i need computer help (advanced)

[DataXUnknown]

First I will list my problem.

My computer, now, will only boot up if i reset the cmos on the motherboard. Otherwise it doesn't do anything, not even the beep. I tried resetting my memory and that didn't do anything.

The goal I was trying to reach was to reformat.

I have an AMD Athlon 64 Dual Core 5800+Ghz. I am running currently Windows 64-Bit. I DO NOT WANT 64 bit because there is so much confusion for me and installing games and programs, somtimes not being compatible with 64 bit. SO I just want to install Windows XP Professional.

As I put in the CD and change my bios boot sequence, I try to boot from the CD and I click a button to boot from CD and it just continues booting up windows 64 bit. I messed with the boot sequence a little bit more, and then the problem came where I couldn't boot up my PC any more unless I jump the mobo.

Now I'm curious wtf happened and how do I fix it, and put windows xp pro on?

[chibo]

Motherboard?

[xpertsnowcarver]

second, motherboard?? aren't some motherboard and cpu combo's specific to 64bit OS's?
pretty sure..

u sure u couldn't find ur answer on comp. forums??

[chibo]

Originally Posted by xpertsnowcarver

second, motherboard?? aren't some motherboard and cpu combo's specific to 64bit OS's?
pretty sure..

u sure u couldn't find ur answer on comp. forums??

He's not going to have a CPU in his hands that isn't backwards compatible with 32bit... and the CPU he mentioned obviously is backwards compatible.

First, replace the battery for the CMOS. If that doesn't work then I'd suspect that the bios somehow got corrupted. Second, I'd try jumpering it, getting in to windows, and reflashing the bios (assuming there is a tool for your motherboard that allows flashing inside Windows.)

If those don't work then I'd imagine the mobo is dead. Look for blown capacitors.

[98s14inaz]

Depending on whether or not his stuff is branded he might be stuck using whatever os came with his computer. I tried installing an unbranded version of xp mce into my hp laptop and it wouldn't let me. That would explain why you computer ignores the install disc in your drive and continues to run the old os.

[twistedsymphony]

I 2nd what chibo said.

it sounds like your BIOS is screwed up... unplug the power, pull the back up battery and let it sit for a minute, then put the battery back in and power it back up.

You might try removing EVERYTHING from the boot sequence except the disc drive, that way if the drive fails the computer wont boot at all, you'll get an error message. If it still boots into windows then the bios settings aren't being saved.

If your disc drive is an SATA based drive that might be your problem since the drivers might not be loading until windows has already started booting. if it is an SATA based drive then see if you can locate an IDE (PATA) based drive to hook up for the install.

take note that if your Hard drives are SATA based you WILL need a floppy drive and a floppy with the SATA (RAID controller) drivers on it.

@98s14inaz there's no reason you shouldn't be able to install an alternate version of windows on branded stuff... if I had to guess I'd say your laptop used an SATA based hard drive and you didn't have a floppy drive with the controller drivers available which prevented the windows installer from finding your hard drives.

[98s14inaz]

Originally Posted by twistedsymphony

...
@98s14inaz there's no reason you shouldn't be able to install an alternate version of windows on branded stuff... if I had to guess I'd say your laptop used an SATA based hard drive and you didn't have a floppy drive with the controller drivers available which prevented the windows installer from finding your hard drives.

I bet that's it. I did not know that. Thanks.

[hunter8411]

[QUOTE=twistedsymphony;2258243]I 2nd what chibo said.

it sounds like your BIOS is screwed up... unplug the power, pull the back up battery and let it sit for a minute, then put the battery back in and power it back up.

You might try removing EVERYTHING from the boot sequence except the disc drive, that way if the drive fails the computer wont boot at all, you'll get an error message. If it still boots into windows then the bios settings aren't being saved.

If your disc drive is an SATA based drive that might be your problem since the drivers might not be loading until windows has already started booting. if it is an SATA based drive then see if you can locate an IDE (PATA) based drive to hook up for the install.

take note that if your Hard drives are SATA based you WILL need a floppy drive and a floppy with the SATA (RAID controller) drivers on it.
QUOTE]

This is what I would suggest as well, although if you can still load into the BIOS right now then you may have just removed all your boot options and that is why you do not get any boot at this point. I personally wouldnt mess around in the BIOS too much if you don't have any expierence.

[ZX88]

if you have sata drive you need to put the mobo sata drivers for xp on a floppy and load them before you wipe the drive for a new install. if you dont do this it doesnt detect your drives and will revert to previous settings.aka vista 64

[DataXUnknown]

Yes I do have a sata based hardrive and I DO NOT have a floppy drive. I recievied this computer as a gift for my birthday last year (Dec. 07) so it's not very old at all. Everything was built from my brother. He asked me if I wanted Windows 64bit or XP I told him 64bit because I wanted to try it.

