I just put together my new pc and tried to install windows xp. At first I turned the computer on and opened the dvd drive to put the xp cd in. I thought that it would load by itself and a menu would pop up...turns out I was wrong. The computer was on for a couple minutes and it did beep the first time I turned it on. I turned it off and on a few more times and tried to put the cd again. I've just found out that what I did was completely wrong and have no idea how to do the bios thing, install the drivers, or the OS.

Please help me!!! Anything would be great

You need to change your boot order in the BIOS. Enter the BIOS by pressing Delete (or perhaps F1 or whatever) when the option appears to enter setup after you turn on your computer. If you have a full screen logo appear press Escape and then Delete. Once in the BIOS you need to look for advanced configuration and find the options relating to boot order. This may be a further screen or simply a list i.e.

1st boot device - HDD-0
2nd boot device - CDROM
3rd boot device - FDD
4th boot device - whatever

You just need to change whatever it is set to so that the 1st device is your CDROM and the second device is the hard drive (HDD-0 usually). Now choose 'Save changes and exit' to reboot the computer. Now if your CD is in the drive (and it's a bootable disc) after a short while it will say 'Boot from CD.....Press any key to bood from CD'. At this point hit a key to begin Windows setup. Assuming Windows setup can see your hard drive (depends on what hard drive controller you have) you can go ahead and choose your hard drive, format it and continue with the setup. If not I can take you through the steps to load your hard drive controller drivers for Windows setup from a floppy disk. Hope this helps.

You could have a look at this link for a few screenshots of what to expect:

http://www.windowsxpprofessional.w [...] llpage.htm

I see what your saying, but no option appears on the screen. The screen just stays blank. (I waited for a couple minutes) How long does it usually take for the option to pop up.

I know the screen I'm using is working because it worked when I connected it to another computer. Also, the cpu fan and the video card fan (the video card is not connected to the psu) spins when I turn the computer on.

thanks for the comments

Is there a way to check that your motherboard works?

Oh sorry, it should only take a moment or two. Not sure where to go from here then. One thing to check would be your monitor input, for example you could have been using VGA before and DVI now. It sounds stupid but I've had people ask me why they have no display and all they've done is touch the input button on the monitor!

What graphics card are you using? Does it have a power connector on it as it may need additional juice. Also, does the motherboard have any LEDs on it?

I'm pretty sure that the monitor is connected to the computer right. I took the video card out (Sapphire HD 3650) for the moment till I get the OS running. The motherboard has some onboard graphics and I connected the monitor directly to the it. It does not have any LEDs on it. But the cpu fan runs when the computer is turned on and the memory card reader light turns on (it is connected to the mother board by the onboard usb and is not connected to the psu).

Your PC is NOT working. List full spec inc PSU make/model. You do not need to remove video card to install XP. Disconnect EVERYTHING except CPU and heatsink and PSU. Should power up and give beep code for memory problem. If not, is PSU, motherboard or CPU. If beeps, add memory and connect monitor to onboard graphics, should POST, beep and display POST messages on monitor.

Mike.

CPU-AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600+ Windsor 2.4GHz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819103064

CPU Fan&Heatsink-ARCTIC COOLING ACF64LP
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835186019

Motherboard-ECS A780GM-A
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813135075

PSU-RAIDMAX HYBRID 2 RX-530SS
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6817152028

Ram-CORSAIR TWIN2X4096-6400C5 4GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145184

Other Stuff
Video Card-SAPPHIRE HD 3650
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814102726

Case-Sunbeam AC-T
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6811166006

Hard Drive-Seagate Barracuda 7200.10
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6822148261

Optical Drive-SAMSUNG SH-S203N
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6827151154



It did beep. But when I connected everything, nothing appeared on the screen. I think the cpu is bad because a couple of the rods (or whatever there called) on the bottom of it were bent.

After I reconnected the front panel headers, I could turn the computer on but not off. The power light was on though when I turned on the computer.
Why does that happen?

thanks for the help

That PSU is CR@P !! $40 PSUs are a waste of time. Get a proper PSU!!
Check http://www.xtremesystems.org/forum [...] p?t=108088
Raidmax is Tier 5 If you cannot straighten the bent pins on the CPU it is only good as a paper weight. That is not covered by warranty! Get the CPU fitted correctly (no bent pins) and refit the HS and fan. Connect the PSU and the wires from the case front panel. Should power up and give continuous series of beeps for memory problem. If not, one of the 3 ia faulty. If works, power off and add memory and connect monitor to onboard graphics, should show stuff on screen. Keep adding stuff until you finf the problem, or it all works.

I finally got xp to run, but after I shut down and added the video card and some other stuff, my computer wouldn't boot and I got the blank screen again. I didn't change anything that was already there. I don't think I did the boot order right, because when I was setting up xp, I only had the CDROM hooked up. Then I had to hook up the hard drive before I could go any further in the xp setup. When I hooked up the hard drive, I didn't go into bios. I finished setting up xp and shutdown. After that, I connected the fans/media card reader and put in the video card/sound card/a light that is only connected to the psu.

The power button can turn off now. I didn't do anything to it and it somehow worked.

When I turn on the computer I get a beep, than another beep. What does that mean?

Have you connected any required power cables to the video card? When troubleshooting you are supposed to make one change at a time! Go back to where it was working and retest it. If it works again, just add ONE thing at a time so you can find the problem. That is STILL a rubbish PSU and is probably part of the problem.

Mike

Forgive me but you did power off and unplug the computer before adding the hard drive right?

Well I took the video card out and the computer booted. But now the only way to get xp to boot is to go into bios and then exit it. Also every time the computer starts up, it takes a couple minutes till the the keyboard input works. So when you press delete key to enter bios, it takes a couple minutes till it actually enters bios.

I still can't find a way to put the video card in (Sapphire HD 3650) and still get the computer to boot.

That is STILL a rubbish PSU and is probably part of the problem.

Would you PLEASE get a decent PSU, it really matters for stability and booting correctly with high power items like video cards.

Mike.