Problem installing Windows

[Icarusintel]

Hey all, been a while since i checked in. Anyway, I built my first computer just a little while ago but have only been able to really work on it recently. I had a problem before where it kept shutting down after about 10 mins. but i solved that. Problem was I was installing Windows and got a ways into the installation, can't remember exactly where, when the comp. shut down. Now when I try to run the Windows installation nothing happens, I put the CD in the drive and it recognizes the CD is in there but it won;t start up, and I've tried putting it in before powering up and after its already started with no difference, can anyone help me with this problem? Oh, and the Windows install I tried before worked fine til the comp decided to shutdown, the problem was the temp sensors. Thanks in advance

 

[ankalar]

What are the specs of your computer?

It is possible that your computer is running to hot and your motherboard is automatically shutting down. If this is the first computer you have built, maybe you put the CPU heatsink on incorrectly and your processor is overheating.

Another possibility is a faulty hard drive or RAM stick. Is your computer dusty inside? Buy a can of compressed air and spray the mother down, maybe take out your RAM and see if it's dusty. The power supply might also be bad, which would lead to hard drive and other failures due to lack of power.

So first, check in the BIOS for the temperature of the CPU. If it's too high, then probably you put the heatsink on incorrectly. That is a common mistake, and is easily fixed.

As for the installation from the CD not starting, your CD-ROM drive should be ahead of the hard drive in the BIOS boot device priority. If it's not, then put it there and see if it works. You mentioned that you had a failed Windows installation, and if your hard drive is prioritized ahead of your CD-ROM drive then it will try to load the faulty Windows and completely disregard the Windows CD. This would explain the installation not starting up.

 

[Icarusintel]

the problem with it shutting down was i had the CPU temp being monitored by the case, but when i set it to be monitored by the motherboard it solved the whole problem and keeps it at a fine temp, i'm gonna go try the booting order you suggested, thanks, i'll post my specs if that doesn't work

 

[Icarusintel]

okeedokee, well, the boot order thing works great, only problem is my comp is shutting down again after maybe 5 min. i'll post my specs and then go fiddle with it some more, i think i;m gonna set the target temp up a little for the CPU, is that ok? it's at 68 degrees C right now
V5000A XaserV Damier Thermaltake case
Intel Pentium® 4 550 Processor Prescott 3.4GHz, 800MHz FSB, Socket LGA775
Asus P5AD2 Deluxe motherboard
2GB Kingston DDR2-533 PC-4200 RAM
Western Digital Caviar SE WD2000JD 200GB Serial ATA 7200RPM Hard Drive
Antec NeoPower 480W Power Supply
Samsung 710N-BLACK SyncMaster 17in Analog LCD Monitor
Optorite DVD+-RW DD0405
Sapphire Radeon X800 XT PCIe 16x 256MB

 

[Icarusintel]

bump because i still need help

 

[ankalar]

Is your CPU at 68 degrees? Or is that what you set the shut-off temp?

 

[Icarusintel]

that's set as the shut-off temp, can i put it up more than that? because it gets real close not even doing anything