Intel Quad Core issue Installing Windows? Im at witts end

483 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by error10, Mar 14, 2009

Snowmirage

Discussion Starter · Mar 13, 2009

Has anyone had, heard of, or think there could be issues installing XP and/or vista with Intel's Quad Cores

In particular I am using a Q8300, I have spent 100+ hrs so far troubleshooting this mess.

During the install of XP (Pro SP2 on the CD, I know SP1 disks had issues with PCI-E video cards) it gets the the point in the initial setup where it starts installing devices and just hangs, freezes right up.

Trying to install Vista as soon as I start the install I get a bluescreen about either TRAP_CAUSE_UNKNOWN or "a clock interrupt was not received from a secondary processor within the alotted time"

I have tried everything and Wonder if I have a bad CPU (maybe one of the cores is bad) unless there is some strange issue.

My troubleshooting this far....

Tried installing to both an IDE HD and Sata (SATA drive is brand new)
From both an IDE DVD drive and SATA DVD Drive (SATA drive is brand new)

Knowing there are issues installing with 3-4GB of ram I always used just one stick a brand new 2GB stick, then a 1GB stick I pulled from my working desktop. And now tried a 2nd new 2GB stick that not only worked in my desktop but has been running memtest with out issues for several hours now.

Tried doing the install at first with 2 different PCI express video cards neither would work. Currently trying with a card I pulled out ofm y working desktop.

Replaced the Power supply with a new unit.

The original motherboard I was using to build this new PC was a Gigabyte (cant remember the model atm) I had thought that must be the issue so I ordered a new one MSI P45-Neo3-FR V1.0 and have the same issues.

I pulled the motherboard from the case to ensure it wasnt a short on the board / case some place.

Updated to the latest BIOS on MSI's site.

I installed windows XP on the IDE drive while it was in my desktop (has a older MSI board different chipset and a Pentium D CPU) which installed fine (I know all my OS disks are fine I have done installs from them in the last 6 months with out issue they are scratch free and full retail versions) I then pulled the drive out of my desktop and plugged it back into the new PC im building It was able to load windows but in normal mode would hang up seemed like it was probably trying to load drivers for the chipset / USB or something. In safe mode it would run fine, This was at i think 4 am or something but I think my issue then was I couldnt get the drivers to install in safe mode, also I had to activate windows to log in after a few times but you have to do that in normal mode, which would freeze.

Thinking it could be the default drivers windows loads during the install throughing fits for some reason I disabled everything I could on the motherboard, on board NIC, on board sound card, even the SATA controller (used IDE drives for install), with no luck.

I have a new Video card and a Q6600 on order from newegg being sent overnight, the PC is for my dad who needs a PC up and running for buisness before monday when I leave to go back to college.

unless its the CPU im just clueless as to what else it could be.

Any advice anyone could give would be greatly appreciated, like I said ... I have build 100's of computers and tried all my ussual tricks and spent a good 100+ hours over 3 weeks troubleshooting and surfing google for answers with no luck.

-Snowmirage

See less See more

Save

1 - 8 of 8 Posts

orbiter

· #2 · Mar 13, 2009

I'm not very familiar with MSI boards/BIOS but if you've not tried already.. try setting your HDD's mode in BIOS to AHCI if your not raiding the drive/drives. Then try installing the OS. This allows SATA drives to use hot swapping & Native Command Queing etc if the drive supports it. I've had trouble myself for some reason installing Vista on a couple of drives that have had the IDE/AHCI/RAID not chosen correctly.

Save

Snowmirage

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 13, 2009

Ya forgot to mention I did come accross that as a possible issue in my searches on google. I was able to change a setting for the SATA controller to enable AHCI mode. But It had the same problem still, also I have since disabled the SATA controller all together which should rule that out allgether

Save

XeRion

· #4 · Mar 13, 2009

try disabling all but 1 core in the bios and see what happens
Also windows doesn't like to be moved from one computer to another, apparently it installs what it needs to boot on the PC its installed on and nothing extra, like say linux I can install and move anywhere, it doesn't care. If I move my windows HDD to another PC it BSoDs on login, so I recommend that if you get it sorted out you do a fresh install on the quad build.

Save

Snowmirage

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 14, 2009

I know moving windows from one PC to another is generally not going to work but I had tried everything else I could think of so I thought i'd give it a shot.

As far as disabling the cores, I dont think I have ever seen that option in the BIOS of any of the motherboards I have used. I'll take a closer look at the new MSI board and see.

Save

Snowmirage

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 14, 2009

Well I went through every menu in the BIOS and it does not appear to have anyway to disable some of the cores.

I tried turning off a few other features Spread Spectrum ect (I remembered a gateway laptop model having issues installing windows with that enabled) but still have the same issue.

I just tried the vista install this time and it at least seemed to get further into the install for some reason. Previously I would get the blue screen about the clock interrupt before I could even choose what partition to install to. This time it went as far as to start expanding the files forthe install then did the same blue screen again.

Im out of ideas

Save

Silent Nemesis

· #7 · Mar 14, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowmirage

Well I had the exact same problem, except I had unstable RAM that was undervolted due to vdrop from the motherboard. Once I set the correct voltage, it just flew through my installation.

Try to make sure you've got the correct voltages for your CPU, and RAM. By the way, the option for using only 1 core out of Duals/Quad's, would be Limit CPU ID to 3, or something like that.

CPU ID limit I think? Let me know what happens