I don't even know if I can get into the BIOS without the computer stoping on me. I'm going to grab a floppy drive.

I'm going to try what chibo and twistedsymphony said.

[twistedsymphony]

I build a lot of computers for people and I typically give them a floppy with the proper drivers, but I can see why some people might not do that... Most "branded" computers don't even include one.

If you grab the make and model number of the mobo you can go to the manufacturer's website and download the drivers there.

[ZX88]

^^because vista automatically finds the drivers for you. why not just get 32 bit vista. its bassically the same as xp and you get the newer updates.

[twistedsymphony]

XP automatically finds drivers for you too. The problem is that RAID controllers need to be running during the install process. XP does include SOME generic RAID controller drivers, but they tend to not work on 90% of the computers out there.

AFAIK Vista isn't any different in this regard.

[DataXUnknown]

I took out one of the memory sticks and it actually works well now, could it have gone bad? It's a 1gb stick so I wanna keep it =\. I tried putting it in a different slot and it did the same thing, nothing shows up on the moniter unless i jump the mobo. When I took it out, I can start up my PC without having to jump my mobo and it starts up normally.

Could I just fdisk it and hope it works?

Although I don't have a floppy, so I'd have to create a boot cd. The whole windows 98 dos thing? The only problem is I don't know how to create a bootable CD.

[twistedsymphony]

does your motherboard have an even or an odd number of slots? are they different colors?

it might require matched sticks, meaning that you need to run pairs of identical memory sticks in color matched slots.

if a memory stick did go bad that definitly cause boot issues.

as for the floopy..
the floppy isn't for a boot cd.. you don't need a bood CD, it's for RAID controller drivers, which windows needs when you install it. I'm fairly certain it needs to be off of a floppy. Either way, you need to load the drivers while the windows install CD is in the drive, so unless you have 2 disc drives installed to try loading from that, you'd be better off just finding a floppy.

check out the salvation army or something, they usually have old computer crap...

worst case... you buy a new one for $10 from staples or comp usa...

[atom]

Google "slipstream windows xp" you should be able to figure out how to create a bootable CD from that as well as updating your XP CD with the latest service packs and drivers. I think if you slipstream SP3 you shouldn't need additional drivers for SATA, but I'm not 100% sure if that's true for all setups.

As far as the memory, the easiest way to tell if it's borked is to remove all memory except the stick you think is bad and try to boot up. Doesn't boot, memory mighta got fried. Boots up ok, maybe the BIOS is having some problem with dual channel/single channel setup on the memory with multiple sticks.

[flip3d]

You guys make it so complicated. He said it continues to load windows when it says press any key to boot from CD.

Are you using a USB keyboard? A lot of motherboards wont boot USB keyboards right away. Try booting with a PS/2 keyboard.

[twistedsymphony]

Originally Posted by flip3d

You guys make it so complicated. He said it continues to load windows when it says press any key to boot from CD.

Are you using a USB keyboard? A lot of motherboards wont boot USB keyboards right away. Try booting with a PS/2 keyboard.

If he's still having issues booting to the disc then that's definitly something to try.

though it would stand to reason that if he can push the button to get into the bios it will also recognize the button to boot from CD

[flip3d]

Originally Posted by twistedsymphony

If he's still having issues booting to the disc then that's definitly something to try.

though it would stand to reason that if he can push the button to get into the bios it will also recognize the button to boot from CD

I've had this problem plenty of times. I can enter the BIOS no problem but nothing after POST.

Seriously, try switching to a PS/2 keyboard.

[DataXUnknown]

Ok, I was using a USB keyboard and I just installed my drivers for it to be able to press any key to boot from CD.

So I reformatted with 1 ram stick.

Both sticks of ram are good, identical, and in color matched slots.

What happens when I boot with 1 stick of ram? The computer will crash every once in a while.

With 2 sticks of ram, I have to jump the mobo and I CANNOT edit the bios or else it will not start up again (gotta jump the mobo). Also if I log onto windows and try restarting it will not restart, gotta jump the mobo. Although if I go into the bios and then don't do anything and restart it, it restarts fine.

[twistedsymphony]

well, the problem is either your ram or you mobo... I'd bank on it being the ram personally.

if you've got 2 sets of slots I'd try moving both sticks to the alternative set of slots.

If that doesn't work in the bios there should be an option to test your ram..

it used to be that computers always verified the memory on boot, but with larger amount of ram it becomes really time consuming so they rarely do it anymore. There should be an option to turn on memory verification on boot.

once it's on you'll see your computer count from 0 to however large your memory is several times before it continues on. if it finds an error it will tell you.

installing drivers for your keyboard wont really help you use it during boot because the drivers are for windows and typically you need to use the keyboard before windows loads. Again the BIOS should have "USB legacy" support which when enabled should let you use a USB keyboard before windows loads... either way if you can locate a PS/2 keyboard you're better off using that.