Replaced motherboard+CPU, troubleshooting

[savage1987]

I have been struggling with this PC of mine for some months now, I have decided it's time to get the thing working.

I swapped to a motherboard and CPU I was given for free, this still didn't work.

Tonight I took the PSU off a known working computer and plugged that in, everything is powering up OK for a change so it seems my practically brand new "Big Ant 500W" PSU is pure rubbish and has broken.

It was throwing disk errors at me after POST, I sorted these out by rearranging the drive jumpers to suit the new IDE cable layout.

Now every time I start up it goes to the "Windows Error Recovery" screen to option startup repair, but the keyboard fails to work at this screen so after the 25sec countdown it automatically begins the repair attempt. I am eventually given a "System Recovery Options" dialog box to select my keyboard type, at which point it begins to function.

None of the "System Recovery Options" seem to work at all, they all try but fail, here are a few of the results:

Startup Repair: tries for ages but fails.

System Restore: "To use System Restore, you must specify which Windows installation to restore. Restart this computer, select an operating system, and then select System Restore"

System Image Recovery: scans for image disks, fails to find anything useful, then "Windows cannot find a system image on this computer. Attach the backup hard disk blah blah blah"

Windows Memory Diagnostic: click 'restart now and check..' - "An error is preventing Windows from checking for memory problems during startup. blah blah blah"

Command Prompt: opens ok, but I don't know of any use for it here.



Any tips on what I have missed would be appreciated!!

Sam


P.S.: it's worth mentioning I don't have any driver media for the motherboard or the CPU, whose specs are as follows
MB: Foxconn P9657AA-8KS2H
CPU: Pentium D 3.00Ghz

[88GreenVN]

I'd give up real quick on tring to save a windows install when changing a MB.

Fresh install is the way to go.

[savage1987]

righto, same info coming from a couple of directions now so I will try this tonight.

[88GreenVN]

The OS is looking for the MB chip set. If not found it shits itself big time and puts on a gandi act.

I have replaced MB of the same make and not had an issue - aslo put a MB back and got the OS going again.

[cdtoaster]

I'd give up real quick on tring to save a windows install when changing a MB.

Fresh install is the way to go.

depends on the OS, with XP its annoying but vista and win7 it just reconfigures itself

[savage1987]

These two motherboards are both Foxconn, but I'll try a clean install anyway and see what happens.

[savage1987]

After quite a lot of struggling, I got part way through a clean install of Vista (refused to read the Win7 upgrade DVD properly, cited a driver issue as the cause) and it failed and gave me this fault:

Windows cannot install required files. Make sure all files required for installation are available, and restart the installation. Error code: 0x8007045D

Patience starting to wear thin.

[savage1987]

Might also add it fails during the "Expanding files" part of the install. 62% of the way through, DVD drive spins up and reads for aaaaaages, doing nothing useful, then gives me the error message.

HDD fail?

Can hook HDD up as slave drive in Dad's PC to test, any recommended test programs / methods?

Super tight budget, already need a PSU, got ZERO further money to spare on this computer.

[Rufus®]

Just curious, did u format the HDD before attempting to install Vista again? is it NTFS or FAT32? Maybe worthwhile plugging it into your dads PC and refomatting it.

Edit: maybe worthwhile trying a different DVD Drive too.

Edit again: had a search on google and it looks like a common problem, but no real solution.... good luck.

[cdtoaster]

try the old mobo and cpu with the new psu? :P
is it a legit vista disc? i'd also try run memtest86+ and if you put the hdd in another pc run hdtune for error scans. you can also download a distro of linux (recommend ubuntu) and use that for formatting + if it boots up and runs fine it means the hardware is probably ok. what version of windows are you trying to install? is it vista 32 or 64? sometimes computers just do gay shit, my brothers wont run any 64bit OS only 32bit and its a core2duo

[ari666]

lol, easy fix. the error message is cos the install didnt finish fully and is now corrupt.

what you need to do is
A. get a keyboard that works, might need the old school round type rather than USB or vice versa.

