120 GB: ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe

[giel giel]

built a new computer with all new parts:

ASUS P4P800-E Deluxe Motherboard
P4 2.8
Western Digital 120GB HD model- WD1200JB

Trying to load Windows XP Pro (I assume this is w/out Serv Pack 1, since it is not on the cd) and it reads off the cd and loads drivers to hard drive. Goes through the partioning/reformat (NTSF) and then goes to reboot.

It then goes to blank screen with blinking cursor in upper left corner...from my limited previous experience I thought it should read off the hard drive and then begin the XP setup.

It doesn't seem to be reading off the hard drive to go to the next step. Also I took an old hard drive with Win98 and plugged it into the new computer and it would not start up...error that said something like:

"Insert boot disk and press enter"

The motherboard came with a cd which I looked at and created a bootable floppy which I assume has more drivers. During the initial installation of Windows, when I get the message "Setup is inspecting your hardware..." I press F6 and then load these drivers in from the floppy and still get the same blank screen with flashing cursor.

Help! bad motherboard?

[edwin]

Asus boards are known picky on memory, I hope you're using memory from their tested/approved list or which is warranted from the memory vendor to work with this board.

[giel giel]

Well I am running Kingston KVR400X64C3A/512

which is interesting because the 1G and 128Mg configurations show up as Ok for the Mobo, but the 512 is not listed...hmmm

[edwin]

verify with Kingston then.

[Ritchie]

What you describe I have seen occassionally during Windows installs as such that mirrors your situation. I also find that occassionally when I boot our new PIV that the display also shows a blinking cursor in the top left corner of the screen, after the BIOS POST runs through, rather than loading Windows. If your problem can be solved the same as mine, the solution is simple:

1) Turn off the switch on the power supply. If so switch, unplug.*
2) Wait about 30 seconds.
3) Turn on the switch on the power supply.
4) Wait about five seconds (to give system time to respond to 3 and initalize).
5) Power on system as per normal using your usual power button.
6) After this stage, for me, system boots as per normal.

* If the above proocedure fails, repeat, but replace step 1 with unplug power cord (no matter whether any switch or any attached UPS). If it still fails, the above procedure will probably not work for you, but try again giving step 2 a few minutes instead of 30 seconds just to be sure.

Hope this works for you. I think something weird just goes into my RAM after certain installs / and/or /configuration changes.

[giel giel]

So I got it to work. The problem was in the BIOS. Basically the comp was reading the hard drive as a RAID instead of IDE. It defaults to RAID and you have to into the Advanced tab and just switch setting.

Pretty easy fix:) Hope others can benefit from brief pain!