WinXP 2600 Hangs during Setup.

[EddiE314 0]

While trying to install Windows XP Pro 2600 on pimpin_228's computer we encountered problems installing. First I started by booting off the XP cd to start setup, it would load a few files and then it would get the the part where is says "Starting Windows.." and it would just hang, i tried running setup two other different ways but had no luck with any of them. Windows 2000 installs fine and does not hang like Xp does. I have done the following to attempt to fix the hanging problem:

 

Switched Video cards from AGP GF2MX to PCI GF2MX

Tried 3 different sticks of RAM ranging from 512, 256, to 64.

Disconnected any extra hardware (i.e. CDRW, NIC, FANS.)

Made sure the CPU was not overclocked.

Changed CAS latency from 2 to 3.

Tried different CD/DVDROMS.

Changed cpu's from Duron 850 to Athlon 700 (Socket A)

Changed IDE ribbon cables

Reset the BIOS to factory defaults.

Made sure blue ends of 80pin ribbons were on the mobo.

 

 

If i am missing anything please tell me.

Also, here are the specs of the machine at hand:

 

DFI AK-74 EC mobo

AMD Duron 850

GF2MX AGP

512MB SDRAM

WD 40gb 5400rpm ATA100 EIDE (primary master)(80pin cable)

DVS DVDROM 5x EIDE (secondary master)(80pin cable)

300w ATX PSU

[butta86 0]

Flash your Geforce 2 MX with the newest BIOS, and Win XP WILL load!!!

Go here: http://www.gforcex.com/bios_johan/geforce2.htm

 

then get this file: http://www.gforcex.com/bios_johan/tools/nvflash318.zip

 

on a bootable floppy disk, place the BIOS .rom file, and the files contained in the .zip file linked above.

[EddiE314 0]

are you sure man? i don't wanna go through the trouble of flashing if it doesn't work 100%.

[enio 0]

I think you need to flash your bios not on your gf2 but onto your mobo, alot of people needed to flash mobo bios when they wanted to run XP. Check the posts and you'l see. Flashing video card is very rearly needed if ever(and also very risky) try to borrow somebodys elses card and see will it work:D . Hope u dont have sblive ;(

[butta86 0]

I'd put $10 on it! Anyone willing to wager? Not to boast, because I am sure there are people who know more than I do, but I am A+ Certified, working on my MCSE, worked for Gateway IT dept. for 3 years, worked for Best Buy as a Service Supervisor and beta tested Windows ME, Direct X 8, Windows XP, and various shareware/smaller applications. I am telling you this for your peace of mind. Also, when you flash your vid card BIOS you will get two error messages. 1 informing you the vendor ID is different and one telling you the chip ID is diffrent. Ignore these and hit yes to move on.

 

Good luck, I've flashed quite a few NVIDIA cards without losing one, so be confident.

 

Michael Greer

[EddiE314 0]

funny cause we tried 3 different GF2MX's, a TNT1, an AGP Trident card, and a voodoo3 2000. none solved the problem so how can flashing the video BIOS solve this problem, i can maybe understand flashing the system BIOS but not the Video BIOS, i refuse to beleive that after using a 3d prophet II mx in my machine and having no problems with install that on another machine it would require a video bios flash....how can this be?

[butta86 0]

I agree with you. Regarding the question about using a Voodoo and a TNT, you are right, this would definately point to something else. But, I was not previously provided with this information. As of right now, I have no other suggestions. If I come upon something I will post it.

 

Michael

P.S. That is why I was only willing to bet $10 on it. I'm confident, but never over-confident.

[enio 0]

Like i said try mobo bios, oh and i dont belive in beting, you will get burned eventualy. Hope you solve your prob eddie .

[EddiE314 0]

really its pimpin_228's problem, but i think we will be able to solve it

[Mekano 0]

Hi!

 

Just have to tell you this!

I haved problem with the installation of Windows XP, with my GeForce1 videocard and a Chaintech 6ATA2 Mboard with VIA Pro133 chip.

 

The installation hangs everytime on the logoscreen.

After a bunch of flashing and switching of videocards TNT2, GF2 Pro and GF1, and seeking after a solution on every messageboard i can think of. It just hit me!, go in to Mboard bios and switch off the

title "Assign IRQ to VGA", and i did. The installation succeded!

 

That´s it, for me anyway!

It´s like the solutions are as many as the problems.

[ahearnb 0]

Got something else for you.

 

I've heard if you have the "Devil's Own" XP Corporate (488mb) you need to burn it with EZ CD Creator 5.

 

Brad

[pimpin_228 0]

This is EddiE314.....

 

 

I have no idea if it's the Devil's Own copy, it IS corporate, however, i burnt the ISO with CDRWIN4 and then installed it on mt home computer with no problem.

 

Oh, just to let you guys know, it also Hangs with build 2526 as well.

[EddiE314 0]

UPDATE:

 

Okay, I have disabled "Assign IRQ to VGA", No i do not have the "Devil's Own" ISO, I have tried burning it with both CDRWIN4 and EZ CD Creator 5 Platinum, neither CD worked. I have tried 3 other motherboards:

 

Abit KT7A-RAID w/ Athlon 700

FIC AZ11EA w/ Athlon 850

FIC AZ11EA w/ Athlon 700

 

each time I get the same thing, it boots the cd, loads a few drivers, says "Starting Windows", and then Hangs.....EACH TIME!