B. run through windows setup via the install disk, but rather than going fresh install again (which will just install dual-boot windows, which will peeve you RIGHT off cos' it will always default to the corrupt install if your not watching it and bring you back to that message) you need to install your base drivers again, which will just refresh all the ini drivers and leave any files like mp3, excell word etc.

in windows XP you go through the whole setup process, hit F8 to continue etc etc, then just before the format section there is a F3 option (i think its F3) which is something like "reinstall base drivers" or something like that. no idea what it is in Vista cos' i havnt needed to do it (yet) but i assume its a similar process.

having said all that a clean fresh format and install a new copy is a lot less stressful, but it depends on if you are trying to rescue some of your files.folders or not.

edit* pentium D is gonna struggle with vista, how much ram it got?

[savage1987]

Just curious, did u format the HDD before attempting to install Vista again? is it NTFS or FAT32? Maybe worthwhile plugging it into your dads PC and refomatting it.

Edit: maybe worthwhile trying a different DVD Drive too.

Edit again: had a search on google and it looks like a common problem, but no real solution.... good luck.

Didn't format first, no, unaware of how to do this, I was given only one option when booting from the Windows DVDs (either of them) and it didn't format before beginning, for whatever reason.

Don't have a different DVD drive to try, it worked ok before but I suppose the PSU may have eaten that when it failed too...

try the old mobo and cpu with the new psu? :P
is it a legit vista disc? i'd also try run memtest86+ and if you put the hdd in another pc run hdtune for error scans. you can also download a distro of linux (recommend ubuntu) and use that for formatting + if it boots up and runs fine it means the hardware is probably ok. what version of windows are you trying to install? is it vista 32 or 64? sometimes computers just do gay shit, my brothers wont run any 64bit OS only 32bit and its a core2duo

Really don't want to swap out mobo+cpu again! lol
Both my Windows DVDs are legit. (Vista Home Premium, and 7 Home Premium [upgrade] )
memtest how?
32bit Windows, don't like compatibility problems of 64.

lol, easy fix. the error message is cos the install didnt finish fully and is now corrupt.

what you need to do is
A. get a keyboard that works, might need the old school round type rather than USB or vice versa.

B. run through windows setup via the install disk, but rather than going fresh install again (which will just install dual-boot windows, which will peeve you RIGHT off cos' it will always default to the corrupt install if your not watching it and bring you back to that message) you need to install your base drivers again, which will just refresh all the ini drivers and leave any files like mp3, excell word etc.

in windows XP you go through the whole setup process, hit F8 to continue etc etc, then just before the format section there is a F3 option (i think its F3) which is something like "reinstall base drivers" or something like that. no idea what it is in Vista cos' i havnt needed to do it (yet) but i assume its a similar process.

having said all that a clean fresh format and install a new copy is a lot less stressful, but it depends on if you are trying to rescue some of your files.folders or not.

edit* pentium D is gonna struggle with vista, how much ram it got?

A: got my keyboard working, enabled it in BIOS.
B: this is what I wanted to do in the first place, HOW DO I DO IT

Is there a way to format C:\ without putting it in Dad's PC?

Old CPU was a Pentium D 2.8 ghz, ran OK with Win7 before the system started failing a few months back. 2gb ram, does the trick for now, will get more one day but not yet.

Worth mentioning I don't have driver CD for mobo.

[levymetal]

Is there a way to format C:\ without putting it in Dad's PC?

try this dude. it's a copypasta, (forgot how 7/vista works, only done it a few times as opposed to the few hundred on xp) so hopefully this is right

1. Boot from DVD to enter the setup
2. On the Hard disk page, select your C: drive, and click Advanced, and click Format.
3. Continue the installation screen to install the OS.

[ari666]

when you go on a fresh install XP and vista give you two options for formatting, ntfs quick or ntfs full? i know nothing of win7 so sorry if i am leading you in the wrong direction

[savage1987]

Regardless, I never get up to those options at all before it fails hard.





Here's a weird enigma:

Win7 should have drivers for everything, right?
I try a clean install with Win7 DVD (upgrade media but has functioned in the past for clean installs), it doesn't even get up to beginning the installation, not even the options or anything, when it hangs for ages then throws up this error:

Load Driver
A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert it now.
etc etc



wtf.?

