Extremely frustrating upgrade, need help

[Greyfire]

Hey all, I just upgraded my computer (well, I virtually built a new one, but anyway...) but I'm having a tough time of it. My first concern is that it takes a really, really long time to boot up becuase it stalls after checking the RAM and hard drives (mobo is 8RDA). It also takes a really long amount of time to get into the BIOS after pressing delete. Flashing hasn't helped at all. My other problem is that for some bizarre reason I can't use a boot disk to boot to DOS to format my hard drive. My last problem is that strange things happen when trying to install Windows. When attempting to install Win2k I get HD I/O errors (which is why I think I need to format- brand new HD) and when trying to install XP I just get a black screen after it says "Checking hardware configuration." All of this is just very frustrating, I feel like banging on something with a metal pipe :D. I just wanna see what kind of overclock I can get! :) TIA

Full list of hardware:

AXP 2100+ AIUHB
Epox 8RDA
HyperX 3500 256MBx2
Radeon 9700 Pro
WD 80GB with 8MB case
Maxtor 40GB
HighPoint RockeRaid 1520 SATA card
GTXP 7.1
Belkin NIC
Lite-On 52x24x52 CDRW drive
SLK-800 w/ Smart Fan II

[felix88]

well, have you tried removing all of the hardware you don't NEED?

run it with a single stick of memory, video card, and cpu to see if you still have the stall after the memory check. then try it again with the other stick of memory. if everything is working fine, try booting it with a floppy drive, and then with a single hard drive and a CDROM. check to see if you can install windows now.

i'll let you figure out the rest. let us know how it goes.

[Keeper]

Do both Hard drives have file systems on them?

[Tex]

Another weird thing to check... Thats wd se.... Make sure the jumpers are set to "single drive" and not master or cable select.

Some MB's handle it fine and some barf if its not set this way and its the only drive on that cable.

If you still got probs.

Unplug all the drives and try again. Something is making it barf. Unplug everything but video and ram and if it boots fast plug stuff back in one by one ONLY !

Cheers and good Luck !

TEX

[DR. YT]

i also think that sounds like something to do with the hard drive. have you tryeed both drives by them selves.

[Greyfire]

Thanks guys. I figured it out last night but was too tired to POST. You guys are right though, it was the HD. I had forgotten about that jumper setting, but it works now, so all is well. :)

[Tex]

Thats all that matter!

have fun buddy ! Get some sleep.

Tex