Cant install OS on new system

[kopite]

Hi guys,

I`ve just put together a new computer for a HTPC specs as follows

abit a-s78h motherboard
AMD 4850 CHip
4 gig corsair ram
200Gig maxtor HD

I have tried to install both vista and XP on this. The OS installs fine but then restarts almost instantly once the System boots for the first time and wont boot up again after that.

Im not sure what could be at fault here. I have tried a different hard drive already which was an IDE drive which should have ruled out the hard drive and an issue with sata.

I get the following message whilst the bios is checked

Data change...Update new data to DMI on boot!

I have done a bit of a search and some ppl have had similar issues because of this but others have had no problems at all.

ANyone got an idea what is the likely culprit?

[dangel]

Tried it with just a single stick of RAM?

Run memtest to confirm RAM is ok?

Updated to latest bios?

[kopite]

Bios has been updated to the latest version(was acomplete nightmare as I didnt have a floppy drive in that pc)

I`ll try with one stick of ram and see how that goes.

[kopite]

Right I left memtest running overnight and it ran 3 full tests and passed all 3 so the ram looks fine.

No crashes either so it looks like the hardware is all fine.... Not sure what could be causing it

[peterb]

Long shot but check the BIOS set up to see if you have an option to use HPET (High Precision Event Timer). If you have, try disabling it and then try re-installation.

There is also a bit of information on the DMI pool data here

http://www.techsupportforum.com/hard...pool-data.html

[MSIC]

There is usually a 'use safe settings' option in the BIOS, which makes everything run a bit slow but could be useful to diagnose. Am unsure if it alters HPET (which i'd never heard of - goes to show how much we all have to learn!).

Hmm... you said that you've installed 2 OS'es fine.
So did you install XP first? And did that reboot and work, shut down, boot etc a few times all fine?

I'd usually suggest to people at this sort of stage to try running a Linux LiveCD to muck around to confirm you have a stable system, however the DMI error suggests hard drive to me.
It's also not one i've personally seen when a hard drive begins to fail, so i couldnt say if that's the issue either.
Hmm.... i'm unsure, sorry.

Edit: One suggestion - when i've had general weirdness from motherboards not booting properly once, it was due to the CMOS battery being dead, and on turning the power off all BIOS settings were lost. Just a thought.

[kopite]

I isntalled vista first. It installed then when did its configuration thing then just when it was ready to be used it restarted and wouldnt boot again after that.

Windows XP I installed INstalled all the way got to about the same place(ie first use boot) and it crashed.

I`ve tried 2 hard drives in the box as well so Im not sure its that
THe battery seems fine I have had the box completely powered off for a couple of days and when I plugged it in everything was fine.

[MSIC]

I'd seriously wipe that hard drive, to a full format (not quick), and put XP on it first.

[shaithis]

I isntalled vista first. It installed then when did its configuration thing then just when it was ready to be used it restarted and wouldnt boot again after that.

When it does not boot, what happens?

How far does the PC get? Whats on the screen at that time?

[kopite]

BOth get just past
Data change...Update new data to DMI on boot!

then hand

[MSIC]

It sounds more motherboard-y or interface-y to me.
I can feel it in my waters. Very scientific. Sorry
Still, do you have anything to lose trying a LiveCD other than 1 blank CD and some time?
BTW, is this particular hard drive SATA then?

[kopite]

THe hard drive I`m using atm is sata although I tried installing on an IDE as well.

I`ll give a live cd a go if the current installation fails.

[kopite]

Right the install with htep disabled didnt work

One thing that has just occured is that I`m using a sata bluray drive in it. Going to install from an ide dvd drive now and see if that makes any difference.

[kopite]

Well It looks like it might be the board.

Tried a live cd and it worked fine.

Went to reinstall windows again and got a lot of artifacts on the screeen and now it wont boot. Looks like the board is goosed.

[MSIC]

Is it worth trying a different SATA port on the motherboard?

[DaveVader]

Is it worth trying a different SATA port on the motherboard?

SATA was ruled out when an IDE hard drive was used.

I agree that it sounds motherboard-y. Where did you buy it from? Give them a ring or something, see if they can give you a hand, or RMA.