[ari666]

IDE DVD rom? are there sata ports on the mobo? if so, have you allowed both IDE and sata to be in use? some mobo's need to have ide enabled or the sata drives will be the only ones that work, even if there are none installed. i think my Abit one was called "enhanced mode" which meant i could use the two, otherwise there was sata mode or raid.

[MagiTEK]

IDE DVD rom? are there sata ports on the mobo? if so, have you allowed both IDE and sata to be in use? some mobo's need to have ide enabled or the sata drives will be the only ones that work, even if there are none installed. i think my Abit one was called "enhanced mode" which meant i could use the two, otherwise there was sata mode or raid.

A quick google search seems to support this theory.

Also double check that your IDE drives are set up in the correct configuration (only 1 master and 1 slave. or both on cable select)

If it all looks good. Your mobo should be new enough to support usb booting. You can make a bootable windows 7 usb drive by using this windows tool. Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help .

If that all fails, sata dvd drives are like 30$.

[savage1987]

IDE DVD rom? are there sata ports on the mobo? if so, have you allowed both IDE and sata to be in use? some mobo's need to have ide enabled or the sata drives will be the only ones that work, even if there are none installed. i think my Abit one was called "enhanced mode" which meant i could use the two, otherwise there was sata mode or raid.

I will go have a swim in BIOS and try not to break anything.
edit: Nope, didn't find anything helpful that I was game to play with.

A quick google search seems to support this theory.

Also double check that your IDE drives are set up in the correct configuration (only 1 master and 1 slave. or both on cable select)

If it all looks good. Your mobo should be new enough to support usb booting. You can make a bootable windows 7 usb drive by using this windows tool. Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help .

If that all fails, sata dvd drives are like 30$.

Drives are set up OK, HDD master, DVD slave.

[Rufus®]

Are they both (HDD and DVD) on the same cable? if so, could this cause problems?

[50LTRv8]

It souldn't be causing issues as he is getting atleast partway through the install. Try and listen to the hdd, put your ear up to it, does it sound like it is clunky?

[ari666]

this has probably been covered already but, your thermal paste is on really flat and the clips for the CPU are on nice and tight?

[cdtoaster]

Really don't want to swap out mobo+cpu again! lol
Both my Windows DVDs are legit. (Vista Home Premium, and 7 Home Premium [upgrade] )
memtest how?
32bit Windows, don't like compatibility problems of 64.
[/B]

you dont need to have them in a case to run espec if you're just testing. i always just run a mobo sitting on a bench. you can power it up by (momentarily) sticking a jumper on the power pins on the mobo.

memtest you jsut donwload the iso, burn it to disc then boot off it and it starts running. let it compelte at least 1 full pass.
Memtest86+ - Advanced Memory Diagnostic Tool
free image burning software
The Official ImgBurn Website

there are no compatibility problems with 64bit, ive been running 64bit OS since vista first came out.
what isp are you with? i still recommend booting off a linux distro, most isps are quota free mirrors for linux distros (its all 100% free)

Regardless, I never get up to those options at all before it fails hard.





Here's a weird enigma:

Win7 should have drivers for everything, right?
I try a clean install with Win7 DVD (upgrade media but has functioned in the past for clean installs), it doesn't even get up to beginning the installation, not even the options or anything, when it hangs for ages then throws up this error:

Load Driver
A required CD/DVD drive device driver is missing. If you have a driver floppy disk, CD, DVD, or USB flash drive, please insert it now.
etc etc



wtf.?

i received the same message when my install disc was damaged hence why i asked for the source of your copy.

Are they both (HDD and DVD) on the same cable? if so, could this cause problems?

not if the jumpers are right, this was only a problem with old pcs where all the devices would only run as fast as the slowest one

[50LTRv8]

this has probably been covered already but, your thermal paste is on really flat and the clips for the CPU are on nice and tight?

See if there is a temp guage in the bios, this would see if the cpu is getting too hot