Hi guys
Been a while since I’ve been around so a big hello to my old drinking buddies!
Now unfortunately I’m stumped on a pc prob and was hoping you could help.
Summary: Windows wont install as it cant detect the new sata drive.
Detail: Windows setup appears to freeze at “Setup is starting Windows” text screen. However, after about 20 minutes it displays a message about pressing enter if you want to install windows or something else to repair it. When I select to install windows it returns with the message that no hard drives were detected.
system
mobo - GA-M57SLI-S4
cpu - amd 64 2.2ghz LE-1600 socket am2
ram - 2 gig kingston
hd - samsung hd753LJ
graphics card - 7600GT
Psu - Arctic 500W
DVD burner - LG
Heres what I’ve tried so far…
xp home sp2 install cd
xp pro sp2 install cd
xp home sp2 cd with slipstreamed motherboard sata drivers
All of above with f6 and a floppy with sata drivers
All of above with f5 and acpi uniprocessor
all of above with f7
Flash bios to latest version
changed cables
changed sockets cables connect to on mobo.
removed all but 1 stick of ram
From a bootable Cd with diagnostic utils on it - Ultimate boot cd
Ran memtest86 for 15 hours and 15 passes - pass
Ran cpu burn-in for 10 hours - pass
Tried to run the samsung hard drive diagnostic but it could not find the hard drive despite appearing to install its own sata drivers during the start up of the application
It may be worth noting that I had originally set the system up with a maxtor sata hard drive a few months ago. However the pc had never been burned in and on the few occasions it was turned on it BSoD forcing a format and reinstall. Then it died complaining of corrupt windows system folders and refused to start up again. So I assumed it was the hard drive at fault and replaced it with the Samsung drive.
Now for the weird bit. My own computer!
I installed the original maxtor drive into my rig to back up the data and My first sata soket on my mobo failed and then the second followed. Then windows (on the ide main drive) kept freezing within a few mins of booting. I started getting bios warnings that something was trying to change the bios (either virus or windows crashing)
I ran cpu burn-in and the system kept dying within a few minutes.
Then windows would not boot at all for several hours.
Now several hours later I’m in windows again - but despite installing the sata drivers again on my system there is no sign of the hard drives.
I’m not so bothered about my own system at the moment as it is up and running and I also have a laptop if needs be. Its the other system for my bro that I urgently need help on.
So a big thanks for any suggestions I can try out.