Cannot load windows

[RobynJ]

I have a secondhand Intel motherboard DQ965GF that I am trying to install it has a 3g CPU and 2 g RAM with a serial DVD drive and an 80g hard drive.

If I try to boot install Windows 7 I get “can not read from CD code 5”

When I try to boot install XP I get a copy of all the first lot of files then it says that there is no hard drive and wants to press F3…

I can boot other CD’s such as Hiren’s boot disk or UBCD, but can not get past that. I installed XP on the drive on another machine hoping it would boot and repair but I just get the loop of restarting half way through booting. [too different]

When I boot I get as a post:-

“Intel ® matrix storage manager option ROM V6.1.0.1002 1CH8R WRAID5
Copyright © 2003-2006 Intel Corp. All rights reserved.

For about 2 minutes, then :-

Serial ATA AHC1 BIOS version UPSD SRC 09-13-2006
Copyright © 2003 – 2006 Intel Corporation.
This version supports only hard drive and CDROM drives.

Please wait…….

Then a list of ports with Port 02….Hard disk ST380811AS

C drive controlled by the RAID BIOS

I can get into the BIOS and have tried playing and setting default etc but nothing seems to help.

I have run out of ideas and need some help please.

[finedesignnyc]

Maybe you've already checked this, but are all the hardware components compatible with Win7? If so, do you have all the required drivers for them? Maybe a driver need to be loaded during the installation of Windows in order for it to work? I would check with the manufacturer.

[RobynJ]

I can not get the machine to boot from the CD, how would drivers for Win 7 come into play?

I have read that the BIOS may not be compatible with the Win 7 DVD but I still cannot install XP let alone Win 7.

[finedesignnyc]

Have you tried updating the BIOS to the latest version? I've seen this issue in the past and, although there are a couple of different -laborious- ways to fix it, I recommend this simple, but effective solution:
1. Install XP
2. Upgrade from within XP

[RobynJ]

@finedesignnyc, Did you read this in my question?

"When I try to boot install XP I get a copy of all the first lot of files then it says that there is no hard drive and wants to press F3…"

[flagstar]

Maybe you just got a HDD error...

You can check it with MHDD 4.6, burn it and run it on boot

http://files.hddguru.com/index.php?action=view&filename=mhdd32ver4.6iso.zip&directory=Software&PHPSESSID=66a985589237127724a4061f72853557

Go here if the link wont work and select mhdd32ver64iso.zip something

http://files.hddguru.com/download/Software/

You may need to set your HDD to master/primary because MHDD can't read HDD on slave.
If you have at least one error (apart from 'ms' reading), then your HDD is at fault...

To start checking your HDD, select number which your HDD is detected. Then press Enter, you'll come out with mostly blank screen. Press F4 twice (not too fast) and it'll run scan. It'll take a while so you can leave it scan...

[RobynJ]

I have fully checked the Hard drive with the manufacturers program "Maxor" through Hiren's boot disk and there are no problems, no bad sectors and everything reports as OK.

Did you read this bit, "I installed XP on the drive on another machine hoping it would boot and repair but I just get the loop of restarting half way through booting. [too different]"

The disk was perfectly good to install XP on another machine.

But thank you for your attempt to assist.

[flagstar]

I've read that line and that's where I thought it was probably HDD problem.
More the reason if it was SATA. supposely no RAID is involved here... Check it again with the software I provide for details...

[RobynJ]

You feel that your program is better for checking a hard drive than the manufacturer?

As windows XP loaded on another machine and it reported no problems and the manufacturers checking program said the drive is good, I will not bother but thank you for your very kind offer to "Check it out again".

[flagstar]

I don't mind if you don't want to test it and I won't force you to do it. Choice is yours...

Have you checked your SATA cable? Maybe that's the one at fault. Try switching with another available SATA cable would work.

And I'm not sure if you've done it before but did you change BIOS setting for HDD compatible SATA/IDE or Enhance/Compatible or SATA/PATA?

