I bought the parts for this over a month ago and have not been able to get my PC running. I really appreciate any help as I am going to cry if I am unable to get it fixed.

Overview of the problem

Desktop will post but I am unable to install Windows.


Full description of the problem and symptoms

The PC will post. I then boot from the DVD-ROM drive into the Windows installation. I am able to go thought the procedures until the installation copies the files. It then freezes at a random file and I need to reboot. I have been able to finish copying the files once, but when the windows installation program came up; it said that it was unable to find a file.


Did it work normally at one time, or has the problem always existed?

I had a cheap Celeron plugged in and I experienced similar problems. I was able to install windows, but it was unstable giving me a BSOD every couple of hours.

Is the problem consistent and repeatable, or entirely random, or semi-random?

It is a repeatable error. The installation usually freezes on a different file.


I already tried these steps:

When I run Memtest, it goes for a bit then stops testing. It still blinks but it is unresponsive. I have tried multiple sticks of ram in multiple slots. I have also set the voltage to the correct level.

I have tried two different DVD drives one IDE and one SATA.

I have used two different PSU?s.

I have also tried multiple video cards.

I have used multiple hard drives, only SATA though.

I also cleared the CMOS but have not done so before so I am not 100% sure that it was done correctly.



My software:
Windows XP Professional Edition with


My hardware

Asus P5N-E SLI
Intel E8400
EVGA 8800gt
OCZ Platinum Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 [LI]Antec Smart Power 500 Modular

This is a sign from God to switch to Linux.

Quote: Originally Posted by hink I bought the parts for this over a month ago and have not been able to get my PC running. I really appreciate any help as I am going to cry if I am unable to get it fixed. Overview of the problem Desktop will post but I am unable to install Windows. Full description of the problem and symptoms The PC will post. I then boot from the DVD-ROM drive into the Windows installation. I am able to go thought the procedures until the installation copies the files. It then freezes at a random file and I need to reboot. I have been able to finish copying the files once, but when the windows installation program came up; it said that it was unable to find a file. Did it work normally at one time, or has the problem always existed? I had a cheap Celeron plugged in and I experienced similar problems. I was able to install windows, but it was unstable giving me a BSOD every couple of hours. Is the problem consistent and repeatable, or entirely random, or semi-random? It is a repeatable error. The installation usually freezes on a different file. I already tried these steps: When I run Memtest, it goes for a bit then stops testing. It still blinks but it is unresponsive. I have tried multiple sticks of ram in multiple slots. I have also set the voltage to the correct level. I have tried two different DVD drives one IDE and one SATA. I have used two different PSU?s. I have also tried multiple video cards. I have used multiple hard drives, only SATA though. I also cleared the CMOS but have not done so before so I am not 100% sure that it was done correctly. My software: Windows XP Professional Edition with My hardware Asus P5N-E SLI Intel E8400 EVGA 8800gt OCZ Platinum Edition 4GB(2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1000 [LI]Antec Smart Power 500 Modular

So just to double check you haven't run it with only one stick of ram? Any chance you can use another set of ram? If you've tried everything else, it seems you might want to try that out. Try it with only one stick, and if it doesn't work the first time, try only the other one.

I would try memtest and post back with those results.

I think that since you're failing memtest with different sticks of RAM that the problem is your motherboard. You might try just one stick as Capt_Cope suggested or another Windows XP disk as it might be that you've got a bad disk. If neither of those work then I would blame the motherboard.


Sorry mate

Is your windows CD scratched?

Definitely sounds like a motherboard issue i used to have those types of problems all the time one thing i would definitely try is adjusting your jumper settings for the dvd drive and for your hard drive if you haven't already. Try setting both to cable select then try setting dvd to slave and hard drive to master and vice versa also try different ide/sata channels on your board sometimes it could be a glitch in your chipset and it is having a hard time running on a certain channel.

Quote: Originally Posted by j-dogg This is a sign from God to switch to Linux.

I tried installing Ubuntu, and it froze at install.

I have tried running the sticks one at a time in different slots and still no luck.

just for kicks , try using a CD ROM drive instead of a DVD ROM . I've run into this type of install glitch and more often than not , when i use an older slower CD Rom drive things go just fine.

As for running memtest, if its failing with a lot of different sticks of ram , it does sound like your motherboard is quite possibly bad.

was just thinking when you have that locking up problem reboot your computer real quick and check your temps in your bios check your chipset temps everything.

CPU Temp 38 C
M/B Temp 39 C

I used to run a p5n-e Try going into the bios and turning the esata off, it loves to have conflicts with windows installers. I have seen it crash both vista and xp installs. Once i reset this bios and went in and turned the esata off, the installs went fine. Oh and try doing the install with only one stick of your ram, I found out firsthand tonight that at least vista's installer doesn't like there being more than 2 gigs of mem present, and it was blue screening my installer.

I was able to get Windows to install by following the following steps posted on the Asustek forum:

In order for the machine to properly boot your OS, you need to enter the BIOS and go into the Advanced tab. Enter the Jumperfree Configuration menu and set AI Tuning value to [Manual]. Then enter the FSB & Memory Config menu, and set the FSB - Memory Clock Mode to [Unlinked].
Once this is done, save changes and reboot.
You might get a "updating ROMSIP table" message.

I appreciate all the help and I really hope I don't have to reopen the thread. Thanks again!