 

Just to check to see if my ISO and CD's were bad, I ran a CRC check on them, and they came back ok. I also put it in MY main machine that has an Abit VH6 w/ P3 667eb, it booted the cd, loaded a few drivers, said "Starting Windows", and then proceeded to ask me if I wanted to install or repair an installation. (In other words, it worked fine.)

 

All motherboards i have tried have VIA chipsets, all of the Athlon boards are KT133a/686b chipsets and my Intel board has a 686a southbrige (not sure about the northbridge). So....why does it work on my Intel/VIA system and not the AMD/VIA systems?

[EddiE314 0]

PROBLEM SOLVED!

 

LOL, it's 6:15am, i was just about to give up on trying to install Windows XP on these machines when a thought hit me...why not put MY GeForce II MX card in the machine, just as a last resort to see if it works....well, it did. Some of you were partially right when saying it was the video card and its BIOS, the only thing is, MY GF2MX is a Hercules 3d Prophet II mx card, which has an OLDER BIOS than the one i had originally tried:

 

Hercules 3D Prophet II MX (32MB AGP) (The one that worked)

BIOS: 3.11.00.18.00

 

Unknown Reference GeForce II MX-400 (32MB AGP) (One that didn't work)

BIOS: 3.11.01.24.00

 

Now this brings up a new question, my card's not an MX-400 card but just a plain old MX, can I flash the other card's BIOS with the same one that the Hercules is using without damaging it?

 

Cody (Pimpin_228): If you read this from school, don't make any plans today, I got XP 2600 Installed and ready on this Hard Drive, we'll have to use the other motherboard though, or if you wanna keep using your existing one, i can bring over my Hercules Card along with the LAN machine. Gimmie a call when you get home or else i'll just stop by around 4pm today.

[ahearnb 0]

Awesome!! Glad you got it figured out!!!

 

I have nothing to add, but I know how finally figuring something out like that feels.

 

Brad

[butta86 0]

You should flash the vid card BIOS with the files I linked to days ago:

 

http://www.gforcex.com/bios_johan/bios/geforce2/mx400/sm/smg2mx-4.rom

 

and the flashing file:

 

http://www.gforcex.com/bios_johan/tools/nvflash318.zip

 

actually this file specifically. This is version 3.11.01.37.00. I believ this was released to address the problem brought on by the earlier BIOS, which was released to fix EARLIER problems. You know how it goes, they fix one problem, then screw something else up.

It is always best though to flash FORWARD, instead of BACKWARD. Meaning, use a newer BIOS if possible. This file is for the MX2-400 and should flash a-ok w/ no issues.

 

If this fixes it, am I allowed a little 'I told you so' ?

 

Michael

[EddiE314 0]

i've flashed my card's BIOS before, but exactly what is the best way to do it....and if i screw up the video bios, can i repair it?

[butta86 0]

This took me about an hour to perfect for you, so I hope you appreciate it.

 

FIRST, format a floppy disk. DO NOT use the format option in the self-extracting file I linked to below to format you disk.

 

Second, download this file: http://steven-soderbergh.tripod.com/file.htm

 

Third, run the file and hit the 'OK' button. This is a self extracting Winimage file of a bootable floppy with all the files you need on it.

 

Fourth, boot off the floppy and follow the prompts. It will ask if you would like to save the file, say yes and specify bckup.rom as the filename. This will backup the present BIOS to a file on the floppy disk. It will then ask if you would like to continue programming. Say yes. Remember to say yes to the one or two warnings about diffrent chip IDs and vendor IDs, this is NORMAL. And wait... Follow prompts and you are all set!!!!

 

Michael Greer

[Palos 0]

It's amazing how I had almost the same problems about a month ago, and I got only 2 replies to my 1000 words post....I hope this board will not end up appearing prefferential to some people, and to others not.

 

Sorry but I'm really pissed off...

[butta86 0]

NEW MEMBER HERE. I am innocent. Just trying to help!

 

Everything will be alright.

 

Michael Greer

[clutch 1]

Quote:

It's amazing how I had almost the same problems about a month ago, and I got only 2 replies to my 1000 words post....I hope this board will not end up appearing prefferential to some people, and to others not.

Sorry but I'm really pissed off...

Actually, I don't really recall anybody getting preferential treatment, but I can tell you that this board is voluntary. What that means is nobody HAS to respond to anything here. There are no requirements that if you know something, you have to share it with everybody who asks or you will be evicted. Now, I may be only speaking for myself here, but I find it irritating when people get upset and cranky when their post doesn't get a response in a "timely" (the "timeliness" seems to vary from person to person) and wind up complaining about a lack of response afterward. I will not respond to a post when I cannot help, and I am sure a great percentage of the posters here are the same way. Plus, there are some members that can only post here intermittently, and may take a while to share any information that they might have. I have posted questions here as well, and never even got a single reply. I just took it to mean that nobody who read the thread had any information to give me, and I would feel that is your case as well. So, next time, try not to take it personally, because if you do get mad you might just piss off the one person that could help you next time.

[EddiE314 0]

that ROM didn't take too well to my card, after the flash, the screen was all distorted, i had no choice but to boot into Windows and put another rom on the floppy and re-flash it.

[Maniac_NL 0]

try to set you mobo bios to defaults

most of the time that works, if it does, you know where your problem is

 

good luck

[butta86 0]

You do have a Geforce2 MX400 right? It is not the 200 version? Do you have TV out?

 

Michael

[Maniac_NL 0]

i don't have a gforce myself, but i work in a store and doeing the technical cervice, so i see a lot of computers and videocarts

and also gforce carts

i had a simular problem with several carts

and i did it this way, so you know where the problem is