[NotRite²]

Ok. I have an Asus A7N8X-X mobo that has the most recent bios version(1009) that deals with anything other than Sempron related issues. I currently have Win 98 on the pc, not SE, just 98. ATI AIW 8500 DV video card, that according to the last time I chd the site, has the correct driver for XP on the cd that came with the card. 256 MB of RAM and a 40 gig Seagate HD. Onboard sound and lan.

The issue: I purchased Win XP Home OEM that has SP2 .....INCLUDED on the cd itself. I can install and all seems ok, but when its restarting for the last time, it goes to the boot menu, which means Safe Mode. I can find nothing wrong in the Device Manager. ASUS, at least so far, is unable to find a solution.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

 

[~Candy~]

Are you trying to upgrade over 98, or are you installing clean?

 

[NotRite²]

Well, I have actually tried both. Thanks for your quick(very quick) response. I honestly don't know much more than squat about XP, and don't completely remember every window and question that I was asked while I tried this. It was about 3 wks ago when I did try, and I am just now getting back to it, so I may just need to try from the beginning again. That is/was my plan but thought I would give the ppl here a chance since this place rocks, about as well as Newegg!!

Oh, just FYI.............Go Steelers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL. I have been a Steelers fan since I was in the 4th grade(their 1st superbowl vs. Vikings).

Not sure if Saturday(against the Jets) helped or hurt my heart. LOL

Thanks again.

 

[gotrootdude]

I believe you removed the installation disk to quick.. Try installing again, and don't remove the disk until setup says, "if you have any disk in your cd drive, remove it now".

If you remove the disk at the first reboot, then it's not finished setting up..

 

[~Candy~]

Well, what you might try, is a fresh install again. Disconnect all external devices that aren't necessary, if you have any hardware that can be pulled out, do that as well. Give XP the least amount of problems to look for until you have a nice install.

Also, in your post you said safe mode, so, you can NEVER get into normal mode? What happens if you choose normal mode from the screen options?

I used to live near Pittsburgh, so they'll always be my favorite team

 

[NotRite²]

Ok, I had done as you suggested in your first couple of sentences. Nothing, not even a modem was connected to the pc, for the exact reasoning you listed.

Once I am offered the boot men, if I choose normal, I think it just looped back to the same menu window. I want to say that it said last known something or another instead of normal, but that may not be entirely correct.

Well, I live in Western Ky, but I too will always be a Steeler fan. I am like that. I choose a team, and thats it, thats my team, ie. Cubs, KY Wildcats, Boston Celtics. LOL

Thanks again.

 

[NotRite²]

Thank you 'root', I'm sorry I did not see your post earlier and therefore did not respond. My bad.

I understand what your saying and thinking there, but I don't think thats the case since I have let it reboot with the cd in it to the point of getting the "boot to HD or CD" options.

I have tried a "repair", though honestly I don't remember what all screens I went through, but know that when it was over I went back to the same boot menu. One ASUS tech said that there were some issues with SP2 and some of their boards, but could/would not say for sure that this was so with this particular board. He suggested getting a "newer" nforce2 driver that is on their site, not Nvidia's. I have the zip on the hard drive now. Nvidia and ASUS have different version #s, so once I confirm the file I did download is indeed a "newer" one, I will burn it to a cd and try that, IF no one else comes up with the real solution, IF that tech's suggestion is NOT correct.

Thanks again.

 

[~Candy~]

I'm wondering if just XP Home would install then? Any way of testing that theory?

 

[Triple6]

Ok, just so I get this straight...you boot from the Windows XP, delete the existing partition or reformat and procede to install Windows XP. It copies the files and reboot as it should then goes through the 'configuring' stage and reboots. Upon this reboot it comes up to the startup menu?

And further you can can into Safe Mode?

If you get the boot menu then Windows must have restarted unexpectedly on the previous stage. I would be tempted to test the memory even though Windows 98 worked.

Mem testor: http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Or in the BIOS disable some features. A few that come to mind are AGP Fastwrite, APIC, Network card. You should also try relaxing the memory timings - there should be a choice for defualt/auto, optimal, SPD, or Aggressive timings.

If that doesn't seem to work try another video card.

 

[~Candy~]

Also, if you have a virus scanner running from the bios setup, disable that.

 

[NotRite²]

Thanks again for your replies.

First, Triple6, yes you have straight. Right down to the point of fact that I CAN boot to Safe Mode. I don't know a lot at all about XP, but I could not find anything indicating anything wrong, as in cking DM and the help part. I have 98 up and running on it right this minute, as in this pc I am on now. As far as the rebooting unexpectedly, as far as I can recall, it rebooted each time it said it was going to, nothing out of sorts to make note of. It offers the boot menu the very first time, AFTER it installs, and every other time after that. I remembered the first time I tried to install, it was on a fdisked and formatted HD. After the 2nd time I attempted the install, complete with being offered the boot menu in the end, I remember cking the HD, I thought using FDISK,( I may have booted with a floppy?) and seeing the 2 partitions I had created during setup. One is like 8.5 or so GB, and the other is a lil over 34, and they were NTFS.

The comment about the video card caught my attention for a couple of reasons. One is that this video card was involved in a lightening struck and killed everything but the memory sticks(sdram) and, supposedly, the video card incident. I have replaced all as previously mentioned, EXCEPT the video card, which as of this moment has an issue with it. The screen, instead of scrolling up or down in the "normal" manner, seems more to "wash" down. When I click in this quick reply box, it moves "normally". When I click to scroll this page, it moves in the same kind of manner as it will when using a wheel mouse and you click the wheel with the pointer in the window area, you can move the mouse up or down and make the screen ease up or down at the preferred rate of speed. Not a good description, but its just not smoothe.

The 2nd part of the video thing is that at one point in trying to figure out the problem, I used Everest, or SANDRA one and I remember seeing a remark about something not being set correctly, in the BIOS. I will look into this further for sure. I remember cking and NOT seeing anything that I could change that would help, but I will look again.

I will not be on for awhile as we start getting the 2 little ones ready for their bedtime, so I won't be able to reply to any questions too quickly.

Thanks.

 

[~Candy~]

Now, why didn't you mention the lightning word before

 

[SacsTC]

I think "root" hit the nail on the head.

Notrite you say

I understand what your saying and thinking there, but I don't think thats the case since I have let it reboot with the cd in it to the point of getting the "boot to HD or CD" options.

When installing XP, you will come to the "hit any key to boot from cd" 3 times I think. You only boot from the cd once. The other times, just let it pass by this prompt.

 

[~Candy~]

I could be wrong, but if you can get into safe mode, doesn't that mean Windows was installed correctly and completely?

 

[NotRite²]

SacsTC, thanks for your help as well. And to answer your reply, I have let it pass by it.....several times. But as AcaCandy says, and I thought to be correct, that if you can get into safe mode, that things were down correctly and completely. Thats why I stressed that somewhat in the initial post. This, at least to me, seems to point to some kind of a hardware issue, yet I am not sure enough so I am here asking fer help.

AcaCandy, well, I didn't mention the lightening word due to the fact that everything, except the video card, is gone and has been replaced. I just plain out didn't think of it till root mentioned video card. I get busy and have to put aside "projects" for a few days, and once I've slept......well you see my name LOL

An update on what I spoke of earlier concerning a "problem" reported by SANDRA or Everest one. Well it was Everest, under Motherboard+Chipset. It made note of the fact that the video card is not as fast as the board supports. Meaning the video card is 4x AGP and the board supports 8x, which is enabled in the BIOS. Should I perhaps disable this?

Thanks again.

 

[~Candy~]

Worth a try.


I'd definitely think about trying another video card though.