Built Computer won't boot

DeanP · 18 Apr 2011

Where did you get your XP copy from?

Bituser · 18 Apr 2011

The disc is fine. It's a paid for. I always keep an iso handy of all my installation discs incase something like this happens. I burnt off another copy as the original is pretty scratched, but that is irrelevant as I made the iso when the disc was brand new.

Bituser · 18 Apr 2011

IS there any way possible that some component in the computer is wrecking my Hard Drives? Its a huge coincidence that none of them will work.

Mike Connor · 18 Apr 2011

Bituser said:

IS there any way possible that some component in the computer is wrecking my Hard Drives? Its a huge coincidence that none of them will work.

A damaged power supply can damage drives, but judging by what has been posted up to now you are trying to work with some pretty old stuff, and that is very rarely a good idea.

Regards....Mike Connor

Bituser · 18 Apr 2011

So do you think if I got a new HDD and RAM that it will be ok?

Here is my system specs which I forgot to post:
2 x 512mb ddr2 533 RAM
Pentium Dual Core 2.2Ghz
ECS 671T-M 775 Motherboard
420W PSU

These are the HDDs I was messing with:
DiamondMax® VL 40 -20GB
Seagate ST320414A - 20GB

I'd really like to fix this. I've been working a long time to gather the parts to build this computer and now this happens

Mike Connor · 18 Apr 2011

All those parts are ancient, including the motherboard! I would not waste any time on it. If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle, then get another board and use new parts.

I had a lot of trouble trying to upgrade CPU`s on boards like that. Although the CPU´s fit the socket they didn't work properly. Some didn't work at all. Just a total waste of time and money. After some research it turned out that the CPU´s the guy had were "Used", and some were not compatible anyway, even though they had the same socket.

Unless you want to use some old machine, which is still running, as a server or similar, it's just not worth messing about with them. Certainly not if you want to install Windows 7.

Regards....Mike Connor

Shootist · 18 Apr 2011

I'm sorry but aren't newer components available in Newzealand?
Those parts are 4-5 years old, excluding the HDDs which are 10+ years old.

Now not taking your monetary situation into account certainly you can find newer parts in your part of the world.

Bituser · 18 Apr 2011

Mike Connor said:

All those parts are ancient, including the motherboard! I would not waste any time on it. If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle, then get another board and use new parts.

I had a lot of trouble trying to upgrade CPU`s on boards like that. Although the CPU´s fit the socket they didn't work properly. Some didn't work at all. Just a total waste of time and money. After some research it turned out that the CPU´s the guy had were "Used", and some were not compatible anyway, even though they had the same socket.

Unless you want to use some old machine, which is still running, as a server or similar, it's just not worth messing about with them. Certainly not if you want to install Windows 7.

Regards....Mike Connor

I purposely bought these components because they were cheap and suited my needs. I was going to create a windows xp home server. These parts seemed to fit the bill. I have already spent over $120 on this computer I can't just throw the parts away. I'm not prepared to spend over $150 on this machine which is just going to be a simple one. It's just a huge hassle, I know

.

@Shootist, there certainly is new parts in NZ its just that I wanted to do this cheap.

Mike Connor · 18 Apr 2011

Bituser said:

Mike Connor said:

All those parts are ancient, including the motherboard! I would not waste any time on it. If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle, then get another board and use new parts.

I had a lot of trouble trying to upgrade CPU`s on boards like that. Although the CPU´s fit the socket they didn't work properly. Some didn't work at all. Just a total waste of time and money. After some research it turned out that the CPU´s the guy had were "Used", and some were not compatible anyway, even though they had the same socket.

Unless you want to use some old machine, which is still running, as a server or similar, it's just not worth messing about with them. Certainly not if you want to install Windows 7.

Regards....Mike Connor

I purposely bought these components because they were cheap and suited my needs. I was going to create a windows xp home server. These parts seemed to fit the bill. I have already spent over $120 on this computer I can't just throw the parts away. I'm not prepared to spend over $150 on this machine which is just going to be a simple one. It's just a huge hassle, I know

.

@Shootist, there certainly is new parts in NZ its just that I wanted to do this cheap.

Cheap is only sensible if it works! :) If you just want to run an XP server, then you can get boards for 50$ (NZ) or less which will do what you want. Maybe the old discs will work on them;

Motherboards - Find the best prices, information and user reviews

You can probably buy a complete second hand machine for 50$ if you look around.

Parts which don't work or are unreliable are never cheap. They are invariably the most expensive in the long run.

Regards....Mike Connor

Bituser · 18 Apr 2011

The $50 New motherboards are from untrusted NZ shops though. I got my current MOBO for $50, the CPU for $40. I see what you mean though. This is a kind of tricky situation. Do you know how we could fix this?