seagate hdd error, need advice

[furocious]

I just bought a SATAII perpendicular HD 250 gigabyte version

Whats happens is i'll install windows with a copy of windows xp, and when the computer restarts i get an error that basically says //windows/root/ hal error, or something very similar to that. I've tried reinstalling windows about 6 times with different versions (home edition, pro) and it still refuses to load after the initial setup with the CD.

Is there anything i'm missing? I've checked the power cable, the sata plug, switched the port it plugs into, taken out the jumper for 3.0gbs, and put it back, used different cd drives, pretty much everything.

Another interesting thing is it works just fine as a slave drive, i can use it fine when i log into windows via a different hard drive. I'm on the brink of RMA'ing it, is there any reason i shouldn't? I plan on using this as my main HD

 

[oplin]

I'd check your motherboard and make sure the bios is the latest version, and then trying a different sataII spot on the mobo.

Is your other hard drive a sata drive? If not your mobo probably the problem. Or try ghosting an image onto the drive and seeing if it boots.

I had a problem with installing windows with a sata dvd drive, it'd always freeze and give errors, and it's a problem with the mobo.

 

[furocious]

I have another SATA harddrive already, i tried switching their ports, and the cords, neither worked, so i doubt its the MoBo