Problem with new gaming rig

G

gtxer

n00b
Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
4
Hello,

I'm new to this board and searched my ass off for a solution to my problem. I just built a new gaming rig.

specs: A8N32 sli mobo, 3800+ amd with zalman 9500, 160 GB maxtor 7200 rpm, one bank of 1 GB corsair c2 pro, Antec TP 2.0 550 watt, XFX 7800 GTX XXX 256 mb, and a X-Fi fatality FPS.

Everything is running at stock. When I change some settings in the bios it wont boot into windows. It just disaplays the bootscreen for like 2 minutes and then stops :confused:. On stock everything works fine. But I think running at default settings I dont get full benefit of my hardware. In the systray there is this Icon you get when you plug in an usb device "safely remove hardware" and it says remove your Maxtor harddisk :p. Is this normal or wrong?

3dmark 2005 gives me 8300 points though, but i think thats because the videocard is factory overclocked at 490/1300 mhz.

Can anyone give me some advice on this one? Something I'm doing wrong?
 
Well just to clarify, when you say "Default Settings" do you mean the hardware (like the CPU) is set to automatic discovery of the appropriate FSP and multiplier settings?

I would suggest, just as a general rule, to make sure your motherboard BIOS are up to date.

Also another clarification point, you say it won’t boot into Windows, so that would imply that your machine is completing POST properly, and is just failing to load Windows.

Try changing settings one by one. Start with all faculty specs for RAM, CPU, etc.. and then tune them one by one until you run into the boot problem again.
 
I have the shipped version of the bios (903 if im right), and what you said was right. I didn't changed anything at all, all hardware is running on factory/default/optimal settings.

It just shows the bios post screen, then goes to windows bootscreen. The blue bars keep rolling and the blue activity led on my antec p180 keeps burning forever. This goes on for like a minute or so, then the blue bars stop moving and nothing happens anymore. It still displays the bootscreen but it wont go further.

Sometimes I can change things in the bios and it boots normally, but when I reboot windows it just freezes again in the bootscreen, it doesnt matter how many times I press the reset button, i have to go back to the bios and apply default settings before it will boot normally again.
 
Have you tried booting into safe mode after making these changes?

If you don't know how to boot into safe mode here are instructions from SARC:
"To use the F8 key to start Windows XP in Safe mode
1. Restart the computer.
Some computers have a progress bar that refers to the word BIOS. Others may not let you know what is happening.
2. As soon as the BIOS loads, begin tapping the F8 key on your keyboard. Do so until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears.
If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. If this happens, restart the computer and try again.
3. Using the arrow keys on the keyboard, select Safe mode and then press Enter."
 
SATA hard drives are swappable. That's likely what you're looking at. Don't disconnect it (not that it may let you).

Here's the [H]ard Overclocking FAQ: http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=795444 . Love it. Live it. Put some in your pants. Or just read it, whatever floats your boat.
 
Thanks, these really cleared things up for me. I wasn't planning to go hardcore in overclocking though. I put 20 up the 200 FSB, for a total of 220. Now my system is running nicely at 2.6 Ghz

Temps are still 36-37 degrees idle :)
 
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