[grush]

hi
1 st time I've asked for help on here. I'm trying to put a server together from a load of old bits I have lying about.spec is
asus M/B K8n8X-LD this appears to be a HP board and isn't listed on the ASUS site.
512 crucial DDR3200 memory
AMD Sempron 3100 754
Asus V9570/TD GFX
Winfast 450PSU
20gg Samsung HD
The problem is I can't get an OS on it. The HD is just to set up things I then intend inputting a couple of Sata drives on, purpose is to use it as a back up for my other PC's.
I have tried 4 different CD roms and a DVD.Lord knows how many EIDE cables.
The board posts fine and starts to load. Tried to date
XP with sp1 slipped sp2 and slipped sp3. Ubuntu 6 & 7 Win98se All are genuine copies that I own the key for. Obviously the slipped are what I have made from my own original XP pro disc and all work on other PC's.
I have loaded XP on the HD using another PC and using the DVD drive that I have installed on the server.This proves the HD is working and so is the ROM. Putting the HD back into the server with XP preinstalled it reads up to the not loaded correctly, options to boot into last good config.which is what I would expect.I have also loaded Ubuntu in both versions the same way, they will boot into a command mode but not allow me further .
Using another HD 6GG with win98 already loaded will boot into windows in a fashion. Checking on the control panel-system is a mess as it was set up on a different PC not showing CD drive wrong GFX etc but it does show that the board can boot into an OS.I have reset CMOS power disconnected and battery out for several hours. the bios has been checked and everything set to default all drives show as present and working. I haven't flashed the BIOs as i can't be sure the ons on the ASUS site are correct, K8N is the nearest.
Suggestions most welcome please.

[spot]

I can't think of many ways it's not down to that hard drive being corrupt. Your 6GB drive sounds like it's shown the controller on the motherboard is robust. You're past the point where "Hard Drive virus protect" in the BIOS would interfere.

I presume one of those CD/DVD installers is a live operating system, and that you can get that up and running with no HD attached? That would be one of my tests.

Running chkdsk in surface scan mode might show whether the HD's fully accessible.

[philthomas]

What actually happens when the OS install fails ? .... i.e how far into the install .... any error messages ?

Have you tried with a different stick of Ram ?

[philthomas]

Also when you reset the bios, did you use the jumper or just disconnect the power and battery ?

If the latter ... see this page for pics and jumper settings of the K8N8X-LA (scroll down).... which should be the same.

Otherwise, you seem to have covered most everything.

[philthomas]

Edit :

Just found a bios update here for the K8N8X-LA , but no sign or mention anywhere on the net of a K8N8X-LD
Are you certain this is the model no. ? , how did you establish this ?

[grush]

Hi
Got the serial off the board but looking at the site it would appear to be a K8N8X-LA dom I have downloaded the update and installed still the same so that rules that out.the fail is in different places my original XPpro disc stops straight after the option to restore screen the slipped sp2 & sp3 both go as far as the format screen. Both Ubuntu 6 & 7 run through the install screens then fail when at the point you are asked to enter a user name. The HD drive has been pre loaded with XP SP2 and Ubuntu 7 using the same same optical drive on another m/c with an older socket A CPU no problem.This was done in the hope it would boot in as sometimes happens I could the sort it from there.

[spot]

I've had exactly those symptoms of installs failing at different places which were eventually tied down to a dying optical drive. I finally put up a spare known working DVD player and all the installs then went flawlessly. On the other hand, your other symptoms don't fit this but they do all seem to centre around that 20GB hard drive. I'd be considering changing items of hardware one by one until I'd eliminated the problem.

[philthomas]

Have you tried with a different stick of Ram ?

[grush]

Yeah had 3 different pc3200 and 1 stick of pc2100 varying between 256mb and 1gg all known good either Crucial or Corsair. don't think its ram as the boot is good on all of them.