[ASUS P5B E6750] - System hangs after POST, EZ Flash dead, boot disks don't work

[Sider]

Looks like I'm not done just yet.

I'm running into issues reinstalling Windows XP 2005 MCE. I have the version that's two Windows CDs plus a 2005 rollup CD. Problem is this: When it does the initial command line install, it copies files from disc 1, then reboots. Then it comes back up with "Press any key to continue....." If I press a key, it goes back to the same installation menu I was just at. If I don't press a key, it freezes with the words still on the screen. From what I'm reading, Windows should boot at that point to continue the setup, but it doesn't. This happens when I boot from CD... when I boot from HDD, I just get a blinking cursor that never goes away. An improvement over a black screen, but not by much

I used the recovery console to run FIXBOOT on the install drive and FIXMBR. I deleted, remade, and formatted the partition, and tried giving it both the full 20 GB and the 15GB split to leave room for Ubuntu. Not sure if this matters, but during the format the partition went from being a "System" drive to a plain NTFS drive. My understand is that doesn't matter, and the System drive is determined by where the system files are placed once the installation continues, but I want to make sure.

Do you think I need to track down a floppy drive so I can make a RAID driver disk from the ASUS utility CD? There's an option to add RAID drivers during Windows installation by hitting F6, but only from the A: drive, and since I'm installing to a SATA HDD that may play some part even though they're set to IDE mode.

 

[OnDborder]

Sorry if I missed but..
Did you run the WD diagnostic utility? http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=612&lang=en
Once in awhile I've had "problem child" hdds, I just write it to zero's and start over.

No you don't need to install "f6" un-less you are doing raid or ahci..

 

[Sider]

No, I haven't. I'll be sure to look at it shortly, thanks.

Still trying to get XP installed. Can't find a solution for this anywhere, and it seems to be a pretty widespread problem among OEM versions of Windows. Gonna keep looking.

 

[cyberkost]

Another semi-random suggestion ... but, hopefully, not too difficult to try ... from Ubuntu (or System Rescue CD [also Linux] ) type 'cfdisk /dev/sda' -- it will show the partition table. I would expect that at least one of the partitions is marked as bootable .. Is there one like that?

 

[Sider]

Sorry I didn't post back last night, I was too busy re-loading my drivers and programs into Windows

Cyberkost: That's pretty much what the problem ended up being. I loaded up Ubuntu and ran diskchecker and GParted, and found that my 130gb data partition was coming up as primary and bootable. More importantly, I found that the other drive was an extended partition subdivided into 15gb and 5gb. I had been trying to install Windows to the 15gb partition, and it wouldn't stick.

So I deleted the 15 and 5, then deleted the entire extended partition and changed my data partition back to non-bootable. Then I took the empty 20gb and made it into a bootable primary, tried the install again, and this time it stuck.

Got a bit nervous about having to reload a ton of data when I loaded up Windows and it read my 130gb drive as unformatted. But I downloaded Partition Table Doctor and had no trouble recovering everything. I think the boot record on that drive got corrupted when I was switching the partition roles.

Anyway, after that it was smooth sailing, and the system is up and running. I just ordered a new 22" monitor to replace my current 9-year-old one. And I think I owe someone a drink. Thanks a ton for all the help

 

[cyberkost]

Ha! Good to hear you've figured it out. Re: "And I think I owe someone a drink" -- there's a little "Thanks" button at the lower right of each post ...

 

[Sider]

You said it! Sorry for disappearing suddenly, I was out of town for a bit. System is still working great, and my new monitor was here when I got back. Thanks again