The problem is I can't load or repair Windows XP. I'm pretty sure I know the answer I'm just looking for someone to backstop me. This problem began with a new motherboard install not recognizing the memory in DDRII slot 1 at it has snowballed badly from there. Below is a copy of my most recent email to ASROCK tech support. It outlines well what's happend and where I'm at. In his last (2nd) response he, they asked if I had tried other RAM. I have 2 identical sticks of Super Talent DDRII 677. Both are fine in SLOT 2 neither are fine in SLOT 1. Now I long for the day when THAT was my only problem.
the email:
Yes, I tried other RAM . . .
and it turned out, to be a really BAD idea.
I had some highly rated G-SKILL DDR2 800 in my other machine, (how Im still able to DO THIS).
I read a user review of this MOTHERBOARD at NEWEGG stating that he was using this exact RAM
(the G.SKILL) in this exact same motherboard with no problems.
Now it may have been some fluke coincidence that was waiting to happen anyway, but
I put one DIMM (the G.SKILL) into DDRII slot one, same beep-beep-beep post failure. So I shut it down and put it back the way it was,
(both Super-Talent DDR2-677s in both DDR2 slots).
BUT NOW I cant boot at all. (post-up is fine) but Windows has now developed system file corruption of some sort and only boots part way before force-restarting itself.
The first time only, I got an error message about the missing or corrupted file and further advised me to try a repair , no problem, I was going to load a clean copy on a
new hard-drive anyway.
UNFORTUNATELY I CANNOT REPAIR OR load a clean copy of Windows XP-(32 bit) or Windows 2000.
Heres what I think is happening,
Setup loads the Windows Setup files from the CDROM into the 1GB of physical RAM, (which it seems to me its doing slightly slower than normal).
It gets all the way up to Starting Windows, select: Continue installing Windows or Repair and regardless which you pick, youre done.
I think at that point Setup is defaulting to looking for its files, its next instruction, in the DIMM in DIMM slot 1. (which of course the BIOS isnt recognizing)
Set-Up intelligently loaded its files into what ever ram it could find, (the 1GB in DIMM SLOT 2), BUT the first/(second) step in actually installing Windows is assuming
those instructions are in DIMM SLOT 1. &Just my guess
Yes the BIOS is set to NON-RAID , it was default but I checked it anyway.
Yes the BIOS is identifying all devices, SATA and IDE perfectly, precise correct identification of makes and models.
First things I tried in order:
Original set up, boot-drive was IDE-0 (Primary Master), with 2 SATAII drives serving as DATA drives.
I removed the SATA drives from the mix. (power and data cables) No change.
I removed all but the FIRST SATA drive, which had a Pre-setup, formatted, empty ACTIVE-PRIMARY partition as its first partition (intended for my next clean install). No
Change.
I removed ALL pre-existing hard-drives and placed in the first SATA slot, a BRAND NEW as it came from the factory, (presume unformatted), SAMSUNG 500GB SATAII
drive. No Change.
I reset the BIOS to default set-up *values* and then re-tried all of the above.
*except*, there is no floppy. I can add one if you think thats possible culprit.
The BIOS is set to disable both Floppy devices.
I tried a different XP-SETUP DISK, (and retried all the above arraignments) no change.
I tried a WINDOWS 2000 SETUP DISK. (and re-tried all the above arraignments), you guessed it, no change.
I re-tried all of the above using a different CD-ROM DRIVE! No change.
I found a drive-strapping pin and RESET the CMOS (via CMOSRST1 on the motherboard), (first one I ever saw that didnt come with its own strapping pin), and, while it did
reset the CMOS (I had to re-set the date and time) it DID NOT result in any change to the Windows Set Up dilemma.
Interesting side note, AFTER I reset the CMOS, I could no longer boot from the CDROM, except by using the F11 boot menu. Setting the main BIOS first boot device to
CD-ROM no longer worked. It posted up, ok, then black-screened, blinking cursor upper left corner.
I also tried to SAFE MODE in to the original install. It got about a 3rd of the way and appeared to stall. Having had some experience, since it wasnt giving up or returning
any error prompt, I tried letting it SIT there, about 45 minutes. It was stalled.
I ALSO TRIED a (known good) 1GB DDR-400 PC3200 in regular DDR DIMM slot 1 and guess what? BEEP-BEEP-BEEP, that slots not working either.
As I type this, I have it like this; best possible arraignment in my opinion,
Both DDR2 DIMMS back in BOTH SLOTS, (oh yeah, I tried vacating the non-functioning SLOT-1)
1 SATAII drive in the first SATA slot (the drive with the pre-formatted empty primary-active partition as its first partition) (for the record it is a WD-750GB) 2 connected IDE
ROMS on the IDE-2 controller. (device IDs: IDE-3 and IDE-4)
And its been trying to do this:
I boot from the CDROM, no problem, it, (I think a little slowly), loads the setup files somewhere, ( I assume into the FLASH memory),
It says: Windows is starting up then theres an almost 3 second black screen, and the first choice screen appears.
( Continue , Repair or exit , Ive tried everything but exit& hmmm&)
Anyway well over an hour ago I selected continue and the response is:
Examining 715403 MB Disk 0 at Id 0 on bus 0 on atapi . . .
and Ive been letting it sit there at that stage for WELL over an hour now. There is no HD activity light.
It flickers once when I first hit enter to continue from then on, nothing. It does not appear to be examining anything.
Sorry about being so long but, prior to the Trying a different RAM-stick-trick I had a nicely working system, except for the fact that I had paid for 2 GB of DDR2 DUAL-MODE ram and was running on only 1 GB in single-channel-mode .
If someone actually solves this to the stage of "DUAL-MODE" memory functioning, both slots recognized I will kick the points WAY UP. Right now I'm assuming the answer is "FRISBEE that POS into the nearest dumpster!"
