Intel D865PERL

[shazard]

I installed this motherboard with an Intel Pentium 4 2.8E (Prescott) about three weeks ago and everything WAS going perfectly. Just last night, I noticed on a restart that the Intel splash screen was coming up instead of boot details. I had purposely disabled the splash screen. I went into the BIOS setup and changed it back, but it won't boot up to my OS (XP Home SP1). It just sits there with a black screen. If I change it again to disable the details and enable the splash screen, it boots fine except FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME since installation, it reports a keyboard failure. The keyboard is working fine and nothing about it has changed. Even with the splash screen enabled, it is still reporting keyboard failure (I read the log in the BIOS setup), but I'm having no keyboard problems.

This is the first computer I've built in five years and, needless to say, things have changed so much. I thought I was doing so well until this stuff started last night.

Any help that y'all can give would surely be appreciated.

Thanks,

Susie

[Midknyte]

did you reset the cmos? take the battery out for a few minutes or look for a reset jumper on the motherboard.

[shazard]

Thank you for that. Actually, I just (about 5 minutes ago) made myself a note to do that.

I'm sure this is a stupid question, but here goes: I've read about burning in a new processor, but haven't read anything definitive, i.e., instructions, etc. I was wondering if my new problem could be because now the processor is burned in? The only other thing I've done is to install Microsoft .NET and some video recording software, which I promptly uninstalled.

Thanks.

[Midknyte]

burn in refers to testing of the CPU. if the CPU is burned in, then it has passed an extended test.

it could have been the software that screwed you up. 90% of computer problems are software related (I didn't make that up, it's on the A+ test ;) ).

did you try doing a repair install?
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

[shazard]

So, software can affect my mobo/processor/BIOS? I will try the Repair Install as soon as I get home. I made a Ghost image last week and thought maybe I should restore that, but am awfully nervous that I'll end up having to start completely over.

While I've got someone who'll answer my questions, I'm going for it. :) If I do just nuke it and start from scratch, after I install XP, is there a specific order in which I should install other things, for instance audio drivers, Intel Desktop Monitor, Chipset Software Utility? I can't remember exactly, but I don't think I needed to install new BIOS version. Mobo was mfd very recently.

thanks again.

[Midknyte]

I thought you said you got the the windows splash screen? Oh, I just reread it. you mean the BIOS screen. doh.

reset the cmos first.

[shazard]

Okay. Will do. After I reset the BIOS, should I install Intel's Chipset Software Utility? I don't recall if I've already done that or not and I'm at work so I can't check. Would there be a way to found it if it was already installed?

[Midknyte]

you don't really need it, but it would be in add/remove programs.