Ok, I got around it. This drive works like a charm although windows thinks it's a removable device and says it has an invalid boot file, it still boots. Even though I tried repairing it through Windows repair tool thingy that came on the cd.

Posted by Sinister Crayon Well, I need a new key to unlock because my legit copy is overused. either that or I need to just get around the unlock thing.

Call up MS and say that you had to reformat due to a really narsty virus, and when you tried to install your legit copy of Windows, it didn't let you - they'll probably offer you a new product key.

Posted by stealthy Call up MS and say that you had to reformat due to a really narsty virus, and when you tried to install your legit copy of Windows, it didn't let you - they'll probably offer you a new product key.

Ok, I got around it since I had the exact same hardware as my last drive, but when I install it on my sister's computer I will do that. This boot file thing is confusing, it boots fine although it says the file is invalid and I tried rebuilding it with no luck....

this is probobly out of date but you should build your own. i recomend the book "computer building for dummies" it's cheeper in the longrun

Posted by masher this is probobly out of date but you should build your own. i recomend the book "computer building for dummies" it's cheeper in the longrun

ummm, I built the computer, I just had a bit of trouble with the operating system.

ummmm.... shit.

I picked it up and carried about 5 feet, put it back down and turned it on. It booted normally until I got to the blue login screen. Then it restarted, It kept redoing this until I went into the bios and put on fail safe defaults. now it won't even recognize the hard drives, WTF did I do?

*pulls hair out*

EDIT: Ok, I got it so it would get to the logon screen, but it still restarts each time. Would it be something to do with the PSU and the outlet?

EDIT 2: I tried running an extension cord from the old outlet, doesn't seem to help at all.

Ok, I get this error message:

STOP: c0000269 {Illegal System DLL Relocation}
The system DLL kernel32.dll was was relocated in memory.
The application will not run properly. The relocation occurred
because the DLL c:\windows\system32\GDI32.dll occupied an address
range reserved for Windows system DLLs. The vendor supplying
the DLL should %s %s

Reset the bios to defaults and try reinstalling the OS. It's probably a problem with RAM configuration.

Heck, it could be a lot of things.

If you brought it into my store, here's what I'd do.

I'd pull the case and reseat the ram and all the cards, check the seat on the CPU.

Download/Flash the latest bios from the manufacturers site, reset to defaults if it's current version.

Try and boot. If it fails during windows startup and you've done this, it's probably either bad RAM or a windows memory usage error.

I'd wipe the drive and reinstall windows from scratch. If it doesn't make it that far through I'd swap out the RAM. Then the CPU, then the motherboard.

If windows does come up on the fresh install I'd charge you $75, send you home and tell you to stop playing with the bios settings.

Ok, thanks, I just backed up all my stuff through another drive and reformatted.

turns out I either have a drive or a motherboard issue on my SATA 2 drive. I tried different cables and connectors on the board so I'm thinking it's the drive. Sent it back for a new one.

You are aware that SATA drives are REALLY picky about their power, right? You got a power supply that supports them specifically, right?



If you DO have to use an adapter don't put anything else on that LP4 power connector than the sata drive itself. You might be doing yourself a favor by verifying that.

Another problem it might be is that the sata data cables are VERY picky about being bent, they shouldn't be tucked, folded or torqued at all, the straighter the better. If your SATA cable has been folded, creased you'll need a new one.

IMO Sata drives are a waste of time. IDE drives will do fine for now.

Posted by Crazydeep74 IMO Sata drives are a waste of time. IDE drives will do fine for now.

Okay, ya know, I still have some 8 tracks lying around...I hear their coming back, would you be interested in picking thos up CD?

I'm stuck on a 2mb cache maxtor ide drive. Its painfully slow. All I hear when the computer is on is the thing going nuts trying to access files. Its very slow.

I want SATA. Badly.

Posted by Crazydeep74 IMO Sata drives are a waste of time. IDE drives will do fine for now.

Hmm, I never Had SATA 150 but SATA 2 is pretty fast. Programs installed on a snap, windows loaded instantly. Waiting arrival of a new drive.

And for the power supply question: yes my power supply has 4 Serial ATA connectors.

Quite a sweet power supply I might add.

Posted by Particle Man Quite a sweet power supply I might add.

Yeah, it's a bit overkill for what I have now, but when I throw a better graphics card(or two) in their I'm going to need it.

I have a raptor 37gb sata drive, soon im gonna format it and do a fresh install, then update my IDE 200gb drive with a 350Gb SATA drive, im gonna put all my music, videos and other media stuff onto the 200Gb and then install program to the 350gb. And leave the 37gb as a boot drive only really.

hehe, just htought i should add that haha

Posted by Crazydeep74 IMO Sata drives are a waste of time. IDE drives will do fine for now.

That's very bad advice for anyone who reads this for ideas...


From my hardware dealer
---
(Drives from the same family)

Standard Seagate 250gig IDE (7200RPM/8MB Cache): 104$
Ultra ATA/100 (100mb/s), 8 ms, 60month warranty

Standard Seagate 250gig S-ATA IO (7200RPM/8mb Cache): 106$
S-ATA IO* (300mb/s), 8ms, 60month warranty

Cost difference between a normal and S-ATA IO drive = 2$.

Advantages of S-ATA IO over P-ATA
Hot-Plug Capability; NCQ and reordering (which increases performance AND drive lifetime); CRC error checking capability for data, command and status packets (instead of only data if using ATA-3+); enclosure management/monitoring; a hell of a decrease in operating voltage; smaller, simpler, cables that are less likely to clog up or get in fans along with no fucking jumpers means they're much simpler to install/swap/work with; No limit to the amount of drives (plug a port multiplier into your 2-channel card and make it a 16 channel card with no effort and VERY little cost); External SATA; Staggered Spin Up (multiple drives start at multiple times so your power supply don't take a hit); etc... Certainly worth those 2$ just for the leet looking cables let alone the performance and data life boot from NCQ.

(If you don't know the tech, these pics give a good enough explanation; the drive itself interprets the request and optimizes it before performing it)
http://prohardver....ia/diagram/ncq.jpg
http://pc.watch.im...3/1208/it01202.jpg