[DinkyDoink]

I know the best way to test anything, is to test it. Of course! But I really don't think it is the memory, I have never had that problem in my life, and I have installed memory sticks quite a few times. I'll check that further, but anyhow, I am leaning right now to driver installation for the HD. Since I am building from the Super PC prtotype, and I have the ASUS M2N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard, does anyone here know how to access the DOS utilities. And can I install HD drivers through DOS. I tried what Western Digital said to do, and they said to install the downloaded files from there site, of which I did for the HD. Then Western said to install the CD at bootup and it would enter DOS mode, but it doesn't, it asks for the OS. And pressing the F6 key won't install anything either, because it asks for A drive and USB won't work either. A drive would be O.K. but, the files from Western are almost 5 megs and the Floppy is only 1.44 megs. Can you use more than one disk, but even on that I am not sure if it will even accept a disk or not. I think the only way is to go through DOS, if at all possible. So, what I want to try is to install HD drivers for the HD through DOS. But I am unsure of how to do it or the procedure. So, if anyone knows let me know, Appreciated! I am going to call ASUS and ask them, but a few calls to them has yielded little results. So, I am hoping for a little better support on this issue. Thanks!

[shyster]

Well firstly "paragraphs."

Secondly your logic is totally flawed. Memory is not bad because you put it in wrong, sometimes it is bad because it broke before the manufacturer sent it out. Your logic of never having bad memory before as being the reason to not bother trying is like saying "I have never been hit by a car before so why not jump onto the freeway," or "I have never died before so therefore nothing can ever kill me."

Thirdly it really does sound like a possible memory issue, true it is unlikely to die in the same place all the time, but lack of memory is usually cause for a blue screen.

By the way are you trying to install drivers for your hard drive, or where you trying to run the hard drive diagnostic tools? Or rather do hard drives even have drivers? I do not remember having to install such things.

As you hinted at Asus has absolutely no idea what they are talking about, so you might also want to check if the RAM you are using is even listed on their vendor list for that motherboard.

Lastly sometimes microsofts stuff breaks. It does not have any reason to do it, it just does, so my question to you is have you tried actually just reinstalling windows again to see if it loads correctly this time?

Finally look what a two second google search turned up for your exact error code:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315335

[The Wise Monkey]

Nice find shyster - sometimes Google really is your friend. :)