OS Install Issue

[evantpdx]

So I did the first boot, got everything to work. Installed the hard drive and DVD-ROM and got it to ask me for a boot CD/DVD. Put that in, Windows 7, it loads the files, opens up a pretty blue screen, thinks for a bit, and then just stops. No error messages, nothing.

Any idea what I did wrong? It is obviously reading the DVD-ROM, but is it possible that my hard-drive is not being recognized?

Specs for my computer:
Case Antec Sonata III with 500W Earthwatts PSU.

Motherboard GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

CPU AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

Ram G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL8D-4GBHK - Retail

GPU SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card - Retail

Hard Drive Western Digital Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive

Optical Drive SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 22X DVD-R 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA DVD Burner LightScribe Support - OEM

Operating System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM

[The Wise Monkey]

When you say it "stops" do you mean that it turns itself off?

[evantpdx]

Just sits there at this blue screen. It's a windows screen, there is a branch with a flower at the end. I can see the mouse pointer and move it around, but I can't do anything else nor does it do anything.

[The Wise Monkey]

It is possible. Check in the BIOS to make sure that your hard drive is being recognised.

If it is, then you may want to try and format it before attempting to install Windows on it - try using gparted: http://gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php

This is an open-source tool that allows you to boot from a CD and format the drive without booting into Windows.

[evantpdx]

Okay, so I formatted the drive using gparted. I formatted it to NTFS. It still won't let me load Windows.

Computer is recognizing both my DVD drive and Hard Drive, so I'm really confused.

In messing around with my BIOS settings, I've found something that I think is intriguing. When I set my OnChip SATA Type to AHCI or RAID, it doesn't prompt me to boot from CD/DVD. When I have it set to IDE, however, it does prompt me. What gives with this? And does it have anything to do with my problem?

Any help on this? I'm close to calling around town for a local guy to come take a look at it. I'm frustrated.

[The Wise Monkey]

You should set the type to AHCI, as this enables all of the proper features of SATA. It is very strange that it doesn't recognise the DVD drive if it is set to AHCI though.

Another thing to try would be to upgrade your BIOS to the latest version. Just be careful while you are doing this, as you don't want to break your motherboard!

[evantpdx]

Not sure I want to try updating the bios yet -- I don't want to break my motherboard.

I think I'm going to bring somebody in to take a look at it -- I really want to get this thing up and running.

[evantpdx]

So I paid a guy to come take a look at it. I found him off of Craigslist. He was really nice and had a reasonable rate -- $30 / hour. Way cheaper than anyone else I could find.

Anyway, what we (read: he) figured out was that it Windows 7 was not liking some driver that my motherboard was using, so while Windows was "loading" we had to swap the Windows disc out for the MB disc. Finally got it all to work. Took us 75 minutes to get it figured out. I maybe could have figured it out, but it would have taken me a long time and a ton of frustration to do so. I'm glad I called some one.

All in all, a successful build and I'm happy that I built my own computer. Couldn't have done it without everyone here and my trusty computer repair guy.

Thanks to everyone!

[The Wise Monkey]

It is always easier to see the problem first hand, which is something that we cannot offer on this website!

Glad you got it sorted. :)