New build with some old parts... Won't boot

[stanza_nate]

Hi guys,

I've just built a new(ish) computer for my boss so his son can play some basic games... And it won't start.

I have used his old case, PSU, DVD drive and 500GB HDD. The new parts are a AMD FX-4100 CPU, ASRock 970DE3-U3S3 Motherboard, 2x Corsair CMV4GX3M2A1333C9 (4GB DDR3 1333MHz) RAM and a Gigabyte GTX550 Ti 1GB GPU.

My problem is I try to boot the Windows that was installed on the drive, and it just bluescreens (as expected). I insert the Windows XP Pro (32bit) disc to try and repair the installation and it gets to the part where Windows is booting off the DVD and it bluescreens.

I figured this could be a 32bit issue (even though I thought that the FX/970 combo was 32-bit compatible), so I plug in Ubuntu 64 bit and try to boot that... It froze on startup (from the USB), both in live mode and when I went to install, both at the same spot, every time. Same thing for the 32bit Ubuntu intaller/live mode.

I can't find my Vista DVD (I have a code but no disc), nor do I have Windows 7 to test it. I'm downloading Windows 8 Release Preview now to test it.

Any other ideas as to why it won't boot? I checked all the plugs, everything is in there right, it's just got me stumped!

 

[Cigarsmoker]

Of course it won't boot. You are taking an old HDD with who knows what drivers was loaded on there and hoping that it would boot to a modern CPU and MB. You can't repair it, you have to do a clean install of whatever 64 bit OS you can get a hold of. You can reload a fresh 32 bit OS but I would bother with 32 bit right now.

Depending on the "old" PSU and where it came from. If that old PSU came from a prebuilt system, this might also be problematic. The PSU out of those units are not known for quality.

 

[stanza_nate]

I knew it wouldn't boot with the old OS - that was a given. The problem is it won't boot with a fresh one either, 64 bit or 32! I did explain it wrong, I knew that I probably wouldn't be able to repair it, I meant I couldn't even get it to boot up to the point where it would let me install a fresh version with either XP or Ubuntu.

I'm currently installing Windows 8 but it seems to be hanging on the 'Getting system ready' screen at the moment... Has been for 5 min or so. The little lights are still spinning but I don't know if that means anything.

I am a bit skeptical of the old PSU, it was from a prebuilt system (from HannsG). It's supposedly around 500W which should be enough for this system in my mind... Before you say it, I know that doesn't mean it can actually put out that much power.

My main problem is my boss can be a bit tight, he doesn't spend any money he doesn't have to. I told him to get a new PSU and a Windows 7 licence but he wanted to do it on the cheap... So I did what I could with what little I had. The case is fine, it's actually ATX standard which surprised me and the rest of the parts are actually brand name stuff so I figured I'd give it a shot.

*WHOOP it's doing something!* I'm now in the setup screen and it's working away, I may have it running very soon.

*UPDATE* Windows 8 seems to be running fine, I guess it just didn't like the old software or the discs were stuffed...

 

[Cigarsmoker]

The symptoms you describe can sometime show up if a HDD is starting to go or the PSU is not up to snuff. Could be you are having a hardware issue somewhere.

 

[stanza_nate]

I managed to fix it late last night... He decided to front up the cash for a new 1TB HDD and Windows 7. Installed both without an issue and it flies for what it is, played MW3 on all highest settings, sat on vsync/60fps no sweat. I have no doubts this thing could close to max out BF3 on quite high settings (they are using a 1280x960 resolution screen and won't be upgrading the screen anytime soon). Seems like the power supply is up to the job, just the old software must not have liked the new hardware.

I have a feeling that the reason Ubuntu wouldn't boot was because I was using a 4GB flash drive, I've had problems with flash drives over 2GB and Ubuntu live before... I've heard of others with the same issue too.

Anyway, it's running beautifully now and is being delivered tonight so is all good, thanks!