[RobynJ]

Yes the SATA cable is faulty but was good when i installed windows on it on another PC.

And thank you for not forcing me to use the program you offered me, and I am glad you don't mind, that would really upset me to think that you were going to mind.

The drive, the cable the OS disk have all proven to be in working order as they worked in another PC and installed XP onto the drive.

The drive was in another PC and working well before I formatted it as I installed Windows XP on another PC.

Please, I have checked out all the easy options and everything is OK that way. If there was a Hard Drive problem that was stopping me on this PC it would have presented itself on the other PC as well.

The drive is OK it loads Hiren's boot CD and runs it.

The cable is Ok as it runs Hiren's boot CD.

The hard drive is OK as it accepted an install of XP on another PC. It loads and runs Hiren's boot CD and goes through the manufacturers checking program without a reported fault. It has passed all the windows disk checking options on the other PC.

Now that we have ruled them out, do you have any other ideas?

Should I get an electrician to check my power to the house?

But thank you for all your cares and directions.

[flagstar]

Hiren's Boot CD run on RAM, not on your HDD so you can't actually test your HDD cable with it.

So far HDD is fine but can't confirm the cable and port.
Plug your HDD SATA cable to another available SATA port on the motherboard. Maybe you just got faulty cable or sata port.

Give it a try...

[RobynJ]

Please go and help someone else, I tell you I have done this, true loading Hiren's boot disk is to the RAM but running it is through the HDD. It has the Maxor hard drive checking program on it. it has many other programs for checking the drive. The Hard Drive was accessed easily using the Hiren's boot disk. If there was a problem it would not have run the test at all let alone reported that it found no problems.

I Have six ports on the Motherboard and have tried all six. It is the same Sata cable I used to install Xp on another PC, so the cable is OK. Thank you again but your help is no help to me thank you.

[flagstar]

Sorry if I haven't helping you much up to this point... I'm trying to help solve your problem if anything's wrong with hardware but somehow I miss out some part that can solve it...

This is only applicable if you have floppy disk on your computer since this mostly will solve your undetect HDD problem because of old mobo...

But oh well, I might as well help others since you don't need my help anymore.

[RobynJ]

"This is only applicable if you have floppy disk on your computer since this mostly will solve your undetect HDD problem because of old mobo."

I have installed XP at least 100 times but I have never tried to install without a hard drive in the system but i doubt that XP would copy the first lot of files to somewhere before it realized there was no hard drive in the unit. As I said, I have never tried that but it may work. it is after setup has been running for 3 minutes that it decides there is no hard drive.

Just as a matter of interest I currently own and use over 30 computers and I am the only one who works on them and keeps them running, I do know what I am doing when it come to the easy things and if any of your suggestions were the fault, I would have found the problem myself and not have needed to ask here.

But again, thank you for your time and effort but I had assumed my post was clear enough for you not to make to directions you did.

[flagstar]

No I mean from my last post, failure in detecting hard disk sometimes do happen when trying to install XP. I don't exactly remember which is (HDD or motherboard) but certainly when this problem occur, RAID drivers would come in handy...

When the xp setup was starting and before it ask you whether it wants you to install additional driver (RAID) and press F6 if you do, that's the one I mentioned that could solve your problem...

I didn't address this method earlier because it's a hassle and you need a working floppy drive and a floppy disk ready for this in case xp setup didn't detect your hard drive. Sometimes as simple as tweaking BIOS would work already but in your post, it didn't solve it.

I'll tell you how to do it if you want but this will may take time so you'll need some patience in doing it or should I directed you to a link with complete guide to help you out? Again... your choice...

or... you just might wait for other volunteers to help you out if you don't want me to help. I don't care if my rep goes down, post, anything... I just want to help when I can help others with their problem...

[RobynJ]

I found a fix...

I formatted the drive in a Win 7 machine then booted win 7 emergency boot disk, went into DOS, got to "D" and typed "setup.exe" and no problems at all.

Thank you to all who tried to assists me.

I will mark as solved.

[aPPmaSTer]

Congrats.