BTX gaming machine won't install XP home

[booman]

I've finally got my BTX gaming machine put together and everything boots up ok. Its a little different then most booting because there isn't a memory test or splash screen. It splashes the video card and then goes to a screen that shows MAC address and DHCP loading.
Anyways, I can go to the BIOS and configure then try booting with XP home disc. Its loads the usual drivers etc. but when it starts loading windows I get the BLUE SCREEN. I've done it several times thinking it was the hard-drive and jumper settings, but after using an adapter on the HD I got it formatted NTFS and it works fine. Still BLUE SCREENED.

I even switched the IDE cable but same thing.
I noticed when pulling off the old IDE cable that the northbridge heatsink was extremely hot. It almost burnt me. I also noticed that the CPU fan was spinning very slow and the Heatsink was very hot. I cranked down the heatsink as far as it would go and used Arctic Silver thermal paste.
I'm pretty sure its in good contact. I checked the Bios and CPU temp shows 60 C. I think thats a bit warm but the Intel website said the CPU fan won't spin higher until 75 C.
So now I'm thinking BIOS update.
I can try a SATA drive instead but I think the IDE drive works fine. maybe the computer is overheating, and I've got 4 fans on that thing and am waiting to install Windows to get the fan controller drivers installed.
So any ideas? Bios update?
I'm anxious to get this machine working.
Specs:
Pentium D 3.4 Ghz 800 FSB
BTX heatsink & Fan
Intel® Desktop Board D955XCS BTX
Corsair 2 Gigs DDR2 PC 5300
Western Digital 250 Gig IDE drive
SATA DVD Rom
GeForce 7600 256 RAM

[robbie]

I've had 2 computers NOT take an OS install. First time I had to flash the bios. Second time I had to switch to a Sata drive. I used an IDE drive first.
HTH

[booman]

Well thats what I'm going to do tomarrow. I tried updating the bios today with no success. I'll try again and if that doesn't work, then I'm swapping the IDE for the SATA.
I'll let you know if it works.
Thanks for the tip

[bonesaw]

try taking out the sound card if there is one

[booman]

All the audio is onboard.
I got the BIOS updated this morning after swapping 3 floppy drives and two floppy disks.
I also found a setting in the BIOS that disables fan control for the CPU fan. Now its full speed (loud) and the temps dropped to 50 C on idle.

My new problem is

no bootable device -- insert disk and press any key

My DVD ROM was booting and installing great before, its like the computer is looking for a floppy bootable disk, Why the heck won't it boot by DVD?

[booman]

ahh, found it. In the BIOS there was a peripheral setting for Secondary SATA device and it was disabled.

[booman]

Still got the BLUE SCREEN. Now I'm going to try the SATA hard-drive.
I have a question though, when the Win XP setup disk is installing the drivers, does it install on the hard-drive or to RAM only?

[booman]

I swapped the IDE hard-drive for a SATA hard-drive and I still get the BLUE SCREEN
Is there a BIOS setting that I may have missed?
I'm convinced that its not the hard-drives because the IDE drive formatted fine on the other computer and the SATA has Linux installed on it with no problems.
There is something inbetween...

[booman]

I've never had so many problems with an installation....
I figured out the BLUE SCREEN... For some reason this Windows XP Home disk doesn't have the SATA DVD Rom drivers so it won't install from that optical drive. I popped in an old CD Rom drive and the installation moved on to Windows install.
Great right? But wait theres more.... Now the installation won't recognize the SATA hard-drive. I've moved the drive to different SATA ports on the motherboard and it either not recognized or I just get a black screen.
If I don't "press any key to install from CD" it will try to boot with the existing Linux, so I know the motherboard recognizes the hard-drive.
Could it have something to do with the formatting? I know Linux requires FAT32 and XP requires NTFS.
So should I format with the adapter as NTFS or try to install on the IDE drive?

[ccperf721p]

Is the sata config set for AHCI or IDE? May also have to run in compatible mode

[booman]

I tried both settings for SATA cause I didn't know what they were for. I'm installing windows now with the IDE hard-drive connected to the IDE cable with the CD ROM. I had to take the bezel off the CD ROM to slide it further into the case so it would reach the slave connection. I'm hoping once I get windows updated I'll be able to use the SATA DVD again.
This was a rediculous installation.
The good news is that none of my hardware is broken. The problem is an old Windows XP Home disc that doesn't have service pack 2. I don't even think it has service pack 1...
I wonder if I could have used a different XP home with service pack 2 for the install and still use the Key from the old XP home?

[PorPorMe]

Originally Posted by booman

If I don't "press any key to install from CD" it will try to boot with the existing Linux, so I know the motherboard recognizes the hard-drive.
Could it have something to do with the formatting? I know Linux requires FAT32 and XP requires NTFS.
So should I format with the adapter as NTFS or try to install on the IDE drive?

I don't have an an answer for you but spotted an error in thinking that might or might not make a
difference. Linux doesn't have anything to do with FAT32. It's got it's own file systems:ext2 most noteably.

[noob]

I'm thinking you may have had to use a boot disk to preload the SATA drivers, as Windows doesn't really know about them.

Once your MB drivers are loaded, you shouldn't have any problems with the SATA DVD drive.

[booman]

You are positively right noob. Once I plugged the SATA DVD in the correct slot and turned on the machine after XP updates, it recognized the drive and I'm on my way.
I guess the lesson to be learned here is to never, wait... always install Windows with a disc that has the most current updates on it. Next time I'll try a Windows XP home Disc that says service pack 2 on it and then use the activation Key from the other disc so I'll have the current drivers. I really learned alot with this installation too.
Thanks for all your help, everyone who replied.

[Samuknow]

You worked though that very well.

The older windows disks did not load drivers for some SATA controllers. Often you had to hit F6 to load the drivers from a floppy so it could continue.

Good job with your build. When you work that hard to get it running, you tend to appreciate it a little more.

[booman]

Thanks Samuknow, I think you are right. I'm going to take care of this one because I've been waiting to build it since November 07. I finally pieced it together and after all the hours of troubleshooting its working and playing games.
I never knew about older XP discs not having drivers for newer hardware, but it makes sense. XP was out in 2002 and I figured those oldies were not in circulation anymore. I bought this one from newegg because it was on sale with NO shipping.
I spent under $200 on this machine which mostly went to the case and OS.