Hi, I have just built myself a new system but for some reason Windows XP refuses to install on it, more on this in a minute, first the spec: Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-9 Processor - AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 3800 2.0Ghz Memory - Corsair XMS3200C2 Pro TwinX (2 x 512Mb) Graphics Card - Sapphire Radeon X800 XL 512Mb PCI-Express Hard Drive - Western Digital Caviar SE SATA II 250GB Case - Antec P180 Power Supply - Hiper Type-R Modular 580W Black O/S - Windows XP Pro (legal version btw :-) ) Back to my problem. OK, so i built the PC and it POST'ed first time, great, but it didn't recognise the x2 processor so i had to flash the BIOS to version F7 for it to work. so i tried to install XP (I followed the instructions in the motherboard manual about SATA / SATA II & RAID drivers for installation). It goes into the blue screen setup part, copies the files etc then it says "setup is starting windows" and then freezes. I thought it was a SATA HDD problem so i tried all Sil3114 RAID drivers & nForce4 Ultra RAID drivers but the same thing all the time. When the drive is plugged into the Sil3114 SATA II the drive it setup as "JBOD (Single)" and i use the RAID5 driver as it says to do so in the mobo manual. The nForce4 Ultra drivers don't help when its plugged into SATA and the same thing happens with no RAID setup at all. The drive is recognised by the BIOS and windows copies files to it because i see the LED on when it accesses it to copy files. So i figure it has nothing to do with the SATA drive or mobo configuration because that works. So i tried an IDE HDD and the same thing happens, it freezes, so definitely not a HDD problem. I then looked on this website for info on XP freezing at that point and there have been reports of Graphics card problems, So i tested the video memory and got this: Linear Video Memory Test Failed.. At Address 0E4400000 Expected data 0E4E8FD8A - Actual data 00000000" (that's not the exact codes but they are close and the 0's did come up, i can't remember exactly). Also it only shows 16mb of memory on the card when its a 512mb card. AHA, there's my problem i thought and i put in a PCI Video card (radeon 7000) just to test if it would get past the crash, tested the card first and its OK, reports 64MB memory so i think there is something wrong the 512mb card, so a separate issue, do you agree? But all this was to no avail, it still crashes. So its not HDD or RAID or driver related because I've tried SATA/II & IDE, and its not graphics because i have tried 2 cards, it's not RAM related because they are fine and i tried two other sticks separately (DDR333 to be safe in case it was the mobo not liking the DDR400) all 4 sticks tested fine in Memtest86, it can't be the power supply simply because its the same problem at the same time regardless of how long its on for and it can't be CPU because if it was the computer wouldn't work at all. I thought i would try to see if it would install with SP2 integrated, well that definitely did something, the comp restarts instead of freezing and the process starts over (i didn't boot from CD after restart, i took it out, it says system disk failure, the normal thing when there's nothing to boot too), did this with all the things changed as described above one at a time. So i thought i would install windows 98 SE, that installed, and so did Linux, that is why this post is in windows XP because this only happens with XP (i assume it would happen with win 2000 but i don't have that). I've tried everything i can think of, turning everything but essentials off in the BIOS, drivers for XP installation, different hardware components, different OS's, tested the hardware and all is OK (except for GFX which i changed). The only things i can think of is XP doesn't like this processor for some reason, but i don't have another socket 939 processor to test that with or it doesn't like something on the motherboard. I am well and truly STUMPED on this one?????????? I hope someone likes a challenge, got any suggestions? I would like to send the problem hardware back and get it replaced but i can't find a definitive hardware problem. Has anyone had the same underlying problem or had problems with this particular or similar motherboard. Anything that may resolve this would be hugely appreciated :-D Thanks P.S. The reason for pointing out that XP is legal or i took the CD out on restart or loaded that RAID drivers etc is because i have seen a lot of replies to posts with this kind of thing and i don't want to be told something that is obvious because when i see that i have a reply it gets my hopes up and when i read it i end up hinking "WOW, really, i wish i had thought of that," <- sarcasm :-P P.P.S. Sorry, i don't mean to sound like a know it all, it's just annoying, hope you understand, i don't wan't you thinking "what a t*ss*r" and then not replying. P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. I do apoligise, i'm babling on and on, i get like that sometimes BLAH BLAh BLah Blah blah, LOL, Bored yet? :-P

hmmmmm....check to make sure your heatsink brackets arent broke Please keep us updated so we know if we helped you or not.

First of all I salute you for the very comprehensive post including all the required SPECS and detailed description of the problem and the troubleshoot done for the same up until the present; usually majority of the messages for help contain no relevant details. After reading your message a couple of times, I have the following BIOS setup troubleshoot suggestions which may or may not work but worth trying: 1. Make sure the Year/Date was not accidentally Reset to an earlier year Month Day! This can Happen. 2. Disable BIOS level Virus check if it is Enabled in the BIOS setup. 3. Disable System BIOS Cache and Video BIOS cache if seen ENABLED. 4. Save the Above Setting Changes and Reboot See if this helps. M

Hi Thanks for the replies, i know how annoying it is to troubleshoot something with no details, seems pointless as you just don't get anywhere. I know that when it comes to computers even the smallest detail can be a huge clue to solving a problem ;-) Firstly the Heatsink is OK and secure, it's not a overheating problem as it would restart or crash if it got to hot but it only restarts when it gets to that paticular part of windows setup. The date was wrong so i put it right but that changed nothing either. There's no option to disable the BIOS level Virus check or System BIOS Cache and Video BIOS cache, they don't exist. Can you think of anything else? Thanks again :-)

Some Award BIOS don't have the Options I mentioned in my post about BIOS Virus check and Cache Enable/Disable options. If you have already performed what I'm going to suggest, please consider that as my own personal dictum that the "Best Second opinion" in case of a puzzling problem is the "review of all the steps one has already done to assure nothing has been overlooked or incorrectly done":-) I know you had to Flash the BIOS. If you have not performed the "Load Fail-Safe Defaults" after the procedure many unexpected things can happen. So, that is one suggestion I have at this time. I hope you can fix the problem and start playing with your Newly Built Hi-Power PC:-) M

Another unusual BIOS Setup cause for the problem you are facing, is making a change in the Advanced BIOS Features menu in the Interrupt Mode submenu. If Interrupt Mode is currently set as [PIC] try changing it into [APIC] > F10 > Reboot and see. M

Hi, I have de same problem Mi hardware is a GA-K8NXP-SLI and Athlon X2 4400+ I try to find a solution