Its dead!

[raynor]

Update:

I now tried a third HD, a Western Digital 500 GB SATA.
Same issues.

a) Errors when copying to it.
b) Vista won't install (Freeze at 0&#37
c) Guess what: XP won't install either, it freezes temporarily several times while copying data,
and can't do its first boot into the GUI (after finishing the first part of the install which runs in text mode). All i get is a blach screen and "error loading oprating system".

Please note again that this happens with all three HDs.

Note this Newsgroup thread:
h++p://groups.google.com/group/alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt/browse_thread/thread/7d02bcc49edf64a3/c5b6a387c0509814?lnk=raot

This guy also has lots of trouble installing XP.

Now thats what I call showstoppers.

I would have expected a little more quality from the Black Pearl 18th Anniversary Premium edition

[Thorsson]

Avoid any ASUS board with the "Premium" handle. Not the first to have big problems.

[DougMcDonald]

Probably not related, but on my work laptop I had an issue where Vista appeared to hang/freeze on 0% but it seemed just to be me being impatient.

It worked on my home pc, but froze for 15 mins or so. Left it whilst I had a shower, came back and it was almost done.

As I say, probably not related, but thought it worth a mention

[iranu]

Update:

I now tried a third HD, a Western Digital 500 GB SATA.
Same issues.

a) Errors when copying to it.
b) Vista won't install (Freeze at 0%)
c) Guess what: XP won't install either, it freezes temporarily several times while copying data,
and can't do its first boot into the GUI (after finishing the first part of the install which runs in text mode). All i get is a blach screen and "error loading oprating system".

Please note again that this happens with all three HDs.

This is a really long shot but I remember when trying to install xp on my DFI then it would have severe issues with trying to install just like you have. The reason was because I didn't have all the power supply connectors connected to the motherboard i.e main power, P4 - 4 pin power and floppy connector power. It was really picky.

[Clunk]

Raynor, try some different sata cables, there have been a lot of faulty ones with the P5K series boards recently.

[raynor]

I tried at least 5 different cables, some of the ones that came with the board and
some others that I already had and I know that they are 100% OK.

Remember, My "old" windows installation with my Seagate HD as boot disc works
fine. Using the same Port (Port 1) the Seagate is usually hooked up with one of the
other discs trying to install XP or Vista --> no go.
I also tried the other onboard ports, no difference.

Please read the Google Groups Newsgrop posting, from which I posted the link above.
That guy can't install XP on his P5K Premium either.
And Smellybumlove was unable to install Vista, using several different replacement P5K Premium's ....

It is not a Samsung-only compatibility problem as I suspected above, its something more general that
is wrong with the Premium.

Something is fishy about this board...

[Fornowagain]

In Vista 64 on the Premium, I noticed some of the apps like coretemp and cpu-z would hang or take ages to load. Its completely stable, prime for 12hrs, memtest et al. It was a left over install from a Asus Blitz, so I thought i'd try a fresh install of Vista 64bit. Nightmare, it gets a few percent into copying files and just sits there, doing nothing. Tried Vista 32bit, same thing. XP Pro 32 bit, no problem goes straight in. And so far everything is as it should be, I had read this board didn't like Vista, but put it down to user error. Ive no idea whats going on , maybe its because I'm using an IDE CD-ROM on the Jmicron controller. I dunno, but some things not right.

EDIT: Spoke too soon. Fresh install of XP latest drivers, all new gear except for the CD-ROM. Spitting out timeout errors, when coping files.

"The device \Device\Ide\iaStor0 did not respond within the timeout period."

http://www.intel.com/support/chipset.../CS-025783.htm


EDIT2: This Premium board doesnt like my IDE DVDRW either, put in a Sata drive and imstalled Vista 64. Didnt take long for it to start hanging again. Somethings wrong with the Sata ports.

EDIT3: Meh, just about had it with this board. Different hard drive, memory DVDRW, cables. Spitting out ATAPI errors now. Definitely a problem with the way it handles SATA/IDE. Two top of the range boars from Asus, both faulty not impressed.