Alright, I fixed my initial problem, now I have another issue with this mobo installation. I have gotten it to boot to the bios, but I cannot get it to boot the OS. The system has two hard drives installed on the first IDE slot, and one CD-ROM installed on the secondary IDE. There are two extra IDE slots and two SATA slots for RAID functionality. They are all disconnected and I have no intention of using them. I was successful in booting using a WinXP install cd. I was able to do a repair install on the Master HD (120gig maxtor). In BIOS, info about the HD's is reported correctly and everything appears to be set up exactly how it should be. After printing out the POST and IDE/PCI scans, I get a blinking cursor. It doesnt go anywhere after that. Grrr.... -Cyclone Real Friends Stab You in the Front

By your count you have 5 IDE ports. This can't be correct. I suggest you install the boot HDrive as the Master on the primary IDE channel and the other HDrive as the Master on the Secondary IDE channel with the CD as the slave on the secondary. Set the jumpers on the boot drive to Master or Master alone if that is available. Don't use CS. To fix the blinking cursor boot to the BIOS screens and find a setting called "reset configuration data". Enable that setting for one boot cycle. Also enable the setting for PnP (plug & play) aware OS.

Did the master hd with the OS on it come from another system with XP installed?

Do not put 2 HDDs on the same channel unless absolutely necessary. Prim master = HDD w/OS Prim slave = none 2ndary master = CD drive 2ndary slave = 2nd HDD Use master or slave jumpers only...do NOT use cable select. Use 80-wire IDE cables for both channels. And Paul asked a very good question: "Did the master hd with the OS on it come from another system with XP installed?" Asus A7N8X-X 1800+ @ 8 x 210MHz 768MB PC3200 Asus A9550 128MB/128-bit Gamer Edition WinME/WinXP Pro

Interesting idea, although the wiring might be an issue. I'll have to move the second HD. Or could I use one of the other IDE channels (3 or 4). I have a few more ribbon cables around here somewhere. The thing is, I have never had an issue with having both HDs on the same channel like that. I have it that way on my current system and these two HDs used to be configured that way with the old mobo. (this is my roommates computer I am fiddling with) I will try disconnecting the second HD altogether and then try connecting it different ways. I will post back with results. -Cyclone Real Friends Stab You in the Front