can not boot new build

OK guys n gals i have a teaser for you.
I have built a new PC with,

Mobo ABIT IX38 GT3
CPU intel core 2 duo Q6700
GPU GTX 260
Ram DDR3 2X4gb
DVD read/write

I am also using some older parts.

300gb hard drive
40gb hard drive (for OS) both Seagate IDE
CD reader

when i power up the PC all the fans spin up and all the right lights come on but i can not get it to boot because it is not seeing my CD or DVD units.
Both units are IDE connections as are both Hard drive and the Mobo only has 1 IDE connector so i installed the HD as master and DVD as slave but for some reason it sees all the other components but not the optical drives.
I have tried every combination possible including changing the jumper settings but at no point does it see them.
The DVD is brand new and the CD was working perfectly in the old PC.
I have been at this now for 3 days and still can not get past the screen that says Disk boot failure - insert disk and press enter.

I can get into the Bios set up and have changed the boot order but to no avail, so any help on the subject will be received with gratitude.

 

Thanks for the reply Digital, that's exactly what i mean.
When i say it can not see the drives i mean that when bios opens the CPU is there the GPU and the hard drive but it does not show the DVD.

 

Over the last 3 days i have tried just about every combination but nothing works.

To be really honest i have decided to get some SATA gear but i won't be able to get to the shop until tuesday or wednesday and had hoped to get something out of it before then.
Thanks for your input and if it works next week i will post.

 

Have you tried to replace the Ide ribbon itself. I have seen them go bad.

You may also try to hook up just one drive and see how that goes. First try the dvd player with the cd disconected, and vice versa.

It seems odd that your mobo only has one IDE connector. There should be a second ide connector for the DVD drives?

If I understand you right, your trying to hook both the harddrive and the Dvd player into the same ribbon and to the motherboard? I have never seen this done before, Not saying its not possible but I sure dont think it is. But again I could be wrong.

With all due respect you may want to take another look at your motherboard to make sure you simply did not overlook the ide connection for the DVD player.

 

Hi TYM yes i have tried all the different combinations, at the moment i am trying to get the system to boot with just 1 HD(master) and 1DVD(slave)

On the Mobo the IDE is at the bottom next to the SATA connectors and the second one that you can see on the left side is for Floppy but the pin configuration is not the same and an IDE strap will not fit in it.

I have 3 straps and have tried all of them with the same result.

 

Hi Bill,

Just a thought and I'm sure you know this. Some IDE cables do M/S only. Some do CS only. Some do Both. Some run one drive plugged for master OK but give up if you add one plugged as Slave. Have you tried CS on both drives, Master at the end?

Good Luck, Jim

 

I have managed to get it to boot with Barts PE and although i can not load an OS at least i know it will boot.
Later this week i will get some drives with SATA and hope it sorts the problem.

As for Barts PE i am not sure how much i can do with it because i have never used it before?

 

Hi David
I neglected to mention in the post that i loaded Barts from a flash drive :-o

The problem is i put together the system with new Mobo and all the bits but in thinking i would save a little cost i used my old HDD 1X40gb for the OS and 1X300 for the rest, I also have a new DVD read/write and my old CD player,these 4 units are all IDE connectors.
The mobo has only 1 IDE so i used the 40gb HD and the DVD on one cable but no matter what combination i used it would not see the DVD so i can not install the OS.
I can get into the Bios because the start up screen is from my mobo and it lets me into setup.
I have been trying to get either Vista or XP to boot from a flash drive with the help of Barts, it will let me read all the files and applications but it will not let me boot from it?

Today is Easter Monday here so no shops open and tomorrow is physiotherapy day, after those thugs have finished with me i don't usually fell like doing much at all, so it will be later in the week before i can get to the PC dealer for some SATA replacements.
My mobo does allow USB input as i said i booted Barts from there.
I will look at the other link you gave me and try that.
I just hope it is nothing more sinister than the IDE versus SATA for the DVD.
Thanks for looking into it for me.
Bill

 

Just one thing i do not understand, when it says use xcopy d:\*.* /s/e/f e:\ is that going to copy my "D" partition or should i select "E" which is the DVD on my machine?

 

Thanks David

 

I have tried to get this to copy but to no avail?
All the rest of the steps went OK but it will not copy.

 

I have tried 4 different flash drives and i keep getting the same result when i try to select a partition, 2 flash drives are 4gb and 2 are 8gb they were all formatted before i used them in "diskpart" ???

 

Thanks Digital i will try anything at the moment.
I have even tried to load from a usb hard drive but it just locks up the PC.
It will be a bit later when i get to the store for some Sata gear as things at home have precedence and i can not get out without my wife (the money monster) due to disability.

When i finally get it up and running i will post the results.

 

That's good Bill, but just stick to SATA drives and ignore any shiny i7 boards being offered to you by your friendly shop owner.:-D Let's see what that shiny new rig can do!:drool:cool

 

I think the GTX 260 is burnt out because the fans will not run and my screen tells me there is no sync.
so i will have to get it tested.
I could do it myself in my other PC but it's running so well i don't want to play with it untill this new build is up and running.

 

Did you plug in your 6-pin power plugs? Sometimes one forgets.:-o

 

Sure did Augie but there has to be another problem somwhere.
I took it to the shop and had it tested but it is dead.
I bought a GTX 250 and put that in plus 2 SATA units and it started to boot then the screen went black so further investigation is needed.
Now when i boot all the fans start up but i can get no screen (not even BIOs)

 

Geez man, you have to be the unluckiest... At least it's all under warranty. BTW, the 250 is just a rebranded 9800GT like I have, perhaps factory OC'd. nVidia's marketing department is working overtime.

 

That is the story of my life Augi, if i did not have bad luck i would have no luck at all!!!!
I am going to strip the whole thing down again and start over just to see if i missed anything?:cry:cry

 

Hi David
I have got it working now, thanks for remembering me.

It turned out to be a really silly thing that does not immediately come to mind when searching for solutions, The graphics card did not sit exactly central where the plug comes out of the back of the PC and when i connect my screen to it the female did not seat fully and 1 pin was shorting on the chassis, so after 3 complete strip downs and re builds i finally spotted it.
So the PC was working perfectly i just could not see it.
I am feeling just a little foolish that it cost me 3 days and a lot of cursing.

I am just waiting for the 5th may and i can try windows 7 RC, I read your thoughts on it and it sounds excellent.

 

No i didn't need to use that method when i finally got it to work because i bought a new copy of Vista and it installed without a hitch from the optical drive.
When i got a screen i just set the bios to boot from disk and after installation i reset it to boot from the hard drive.