New System Worked Fine, Now Wont Boot - Please Help!

[ClearFocus]

I've built a system after following a number of very helpful threads here, and managed to get everythigng up and running fine first time - but now i have a serious problem.

After installing the lastest Realtek audio drivers, fearing i might have some issues with some potential future game purchases after reading some other forums, upon the reboot to install the driver update, the system refused to see the SATA hard drive.

This was totally unexpected and I have no idea about how to remedy the situation - I used a bootdisk with various applications, none of which could see the drive - and panic set in. I cleared the CMOS thinkinging that this would revery the BIOS to its basic out-of-the-box state, where everything worked fine. Now the system refuses to boot/post at all. I realise it may take quite a few hours for any charge to dissapate completely from the CMOS - but have i done the right thing? What else should i be doing, and how can i remedy the board not seeing the SATA drive?

System comprises of:
q6600 CPU
MSI Neo2 FR MOtherboard
WD HDD
8800GTS GPU

I hope someone can help/shed some light on this, because its really getting me down!

[SiM]

What PSU are you using?

[ClearFocus]

Coolmaster Real Power M520 Modular PSU
Samsung IDE DVD Drive - which was still recognised in the BIOS before i hit the CMOS
4 gigs Corsair RAM
Vista

[SiM]

Can you test the cpu, ram, graphics on a different PC? If they work then its either the motherboard or the psu... I think its the motherboard though... but its best to rule out other problems before RMAing.

[Thorsson]

If you reset eveything then you probably want to take 2 sticks of RAM out and see whether that cures the boot issue.

To make sure that the CMOS is properly cleared I usually unplug the computer and remove the battery for 30 minutes.

Lot of problems with MSI systems today...

[ClearFocus]

Sadly, i don't believe I can - my aged P4 system wouldn't accept any of them, which is why i went for a new build rather than an upgrade.

Did I do the right thing by pressing the CMOS, or have I only made things worse? Is it the right use for it, or was i mistaken?

The RAM is in 2x2gig sticks, and had no problem booting with both in first and every subsequent time - but you'd suggest booting with only the one stick then?

Given that I'd receive a replacement mobo which might have the same flaw, how can I possibly avoid this occuring again in the future, other than by not using those drivers?

Thank you all for your help and insight so far, I only hope it can be solved without an RMA situation, and it was all going so well...

[Thorsson]

Bad Drivers will not stop you booting. Maybe a corruption could if it was really bad, but this isn't the case.

If the HDD is not being seem in the BIOS then there is a hardware problem.

Have you checked that all the cables (power & data) are properly connected? You could try swapping them in case there is a cable fault. Also try connecting the HDD to your old PC if it takes SATA.

[ClearFocus]

Thanks once again to all who posted - clearing the CMOS and removing the battery overnight has done the trick.

I knew that drivers shouldn't affect booting - which was why i was so perplexed. I hadn't changed anything else - cables etc, but it could have been the case that something had failed - thankfully not though.

A wierd issue then, and im so glad it's resolved!