I've bought new parts to build a PC. Everything has been connected properly but I can't seem to get Windows to install. The machine won't boot from a floppy or CD. It just freezes and stops with a flashing cursor on a black screen. I can get into the BIOS. I've tried it with two different graphics cards (both PCI) but it won't work. The motherboard is a Abit NS7-S. I'm also using an Athlon 'Barton' 2500 and 512MB DDR RAM. I have no idea what to do now so any help would be appreciated. I'm currently using my old machine which has been stripped down. I basically only have internet access and that's it.

When you turn your computer on, do you see the screen at the beginning that detects your IDE drives and lists your BIOS and says "Press Del to change BIOS" ? If so, then you should be in good condition and what you need to do is partition/format your hard drive to install XP.

If however you see nothing when you turn your computer on, then you can have many problems. One of the many could be that you need to change your jumper settings. Another could be that you forgot to plug the secondary power cord into the motherboard if your board requires one. The RAM could be bad, the graphics card could be bad, etc. (The last two you can tell if there are loud beeps when you turn on your computer.) Hopefully (and probably) none of these are your problem.

If the first issue applies to you - the one where you can see the screen but you just can't install Windows, then you will need either a boot disk with the fdisk program on it (search google for it if you can't find one) and/or you need to boot from the Windows CD.

Having any success, Wolfe Tone?
Eager to hear the results. :)

Originally posted by Wolfe Tone
I've tried it with two different graphics cards (both PCI) but it won't work. The motherboard is a Abit NS7-S. I'm also using an Athlon 'Barton' 2500 and 512MB DDR RAM.

First, are you sure it is NS7-S, and not NF7-S (http://www.abit.com.tw/abitweb/webjsp/english/pt_main_back.jsp?pPRODUCT_TYPE=MotherBoard&pMODEL_NAME=NF7)?

Here's a checklist:
1. Is everything hooked up correctly?
2. Did you buy the right memory? ECC or not? speed?
3. Did you toggle the option in your bios that will enable you to switch to PCI graphics? Does your motherboard even allow that?
4. Are there any know issues regarding your hardware?

I see this quite a lot at work - pc won't boot from a cdrom drive - starts up and then gives the flashing white cursor just as described above - often it is down to a cabling issue between the cd rom and the motherboard (if the bios is set to allow boot from cd of course).

Check the cable connection between the cd drive and the motherboard (even try reversing the cable) - and also check the cd is set to the correct master or slave (jumpers on hte cd drive) as this will stop the machine booting if they are incorrect - {master if on it's own ide channel - slave if shared with hard disc}

good luck

Originally posted by nihilistic
[B]

First, are you sure it is NS7-S, and not NF7-S (http://www.abit.com.tw/abitweb/webjsp/english/pt_main_back.jsp?pPRODUCT_TYPE=MotherBoard&pMODEL_NAME=NF7)?

Yeah I was typing too fast and I forgot to re-read my post

There does seem to be an extra beep when I turn on the computer. The RAM checks out on a memory test, I even disabled the quick start up and let it go all the way through. I can get into the BIOS settings, but it won't even let me boot up my old hardrive. I tried two different graphics cards, one I'm using now on my heavily stripped down old machine. The jumpers for the CD drive and hardrive are correct.

3. Did you toggle the option in your bios that will enable you to switch to PCI graphics? Does your motherboard even allow that?
I'm not sure, could you explain this a little more. A friend of mine (who has the machine now) said it might be the lack of an AGP card.

Originally posted by Wolfe Tone
I'm not sure, could you explain this a little more. A friend of mine (who has the machine now) said it might be the lack of an AGP card. I really doubt your problem is the graphics card, but hey if you're getting an extra beep then maybe it is? I recommend going to the store and buying an AGP card to test your system with it. If your system works with it, then you know its your graphics card. If your system still doesn't work with it, then return the graphics card and get a refund. (Make sure your local store has a return policy)

It could be possible that you have the IDE cables incorrectly attached to your hard drive and CD Drive.

Originally posted by Jeratain
I really doubt your problem is the graphics card, but hey if you're getting an extra beep then maybe it is? I recommend going to the store and buying an AGP card to test your system with it. If your system works with it, then you know its your graphics card. If your system still doesn't work with it, then return the graphics card and get a refund. (Make sure your local store has a return policy)

It could be possible that you have the IDE cables incorrectly attached to your hard drive and CD Drive.
Well my friend has taken the machine up to his house to test his graphics card on it. I really don't think that it is the IDE cables as I've tried it a couple times with my new and old(which has windows installed) hardrive and two different CD drives, but when I get a chance to speak to my friend I'll disconnect all the IDE cables and reconnect. Thanks for all the help so far, if anyone has any more suggestions or if there is any more information I can provide please just say. This old machine is really doing my head in so I'd like the new one up ASAP

It seems to be the lack of an AGP graphics card that is causing the problem. Which is unfortunate as I don't really have the money to buy a new one. Plus I was going to wait for a few months and buy a high end one to run Deus Ex 2 at it's best. Does anyone have any idea how to get around the problem so I can use my old PCI graphics card temorarily?

