Problems installing Windows XP Pro

Hi,

I just finished building my new computer, main stats as follows:
Athlon XP 2200+
ASUS A7V333 w/ RAID
512MB Samsung DDR RAM
GeForce4 Ti4600
Sound Blaster Audigy Gamer
D-Link DFE530-TX+
Archtek Smartlink V.92 56K Modem
2 80GB 7200RPM HDD connected to mobo onboard RAID
Aopen 16X DVD-ROM
Lite-on 40/12/48 CD-RW

Whenever I try to install Windows XP, I get two driver warning boxes (beacuse the drivers haven't passed Windows logo testing). One of the boxes lists the name of my RAID controller drivers, and the other is simply blank where the name of the device would be displayed.

When I click yes to both of these boxes, while setup is "Installing devices...", I get a MEMORY_MANAGEMENT BSOD at 0x0000001A. After rebooting, when I click yes to both of the boxes again, I get a PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA BSOD.

When I click no to the blank box and yes to my RAID controller, I get a BSOD at 0x0000008E while setup is "Completing installation...". No text error message is displayed on this BSOD.

Finally, when I click no to both boxes, I get an IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL BSOD at 0x0000000A.

Suffice it to say, I have not had much luck installing Windows XP Pro on my machine. When I tried installing a copy of Windows 98 I had laying around, however, the installation completed in 5 minutes with not a single error.

FYI, being as I just built this system, it is not overclocked. The hard drives were made into one huge 160GB NTFS partition for the Windows XP installation.

Can anyone offer some assistance in getting my copy of Windows XP Pro successfully installed?

EDIT: I tried updating my BIOS to the latest revision (1011) to no avail.

Thanks,
Gargamel

Please help! I'm desperate!
Gargamel

First, you should try to see if the RAID setup/drivers is causing the problem...try finding the newest RAID controller drivers for WinXP.

I'd suggest just trying to install with 1 drive first, to see if you still get the error. If you do, then it loks like you might have a faulty stick of RAM, since that can cause these types of problems.

According to the ASUS website, I have the latest drivers for the onboard controller. Is there any program I can download to see if the RAM is faulty?

Now I got Windows XP installed after disabling ACPI during the install, but it frequently freezes and comes up with the same kinds of errors, so obviously the problem is not fixed.

Is there any program or whatnot I can download to determine which driver is the culprit, or any site that lists specific compatibility issues between different drivers? I have a hunch that's what it is.

Thanks,
Gargamel

What version of the Via 4in1's are you using? If anything other than the very latest, I would try the newest ones.

I have seen those same errors before many, many, many times, and I don't run a RAID set-up. Aren't those memory errors?

The MEMORY_MANAGEMENT / PAGE_FAULT errors have dropped off. Now I'm just left with IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL and blank errors, which would probably be due to cruddy device drivers.

Nobody has heard of a program/site of the type I've mentioned?

Thanks for all the help so far!
Gargamel

If you are getting an IRQ error, then you have some device/s in conflict (or possibly your raid drivers are not working right and the HDD's are in conflict w/ each other). BTW, did you install the raid drivers while you were installing XP ? (F6 during OS setup) Or you could have a IRQ conflict w/ another device, some mobo's only like to have a modem or a soundcard installed in the lower pci's.

Good luck and may the force be w/ you...