first the HW. AMD 1Gig, ABIT KT7A Raid, gen memory, IBM Deskstar HD, Liteon DVD/CD, Sony RW.

Order of events.
[List=1]
assemble PC, Floppy not responding, so flash BIOS w/ latest.
floppy responds, sometimes hangs, but can't get HD formated -- no drive letter assigned.
use IBM utility to format drive, add sys files.
BIOS : set to boot to CD, but will not (doesn't even spin CD)
boot off floppy w/ CD support, drive letter then assigned, and I run WIN98 setup, BUT
GPF, True Type font error, other application errors. tried this several times...so repeated from #3.
CMOS checksum error, and variously other msg: "system files have been currupted -- this when it does boot from floppy

2 problems? I think the CMOS is now currupt, do I reset? 2. I think the system need the Liteon CD driver, not the OAKSYS that's on the WIN98 disk -- how do I trick the boot disk into loading a different driver?

Or are there other problems, since the CD is never assigned a letter?
http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/mad.gif This is too frustrating for words.

THANKS

Elvis,


Following this link for Cd letter issue http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/comp/cd/configMSCDEX-c.html

and here is one on CMOS that may help http://www.pcguide.com/ts/x/sys/booterrGBER08-c.html

Hope Charles' info can be of help. If all else fells, wait for one of the other members to come along with some real advice. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif



[This message has been edited by 4thandgoal (edited 01-08-2001).]

thanks. I had found 1 of the articles, but not the CD one. I'm going to install the new VIA 4 in 1 drivers too, and after that try a different mobo? I understand that IBM drive doesn't like this mobo

Boot Disk (http://www.bootdisk.com) should have instructions to make a custom boot disk that will load the CD ROM drivers. Or a link to another site I forget which...I think you can also get the Ultimate Boot Disk there, it might be worth looking into.

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If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you!
Note: Please post your questions on the forums, not in my email.

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Check for one more thing, If you are using ATA-100 HDD which uses HPT370 IDE controller, don't put sound card or any PCI card in PCI slot 5 which uses IDE bus signal. Because PCI Slot 5 and HPT370 share the same IRQ. That could cause device not to work properly. But you can put some card in that slot which do not require IDE bus signal, like a LAN card.


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RM