# New Build - "Error loading operating system"?



## sequitur2002 (Dec 31, 2008)

I've been lurking, but this is my first post. I have built maybe five or 6 machines and feel comfortable doing it, but this last build has me stumped. It lets me install Windows XP but upon rebooting, I get "Error loading operating system".

Background is that this is a budget build for young kids to play low-tech (Barbie/Sesame Street) games on. The mobo/cpu were on sale at Fry's for $79.99 total, so that was enough to convince the wife. Here are some details (everything is new from Fry's unless noted):

Mobo: ECS Elitegroup A740GM-M (Socket AM2+)
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+
RAM: Crucial Ballistix ddr2 800 (spec'd 4-4-4-12 & 2.0v) 2x1GB sticks
OS: Windows XP SP2 (tried both 32- & 64-bit version) (from my old pc)
Case: Raidmax midtower w/ 380W
Video & Audio: onboard
HDD: Maxtor 120gb IDE (from my old pc)
CD-RW drive (from my old pc) but no floppy drives
No SATA, PCI or PCI-E slots are used; this is bare bones.

Here is what I've tried so far:
1. Tried different hard drives 
2. Tried one and two memory sticks 
3. Tried one memory stick in each slot just in case 
4. Tried Windows XP 32bit and 64bit versions 
5. Changed BIOS to accept different voltage for memory sticks (BIOS max's at 1.95v)
6. Checked hard drives for errors 
7. Fixed the MBR (fixmbr command)
8. Repartitioned and reformatted both hard drives multiple times, both Normal and Quick reformats 

Nothing seems to get me past the "Error loading operating system." Has anyone run into this so consistently? I need to return the parts quickly (Fry's policy is strict) if I can't get help because ECS is out of the office until 1/5/09! Thanks for any thoughts!


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

yep .............. I have had that problem many times in the past ! run killdisk to wipe the drive (free) then you will have a clean start .............. say good-bye to your troubles


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## linderman (May 20, 2005)

http://www.killdisk.com/downloadfree.htm


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## sequitur2002 (Dec 31, 2008)

Linderman - I was going to add here that I swapped out the memory for Kingston Value RAM ddr2 667mhz (and that still doesn't work) when I saw your post. I will try it the killdisk and let you know. Thanks!

...crossing my fingers...


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## sequitur2002 (Dec 31, 2008)

FIXED! The killdisk wouldn't start ("0% progress" after 4 hrs) so I was left with few options, including buying a newer SATA hard drive to replace an almost new Maxtor 120gb EIDE drive.

It turns out that the older hdd was the problem. The motherboard (ECS Elitegroup A740GM-M) didn't like the EIDE hard drive and wouldn't let Windows XP boot from it. A new Seagate 500gb drive ($69.99 at Fry's) was installed and it lit up like a real computer.

On a side note, if anyone reads this in the future, note that the mobo setup disc does not support Windows XP 64-bit yet (as of December2008), so I ended up abandoning my XP64 build and using an old copy of XP 32-bit instead. I really had good intentions...


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