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"Trouble installing Windows onto blankd HDD..."

Ordered all the components for a new PC. Built it. (Possibly fried some stuff in the process).

My problem is installing Windows. OEM version of XP Home. I just don't know how to get it started as the computer won't pass the Verifying DMI pool data part of the start up, just before Windows would load normally.

Anyway what makes things possibly that bit more complicated is that the HDD is a SATA drive. Motherboard is Abit NF7-S.

Just somebody PLEASE tell me what to do to get started.
Thanks

Notorious Biggles wrote:
> Total (inc VAT and next day delivery) £1042

You have GOT to be kidding.

AMD Athlon 3000XP 400MHz FSB £141
2x 512 Mb TwinMOS RAM £107
Maxtor Diamondmax Plus 9 SATA 160Gb £85 ish
256Mb Sapphire Radeon 9600XT £138
Abit NF7-S £75 ish
8x DVD +- RW £92
Coolermaster Jet 7 £30
Radiance X case £40
Samsung 19" flat CRT monitor £141

XP, fans, cables, Coolermaster Musketeer, speakers, laptop wireless card, PCI wireless card, floppy drive etc

Total (inc VAT and next day delivery) £1042

AMD 2500+XP Barton £65.51
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus9 Serial ATA 120GB 8MB Cache £74.91
DFI LanParty NFII Ultra-B (Socket A) Motherboard £106.93
Coolermaster Aero 7 Lite £15.86
Hercules 3D Prophet 9800SE All-in-Wonder 128MB DDR £160.39
Corsair 1GB DDR XMS2700LLPT TwinX (2x512MB) Platinum CAS2 £161.73
Lian LI PC 601 Aluminium Midi Tower £155


£740.33

Thats a great machine though, you could cuts costs on the RAM and get an Abit NF7-S.

In the region of £500 FOR MY 2.8P4

You want to see inside my computer.....It over heats so i have had to take the case off, the ram is tangled in aload of wires. I tried inserting some new ram and i dislodged my graphics card and the HDD is held in by 2 screws.

How much does it cost to make a new PC from scratch......?

Well I hope all is well now Biggles!!!... I know the tension that follows a self upgraded/built PC (as you pointed out, frying components comes to mind)...

Problem appears to be solved. I had to install SATA drivers. Which XP reports as SCSI RAID drivers... No matter windows is currently installing.

Even if I fixed it all myself it made me feel better to mash some buttons. And get replied to. So thanks.

Got as far as the windows setup there. Except no hard disk detected. Stupid SATA.

We have progress.

After having formatted the HDD and exitingthe SATA/RAID whatever it goes back to booting up.

So I get all the usual stuff and then
Verifying DMI pool data...
Boot from ATAPI CDROM : CDBOOT: memory overflow error

Any ideas?

Nope. Not passing the DMI pool data bit. Playing around a bit now with the BIOS. I forced an update of the ESCD but it didn't help. Currently formatting the drive to see if that will help with anything. The term clutching at straws comes to mind.

Worst part is I have currently been reduced to a modem.