Might be an idea to clear the old BIOS first (usually this is setting a jumper for a few seconds WITH NO POWER CONNECTED and then putting it back).

If you can at least get to the BIOS that means the board is powering up OK - so to me it looks more like a cabling/CD-ROM issue. You sure you got the master/slave settings right on the drives? Lot of people forget to change them when they move drives around.

Usually, a board won't start if it can't find ANY graphics drive. So resetting the BIOS and then putting in your PCI card should do it.

2 more points

1) PSU - you sure your PSU can handle the load? Just because it's labelled 400W doesn't mean it can give enough juice at 3.3 Volts and 5 Volts.

2) VERY BAD idea to try booting up with a hard disk on a new motherboard and processor. Much better to format and do a clean install - once you have your mobo behaving itself.

Hope this helps.

Originally posted by CruddyLeper
Might be an idea to clear the old BIOS first (usually this is setting a jumper for a few seconds WITH NO POWER CONNECTED and then putting it back).

If you can at least get to the BIOS that means the board is powering up OK - so to me it looks more like a cabling/CD-ROM issue. You sure you got the master/slave settings right on the drives? Lot of people forget to change them when they move drives around.

Usually, a board won't start if it can't find ANY graphics drive. So resetting the BIOS and then putting in your PCI card should do it.

2 more points

1) PSU - you sure your PSU can handle the load? Just because it's labelled 400W doesn't mean it can give enough juice at 3.3 Volts and 5 Volts.

2) VERY BAD idea to try booting up with a hard disk on a new motherboard and processor. Much better to format and do a clean install - once you have your mobo behaving itself.

Hope this helps.
Tried clearing the BIOS. No change. It all works with an AGP card but not with a PCI. I've tried both a brand new harddrive and an old one neither worked.

Originally posted by Wolfe Tone

Tried clearing the BIOS. No change. It all works with an AGP card but not with a PCI. I've tried both a brand new harddrive and an old one neither worked.

Did you try the PCI card on each PCI socket in turn? Some boards insist a PCI video card is in a certain slot.

If it didn't work with ANY of them and the PCI card works in another machine - could be a motherboard fault with reading PCI cards.

Check with the manufacturer - will it/should it work with a PCI video card? If yes and it doesn't, your board is surely faulty.

No offense intended by this, but if it were me, I would just call the motherboard service number and tell them my problem and ask them how to solve it. You paid for their product, it's their duty to help you get it working. Who knows, maybe you need to set some jumpers differently if you are using a PCI card.

Originally posted by Jeratain
No offense intended by this, but if it were me, I would just call the motherboard service number and tell them my problem and ask them how to solve it. You paid for their product, it's their duty to help you get it working. Who knows, maybe you need to set some jumpers differently if you are using a PCI card.
I've emailed them, I'm just waiting for them to get back to me.

Originally posted by Jeratain
No offense intended by this, but if it were me, I would just call the motherboard service number and tell them my problem and ask them how to solve it. You paid for their product, it's their duty to help you get it working. Who knows, maybe you need to set some jumpers differently if you are using a PCI card.

Regretably a lot more expensive to call from Ireland than from California.

Some manufacturers don't even offer phone helplines to people outside the US and Canada.

Ahh I'm sorry to hear that. I was unaware you were out in Ireland.

Originally posted by Jeratain
Ahh I'm sorry to hear that. I was unaware you were out in Ireland.
You say that like it is a bad thing :p

I think there is a number I can phone, but I don't have the manual at the moment. I'll check when Iget it back

Just something real quick, the NF7-S (I have one, good choice you'll love it lot's of OCing options) always beeps once when booting.

Anyway have you tried setting the BIOS to have a PCI card as the main dispaly card. I can't remember what its under (I'd check but I'll be away from my main computer till Monday). Just look around for it.

Yeah I done that. I think I've narrowed it down to a fault in the motherboard. I put my graphics card into my friends machine (who also has a NF7-S) and it worked perfectly. So I'll probably have to return it.

Oh, sorry 'bout that. Well some times you just get a dud I guess.

Yes, return it and exchange it for a better one.

For the next one you buy make sure that you properly ground the motherboard using plastic washers b/t the screws, because if grounded improperly, your motherboard wont work. But that doesn't always apply to every single motherboard model. Some people install them without grounding them and they work, whereas others wont.

Oh when you exchange it make sure you get version 2 of the motherboard.

I've got it working and I didn't have to exchange the board. My friend got some file of abit and it works great now or at least I hope.

Woohoo! Nice to see a happy poster. Sounds like a new BIOS did the job after all.

Well I may as well use this thread to ask another question. I got my friend to partition the hardrive for me so I could install windows on a small partition and have all my other stuff on the larger partition. Now the thing is when he done that Windows was installed to the C: drive and the other partion was called F: drive. Most applications use the C: drive as a default to install and sometimes I've nearly forgotten to change it. Windows won't let me change the Drive letter of the windows partition. My friend says that there is a program that allows you to change the default installation paths, but for the life of me I can't remember it's name. Anyone know what it could be?