WinXP won't install or run - blue screen at boot

[terryoa]

Hi All - any advice welcome on a problem that's had me beat for weeks -
Every time I try to install XP it crashes to blue screen on first re-boot. Win 98 installs & runs OK. I have managed to sucessfully install XP (in a dual boot configuration) only by temporarily moving my hard drive onto a spare machine but when re-connecting on my main computer only Win98 will run - XP again blue screens with a suggestion that I check hard drive and drive controllers. The problem is that I have already tried changing hard drive, memory, graphics card, CPU and MoBo (one at a time of course) but still the same problem persists :-(

Setup is:
Asus A7N8X Mobo (latest Bios)
Sempron 2400 (have also tried with Athlon 3200XP)
Leadtek Geforce4 Ti4200 graphics
512MB PC3200 RAM
Western Digital 80MB 7200 HD

Any advice most welcome.

 

[Freestone]

Thank you for your clarification, terryoa. The STOP 0x0000007B is occurring at this point due to the differences between the VIA chipset in your spare machine where you installed XP, and the nForce chipset in the failing machine where you are currently trying to run XP from the drive.

I suggest trying a clean install with the drive in your failing machine. Delete the partition, format, and reinstall XP. If XP fails with this clean install, you know you aren't fighting chipset differences.

http://www.blackviper.com/Articles/OS/InstallXPPro/installxppro1.htm

shows deleting, partitioning, and formatting from within an XP install booted from CD.

 

[terryoa]

Thanks Freestone - I agree that the best option is probably to start over. What still concerns me though is that I first encountered the problem with a clean install on the suspect machine i.e. before the drive had been near the via chipset. Still next time it might work !!! - otherwise I'll have to stay with Win98 or perhaps try a new MoBo.

Thanks to all who tried to assist

 

[techboy1308]

Hi guys - I'm not sure if this is still on-going but I have just encountered exactly the same problem. I've just brought a brand new set-up consisting of Asus P5AD2E-premium, P4 3.0 LGA775, 1GB Geil DDR2 667mhz, Western Digital Raptor 74gb, Maxtor Plus 10 300gb, XFX Nvidia 6600gt PCI Express. I've been messing around with pc's for a few years now but have no experience with setting up SATA or RAID which is what I thought the problem was untill reading what you guys were discussing. If you managed to sort out the problem please please could you let me know what it is as Ive not even had this system up and running yet and am itching to see what it can do.
I thought it was the ram at first, but if it was the ram then the pc would do nothing. I've tried using either hdd on its own and even reverted to using a standard ide but it still comes up with the same error. The only thing i can think of is that some of the hardware isnt compatible, but really dont know where to start. HELP!!!!!

 

[smithcza]

Hi there.

I just won the battle with the exact same problem. I swopped the RAM chip and it now seem to work fine. (I swopped the RAM chipped twice and the first time the problem persisted and only after the second swop for yet another chip, did the problem clear.

Hope this helps.

smithcza

 

[chhm034]

hey techboy1308 how did u fix your issue?
i have been messing with mine since middle of December 04
I have the same issue (I also was getting the 0x0000007b (
asus P5GDC Deluxe
P4 3.0 LGA775
1 Gb DDR Ram
chainteck 6600 (nvidia)pci express
WD 120 and 160 GB HD, but not using the 160 yet
Sound Blater live audigy 2 ZR
I installed xp on another pc, works fine with the 120 HD take the HD out to the new pc and won't start,keeps rebooting after choosing normal mode.... ok fine then i will formatted and install then in new pc....tried xp install by cd boot, says that it cannot find the HD after a few screen after the f6 screen, where i used a floppy to copy some stuff off the asus cd sys...rom and a few other files...
fuuuny thing is that 98se will install and come on, but cannot find the video card/sound card/nic in device manager. Help anyone please?

 

[techboy1308]

At present I havent fixed it. I ran a program called 'memtest' for 3 hours and the ram passed everything with flying colours, which I thought it would. Thing is I never said the ram doesnt work, I said it doesn't work with this mobo. I've now sent the ram back because I dont think it's compatible with the mobo I have. I've just ordered some corsair ddr2 675mhz xms pc5400. This is on the Asus QVL so hopefully this will work otherwise I'm going to have to look at swopping the mobo for another.
Ill keep everyone posted as it seems no one has the answer to this.

 

[chhm034]

I found this in google: might help, not at home to try...

http://www.ntcompatible.com/thread30092-1.html

 

[Yellowjacket1]

I had this exact same problem. I was running Windows XP Pro on an ASUS A7V motherboard [highlight](VIA chipset)[/highlight]. When I upgraded to ASUS A7N8X [highlight #FF99FF](NFORCE2 chipset)[/highlight] I would get the Blue Screen of Death (STOP: 0x0000007B). When trying "SAFE MODE" it would stop at the mup.sys file and then Blue Screen. Apparently XP wouldn't start up because my HD had the VIA Drivers on it.

To fix it I just re-installed (Repaired) Windows XP by following Microsoft's instructions. See the links below:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316401

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315341

It was a little time consuming because afterwards you have to reload Windows Updates and Drivers for your hardware but it didn't take as long as it would for a new install and losing all your data.

Hope this helps.

 

[techboy1308]

Thanx for that, but enough is enough. After ANOTHER week or so of waiting I finally got the corsair ddr2 675mhz ram, fitted it and got the same error. I took the whole pc to a shop that some friends run and they had a similar set up using the Gigabyte version. I hooked up my hdd and it installed first time!!! We stopped it after the first reboot (just after it loads the cabs) so it doesnt sync with the set up and put it back in mine. started it up and it just about showed the windows starting up screen then crashed again. We tried another processor just to be sure but with no change. I phoned up the company and told them I was still having trouble and they said I should send the mobo back so they can test it. ANOTHER week or so of testing to wait for. Let this be a lesson to all people thinking of upgrading and spending over £1100 on a pc........DON'T !! Buy a G5 Mac instead. Wishing I had now.

 

[techboy1308]

Hello again everyone. Just thought I'd update those of you who like me are/were still having problems. Finally got my board and processor back from the vendors and they said it all worked fine. When I got my board back I checked the serial number and it wasn't my board!!! I turned it on and got the same error message. Frustrated I took it to the computer shop my friends run and told them the story. We went through the BIOS again! and after some settings were adjusted gave it another try and it worked strait away!!!!
I'm not sure if it was the board or the settings because I had spoken to countless people and they said it was all fine the way it was and should of worked.
The setting is under the 'RAM' or 'MEMORY TIMINGS' and it was 'SET BY SPD'. The rest of the RAM settings are default. Now I'm confused because we tried adjusting the speed to either 400mhz, 533mhz and 600mhz before I sent the board away and it made no difference. So I'm not sure if it was the board or settings or both. I don't know what it's running at now as I havent had a chance to check it out, and as it's 'SET BY SPD' it doesnt give a feq reading in the BIOS. I'll use SANDRA to let me know whats doing what a bit later. Anyway after nearly 6 wks without it working I'm just glad it does. Anymore changes and I'll let you all know.

 

[garebo]

Glad you got it sorted out.
From what i have read in this forum and others, win xp is very fussy about hardware and ram seems to be the biggest problem. In your case it was the ram settings in the bios, something for all of us to remember.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips