First build - continuous restarts

Just finished my first build and getting some problems (components listed under My System). Without the case sides and top on, I powered up and had a look through the bios. Restarted a couple of times, only change was in SATA Config to change 'Configure SATA As' to AHCI. Not quite sure why I did this, but I did. I have SATA disk, SATA DVD writer and IDE DVD ROM installed. So, with case not together I didn't get any problems and bios reported CPU temp as 64F.

I put the case together then powered up and inserted the XP cd. It started booting and loading various drivers. Then it blue screened (I recall it mentioning something about running chkdsk). I restarted. At this point the machine just kept power-cycling. It would let me into BIOS but as soon as I came out I got 'Checking NVRAM' message then it would restart itself with no attemps to start loading XP. Repeat ad nauseum. I've changed the Configure SATA As back to IDE as well.

If I go into the bios, it reports seeing the 2GB memory and my CPU correctly. With case assembled bios shows a cpu temp of 71.5. Does that seem high?

I get one short beep at power up, presumably because I'm using a USB keyboard. Rest of POST msgs go past to quickly to see.

Thanks for any help,
Dave

Have you tried resetting the CMOS?

Very high temps for a stock chip!! Reseat the cooler..what is the cooler?

Cooler is Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro. How do I go about cleaning off the old paste on CPU and heatsink? Do I need to remove CPU from board to clean it? I was in Maplins today getting some round floppy/ide cables and, anticipating a reseat, I picked up some Akasa TIM Clean. Will it do the job?

Edit: Found plenty of threads on reseating - will take a look.

Cheers,
Dave

When I built my rig 2 weeks ago the latest BIOS on the Asus site was 0503. You may want to consider downloading that and installing via EZ Flash. My P5K-E had issues when installing Vista 64-bit in so much as I'd set the BIOS up to use AHCI as well as choosing to have Robson enabled for my SATA Spinpoints. The shipped BIOS just caused the Vista installation to hang but after I'd flashed to 0503 the install just sailed through. You may want to check for later Intel chipset drivers too, although those on the accompanying mobo CD appeared to be the latest I could find at that time.

Hope the re-seat brings the temp down, my G0 showed 31 deg.C in the BIOS. It is strapped to a Zalman 9500AT using the included tube of Zalman TIM.

Sounds like a CPU overheat.

Also, it may not really be worth the bother of installing the AHCI drivers for Windows XP... it doesn't really offer you a lot, other than NCQ (which I doubt you'll need, and will prob be a performance hit for you), and hotplugging the drives. I find the hassle of having to use a floppy disk to install the drivers more trouble that it's worth. Stupid things seem to get corrupted almost instantly.

Well those temps are VERY high - a reseat of the HSF would be prudent.

Are you pressing F6 to load SATA drivers when you first boot off the XP CD? .... if you have set to AHCI or RAID instead of IDE in the BIOS you need to do this and create your RAID array - or XP will not find a hard drive.

Is this possilby the issue?

Thanks for the suggestions - will give them a go tonight. Will probably go back to IDE. I'll reseat the HSF tonight. Board already has the 0503 bios.

Intel chipset drivers - how do I update those? Is it something I do once XP is installed?

Also been reading about lapping. Worth doing on the Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro?

Cheers,
Dave

I wouldn't bother doing anything at all BIOS or software related until you bring those temperatures down =/

Something is wrong, either the heatsink isn't sat on the CPU properly, the CPU is a dud or the plastic cover is still on the base of the heatsink.

Yes, sorting out my temps is first priority - but just thinking ahead.

> or the plastic cover is still on the base of the heatsink
People do that?!?!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by demonicd

Also been reading about lapping. Worth doing on the Artic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro?

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It should be more than sufficient as it is. I wouldnt think about lapping it until you've got a stable system.

Guys - we've got crossed wires on centigrade and fahrenheit. My OP said 64F which is an OK temp. But I didn't realise you guys always use centigrade so you probably didn't notice the 'F'. I didn't realise this until I had reseated anyway. And it still didn't solve my restart issues, that turned out to be a boot config issue. Now got XP installed OK.

Cheers,
Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by demonicd

Guys - we've got crossed wires on centigrade and fahrenheit. My OP said 64F which is an OK temp. But I didn't realise you guys always use centigrade so you probably didn't notice the 'F'. I didn't realise this until I had reseated anyway. And it still didn't solve my restart issues, that turned out to be a boot config issue. Now got XP installed OK.

Cheers,
Dave

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For all those viewing. It is essential that when quoting temps that you use a unit. Fahrenheit or Celsius (centigrade) is fine but you must put the F or C after the temp or it is meaningless. :inquisiti

Glad to see you got it sorted. There seems to be alot of people that have had issues with AHCI.