Arghh! I'm assuming the motherboard is bad...

[KuriousJorj]

Building a new system for video editing. Am in the midst of projects, and problems is the last thing I need!

Here's the new system specs:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz Socket AM2
VIDEO CARD: XFX PVT98GYDLU GeForce 9800 GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0
BOARD: BIOSTAR MCP6P-M2 AM2 NVIDIA GeForce 6150 / nForce 430 Micro ATX AMD
w/ a WD hard drive and a Pioneer DVD burner and a 650W power supply.
(I have 2 SATAs for video storage, from my old editing system)

Everything is new, from newegg.

So I'm trying to install WinXP on this newly built computer (just tonight), and all I get is the "boot disk failure insert system disk" error.

1. The WD drive IS recognized in startup and BIOS and it is spinning.
2. The WD drive IS recognized in 2 other systems and accepts the beginnings of WinXP installation (I only confimed w/ the first install screen; I assume that's enough to prove it works).
3. I get the same error w/ another DVD drive swapped in this new system.
4. I swapped the IDE cable, and messed w/ the jumpers, but still got the same error.



I forget how to get a command prompt and run CHKDSK (though it seems NOT to be the drive.)

COULD THIS BE THE SYSTEM BOARD? The HD controller? Whatever this is, it really sucks! How can a brand new component be so screwed up?!?

 

[Baez]

This is not a problem with your board. Did you already use the CD to install XP or are you trying to install it now?

 

[manowar]

KuriousJorj, how is your WD hard drive and Pioneer burner setup? Do you have it so the WD drive is connected to IDE channel 0 and set to master? Then have your Pioneer burner either on IDE Channel 0 as slave, or IDE Channel 1 as Master...thats how you should have it, I think.

The ribbon cable you are using, make sure the WD hard disk is attached to the last 40-pin connector on the cable, and the Pioneer drive is attached to the 2nd connector (the one in the middle) if you're using the master/slave config.

When this problem has hit me, its usually because I haven't securely pressed the ribbon and power cables into the connectors properly, make sure all connectors are properly seated into the hard drive and CD drive, and firmly connected to the motherboard.

Secondly, have you checked your BIOS boot sequence? If you're trying to install XP, make sure the Pioneer CD drive is set to the highest priority in the boot sequence.

To get to the command prompt, you need the XP CD-ROM. You boot to it, then select the repair/recovery console option.

If for some reason you cannot boot to the CD-ROM, try this link How to obtain Windows XP Setup disks for a floppy boot installation you'll need six floppy disks handy and a working PC. You can boot from the floppies, which takes you to the XP text mode installation screen. From there, you can then finish the XP installation with the CD.

 

[KuriousJorj]

First, thanks for the response!

1. Everything (except 2 SATAs for video storage) is brand new; so I'm trying to do a clean install of XP on a new, empty WD hard drive.

2. I experimented somewhat w/ the cable/drive/DVD configuration. The WD is set to Master, the DVD to slave. It also shows up that way in the BIOS. I also removed ALL drives except the WD and put it at both connections of the cable...

No matter what I try, I keep getting "BOOT DISK FAILURE..." yet, as I said, the drive is recognized on 2 other systems and accepted the first stages of WinXP install (which I didn't follow through).

 

[Baez]

Have you gone into BIOS and checked to make sure your DVD drive is set to boot first?

 

[kmote]

That was my first thought also but logically, if he is getting to the XP installation procedure, he must be booting to the CD.
However, if he is not going through with the installation then taking the CD out and trying to boot then this is the error he will get.
KuriousJorj - what stopped you from installing?

 

[Baez]

I think he said it worked on two of his other systems not this one.

 

[KuriousJorj]

Yes, to test the hard drive, I put it in two other systems, put the XP disk into their respective DVD drives, and the XP install began as usual... telling me the drive is fine, even though on the new system, it keeps say "BOOT DISK FAILURE..."

As I said (i think) I tried different IDE cables, as well as different jumper settings. I keep getter the same error. And all the while, the drive is still recognized in BIOS.

 

[kmote]

oooh ok i misinterpreted what you said there. in that case its almost certainly the boot order.

 

[KuriousJorj]

The boot order I set to "CD-Rom, Hard Drive." I disabled the Floppy since I didn't get one.

I also experimented by removing all drives but the new WD drive and set it as the only boot device in BIOS just to experiment, but got same error.