CPU & Motherboard Problem!!! Help!

[dadaemdo]

Hi, Well Ive got a big problem. I just bought a ASUS A7A266-E (DDR& SDR Ram Slots) & a Athlon XP 1800+ Processor. Everything is okay till I go to install Windows XP it gets to the part of installation where it says that it needs to copy files to the Hard Drive & then it starts copying files until it gets to about 4% & then says it can't a file ( A Differant File each time). It then says click enter to find file or esc to continue but not installing that file. I then press enter & sometimes it finds the file & sometimes not. Then staright after it comes up again about a differant file until it eventually crashes the whole system. I then try it again with the same thing happening (about 6 times now). Then I decided to install my old Windows 98 it installs okay (crashes Once in the process but then picks off where it left off) then when I go to install programs on CD like Money 2000 & Lotus Smartsuite etc they all crash when I am Trying to install them ( They mostly always go to the Blue Screen of Death but sometimes it just those annoying little pop up things). I have now reformated my Hard Drive & Im waiting for a fresh Idea of how to install Windows XP pops into my head & thats why I need your help.

The System Specs are as follows

Motherboard: A7A266-E
CPU: AMD Athlon XP 1800+
Ram: 384mb (SDR Only)
Video Card: Geforce2 400mx 64mb
Hard Drive: 40 GB Seagate 7200rpm
Sound Card: 128 Vibra Creative
Network Card: Surecom EP-320X-R (Only connected to one other computer in my house)
Modem:Banksia Wave sp 56k

I really hope you guys can help because otherwise I have just wasted all the money Ive saved up from working my first job because Ive saved every dollar till I could get this.

 

[chaps]

Sounds like you are experiencing read problems with your CDROM Drive. The read head on the drive may be dirty and need cleaning also check the IDE connections to the drive. The quick test, try another (or new) ROM drive to see if that is the problem. Other system components can be the cause but I have had several ROM drives that had read problems that acted as you described. One other thing, is the ROM drive on the same IDE controller channel as the hard drive? Try putting the CD-ROM drive on the Secondary IDE Channel.

Mike

 

[DMAN666]

Listen up!

I have dealt with these specific Motherboards and they keep having the same reoccuring problem, They overheat (even with a Volcano 7 heatsink and fan), thus causing the crashes and other errors. Asus has silently discontinued this board in favour of the new nForce chipset. I STRONGLY recommend you take back this motherboard and get the MSI-K7T-Turbo2 Motherboard instead and watch your problems dissapear. Each A7A266 mobo I dealt with (6) I had to return for the same problems. It's a bum board.

Good luck!

 

[dadaemdo]

Chaps: I have 2 CD-Roms Connected a CD-RW 8x4x32 & a DVD-ROM & they both dont work so i dont think its the Head. I have tried installing it with the Hard Drive Connected to the CD-ROM & on a seperate channel both dont work. Thanks anyway.

DMAN666: Well at the moment i have been checking the temperatures & they seem normal, I would buy another board but the dealer who I bought it off (at a Computer market)only had this board with SDR Ram supportable & he was offering a good deal so Im more than likely stuck with it.

Any more ideas?

 

[edfair]

Flaky ram will give the same symptoms. Ed Fair
unixstuff@juno.com
Any advice I give is my best judgement based on my interpretation of the facts you supply. Help increase my knowledge by providing some feedback, good or bad, on any advice I have given.

 

[dadaemdo]

Update!

I managed to get Windows 98 installed but there is still a problem with XP. As I said before how it only gets to 4% then crashes well now sometimes it gets all the way through & then it restarts only then once i get to the Screen where I have to choose out of: 1. Win XP Installation or 2.Microsoft Windows 98. I select 1. & then it says there is a file missing in its directory.

I need some help on this because XP is so much better than 98 & I dont think I could stand going back to 98.

 

[dadaemdo]

Yeah I though it might have something to do with the Ram so I might have to swap some of the ram of the pc im using at the moment with ram from the pc im upgrading. Well Im planning on Buying some 256mb of DDR soon because I have heard it is so much better than SDR.

 

[FatesWebb]

virus?? it is possible.... js error; 67 on line; 36 of signature.class

 

[jahook]

I had this problem with win98 and I found out the memory voltage was the wrong for the motherboard. I ran all sorts of microscope diags and never found a problem. Make sure you're using 3.3v and it helps if they're both the same speed. Also, since you have 384mg ram, try using only one chip (the 256mg) to see if you still get the problem.

 

[DMAN666]

The circumstances under which you bought the board seem a little sketchy. "A good deal" usually implies the dealer wanted to get this board off his hands. Like I said earlier the a7a266 has been discontinued and has known problems. Win XP has had known problems with certain chipsets as well, the chipset on your board may be adding insult to injury. The other mobo I mentioned earlier has SDRAM slots so you can use your existing RAM, the board costs about $100US and is well rated for SDRAM.

http://www.tomshardware.com/mainboard/02q2/020509/kt333-33.html

 

[dadaemdo]

Well thansk for all the help guys I found out that it was actually 1 SDR Ram Strip that was stopping my installations. I dont think it was compatible with my motherboard (because it works on my other computer) so I changed it with one from my other computer & everything is working fine so far.

Yeah also DMANN66 I live in Australia & and the range of Motherboards here arent huge. The place where I bought this motherboard it only had two motherboards which supported SDR Ram (it was a Soltek board)but I wanted a board which still could be upgraded ie. Ram wise. So as you can see I didnt have much choice. I would have rathered a DDR board but htat would mean i would have to buy tottally new ram. I might get a DDR board with Raid later but Im not sure if you can remove the AMD chip?

Well thanks to everyone.