You can set the HD order in BIOS, making the SATA one first in line. Windows accesses the HDs primarily by drive's/partition's numbers designated by SATA or IDE channels, and not letters. By default,...

Well, your graphic card certanly needs replacing. If you bought the whole machine as one package, then you'll need to RMA it in order to replace the broken graphic card. Usually, when you buy whole...

If the warrany isn't void, use it.

That only prooves that the problem originates within VGA.

I was suspecting GPU core to go over 80, which would explain the artifacts appearing on the screen. Apparently, that is not the case.

Colors changing, artifacts and erratic lines appearing with...

.. which doesn't guarantee that one of them wouldn't launch sky-high when you put it to the real test.

Strange noise?
could you be more specific?

You can only hear fans, HDs and DVD drives from the case, so which was it?

You shoud stress the machine and then post the temperatures. The idea is...

Try running HWMonitor (http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php). Unlike ASUS Probe 2 (I also have ASUS mobo) it will monitor VGA temp too.

While it is running, start WoW and play for a 10 minutes....

You don't really expect some help with this much input?

Seems like you're having hardware problem there. Nothing to do with C++. My suspect is bad RAM. Second in line is CPU.

I say 99% it's mobo.

Try this trick. It worked for me once when my OS got corrupt registry:

Disable HD in BIOS and boot from CD.

Otherwise, it would freeze when the setup program would check for installed...

Is your warranty valid?

I wasn't paying attention.... sorry.

That will only worsen the problem... FIXBOOT from Windows XP Setup CD + Vista installed = corrupt disk (well, in this case corrupt x2)

There are tools that can retrieve your product key, but they are shady stuff.

The only one (http://www.webtree.ca/windowsxp/keyfinder.exe) that I've managed to find that DOESN'T seem to be malware...

Try hitting Esc button when mobo logo comes. It will show you text-mode screen that goes on "behind the scene". You might have some error messages there that you're not aware of.

I have no idea if it was "normal"..

If you have another machine handy, then you can use it to test the RAM from your machine. That way you'll know if the RAM got fried as well as mobo (yup, it's...

Try booting with no RAM at all. Maybe, if the mobo/BIOS designers designed it that way, you'll get some functionality back. BIOS, for one. If you do, you'll get a chance to see if your mobo behaves...

Try reseating the RAM, or booting with one stick.

Also, try clearing the CMOS.

Try resetting your modem/router.

I also used TweakUI and I never got any RocketDoc with it.

That registry entry is obviously a rootkit.
Rootkit=invisible entry used by malware and copy-protection software (securom, which DOESN'T...

Please, clarify what do you mead by "entry that doesn't have any name"
Entries in "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" are all Dwords and all must have "names".
For example:
Dword name...

Try changing ACPI/APIC settings in BIOS.

XP is infamous for not being able to boot in any way if that setting isn't the same as the time XP was installed. It doesn't matter if it is disabled or...

Not being able to enter BIOS doesn't have to be an oddity. I have to repeatedly press del to enter my BIOS. And it doesn't take me there every time. It's been like that ever since.

My suspects:

- CPU (no way to test it, except to switch it with known good one)
- RAM (try running one stick only or changing slots)
- corrupt OS (if it boots from CD, then it is a good sign in...

I'm not familiar with Macs or their OSes, but simply deleting the partitions and/or logical drives is enough to prepare it for new machine, giving that Mac's OS bootable CD/DVD is capable of creating...

Visit your motherboard manufacturer's site and see what updates are there for your model. I bet that there will be quite a few.

If you have some manufacturer's update software, you might be able...

When you say you attempted to update the drives, did you mean firmware? If not, you should.

Also see if your motherbard BIOS could be updated.

2 CD drives.. Maybe you have virtual drive, like daemon tools?

Is your physical CD drive working? If not, that might be the cause of your problems.

Advice on the side:
Check if your hard drive...

You'll need to be more specific.

Which drives?
And what is your current drives layout? List your drives and drive-letters.
For more detailed layout, rightclick "My computer" and select...

Ok, that's what it should be.

There should be entries in your event logs regarding volume errors. You should see if there is any info that could shed some light on what is causing this.

In case...

Yes it would.

Before you try with XP setup CD, try this:

Click Start, then "run" and type regedit

Look for "HKEY_Local_mackine\System\currentControlSet\Control\Session manager". Click on...

Once you manage to install it, I advise you to:

- Change BIOS settings to default ones
- Install service pack 3 (if it is XP sp0/1/2)
- Install Motherboard drivers
- Plug back in the second VGA...

Try toggling that settings. If possible, disable USB2.0 support and leave it on legacy only, but do change it back once you manage to install XP and motherboard drivers. Legacy USB (a.k.a. USB 1.1)...

And one more thing:

Use 1 VGA. Atleast for setup.

I'm not 100% certain, but I'm bretty sure that SLi technology doesn't support different VGA models. You say that you have one 1 GB and one 512...

Getting PS/2 keyboard or USB-PS/2 converter could bypass your problem. My guess is that it is a problem with obvious lack of drivers that XP comes with. (hence the need of f6 drivers and floppy...

Could you post the specs? (Motherboard model or laptop model)

Maybe your PC simply freezes?

Try skipping the ethernet driver. You can always install it post-setup.

This (http://www.wirelesskeylogger.com/wysiwyg_images/ps2.jpg) is PS/2 port. Both keyboard and mouse could be plugged in PS/2 ports and it is universal. USB ports can be a problem on new boards in...