Some problems with my new computer

Hi Very glad to see you got yourself a computer built.

First thing I want to say is that your problem with your Network at home, probably could be best answered in the Networking Forum. However, I will ask a friend to see if they can reply here, if he does not reply, I may direct you to post a topic that other forum. The problem you are having is not my specialty at all and is also not really related to System Building.

Ok. Print or write these directions down because if you will not be able to read this as you will be in the BIOS. Once that is done, restart your computer. Start tapping the Delete key repeatedly until you enter the BIOS (all blue screen with white writing). Please read the directions on how to navigate within the BIOS at the bottom of the BIOS screen. Note: ESC takes you back to the previous page, it is like the "back" button.

Change the memory to run at 1600Mhz (Probably XMP Profile 1)

• Use the arrow keys to highlight "Frequency-Voltage Control" Press Enter
• Arrow key to "Memory Feature" Press Enter
• By default, you should be on "Memory SPD"
• Press Page up or Page down and change to XMP Profile 1 (default is "standard" OR
• Whatever profile/option changes the "Target Memory Frequency" that is a couple lines down to 1600Mhz.

Next...

• On that same page, arrow down to "Memory Gap"
• Page up or Page down to change the setting to 1G, I believe 1.5G is the default.

This allows all of your memory to be seen, for some reason the default is set too high in my opinion, which takes away 512MB of your usable RAM.

To save what you have just changed, press F10, then answer Y, Press Enter
Your computer will reboot. This will test your system if it is capable to boot with the RAM at those settings. Don't worry, it should boot just fine. If it does not boot, simply enter the BIOS, set the RAM back to 1066 (standard) and your system should boot again. Let me know if you have problems.

Next, once you have entered Windows. Press and hold the Windows Logo Key(usually between Ctrl and Alt keys) then press the Pause/Break Key (usually located top right of your keyboard). It should list that you now have 6GB of RAM, I'm willing to bet it said 5.5GB of RAM before. Now to check your memory speed, go ahead and install the EVGA Elite Utility that is on your Motherboards Drivers Disc. Once installed, open the program up, under Memory you should see a setting showing the memory running somewhere around 800Mhz, which Double Data Rate (DDR) means it is running correctly at 1600Mhz.

Optional...

Full Screen EVGA Logo

• You may want the EVGA Logo to appear when you first boot, this is simple.
• Enter the BIOS (mentioned above)
• Arrow to "Advanced BIOS Features" Press Enter
• Arrow down to "Full Screen Logo Show"
• Page up or page down to Enable.

Also,

• Get to the main screen of the BIOS
• Arrow to "Integrated Peripherals" Press Enter
• Arrow to "Legacy Devices" Press Enter
• Arrow to "Onboard Serial Port 1" Disable
• Press F10, Press Y, Press Enter, Computer will Reboot.

Serial Ports are old, used for older/legacy devices. If you don't know if you have any serial devices, then you probably don't. Generally from the Pentium 3, and further back era's (P2, P1).

Lets try to fix the Cannot Not Find Hard Drive problem you are having.

Try this first. Make sure your boot order is correct.

• Enter the BIOS
• Advanced BIOS Features (Press Enter)
• Arrow to First boot Device
• Change to Hard Drive
• Arrow to Second Boot Device
• Change to CD Rom
• Third Device, doesn't really matter, change to disabled if you want.

If that doesn't solve it, Please tell me what ports your SATA Data cable is plugged into that connects to your hard drive. Sata 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. etc.? and is it Red or Black? Very small on the motherboard it should say, or consult your motherboard's manual and let me know.

That is it for now, good luck and post back to let me know how it goes.

J.R.

Ok, I did everything you said and these are the results:

Change the memory: I changed it to XMP orfile 1 and Target Memory Frequency was set to 1600. I changed the Memory Low Gap to 1G. Now when I logged into windows and installed EVGA E-LEET it said the memory was running at 796mhz (which is good according to what you said). When I pressed the windows button + break it showed my memory at "2.56ghz,2.99ghz" which I think means it is wrong?

I changed the load up screen to the EVGA logo which is a nice touch, thanks.

As for the unnecessary load up screens: I entered the BIOS and noticed that I already changed the first boot device to hard drive when I was setting up my computer originally, as well as the secondary to the CD Rom. The exact wording of the error is "Looking for drives; Done. No drives found" I believe. It still loads up that specific screen twice and then loads up windows. The hard drive is connected to SATA0 (which is black) and the CD one is connected to SATA5 I believe (which is also black).

I will create a new thread in the networking forums as suggested so I could potentially get an answer a little faster hopefully because a computer without internet is pretty useless haha...

Did you use a 64bit Operating System for your build? 32bit OS only allows you to see about 3.2GB of RAM or so. 64bit will allow you to see much much more, including your 6GB you have installed. You need a 64bit to fully utilize all of your RAM.

796mhz is correct, that is what it should be.

Hmmm,

The exact wording of the error is "Looking for drives; Done. No drives found" I believe. It still loads up that specific screen twice and then loads up windows.

AHHH! Yes, I almost told you to disable these screens through the BIOS, but I thought I would leave it alone since it doesn't hurt anything and I didn't know what SATA Ports you were using. It is checking all the SATA ports to see if you have any IDE or SATA drives (that includes CD ROMs and Hard Drives) connected to those ports.

So, these are not errors, it is just checking the ports. Lets see...

Connect your SATA Data cables into ports 0 and 1 (The middle black right angled Ports on the motherboard)
I'm not exactly sure which option in the BIOS triggers that screen you are talking about, but I would do this, one by one if you want to figure out which is the cause. (This is pretty much exactly how I have my BIOS set up)

• Enter the BIOS
• Arrow to "Integrated Peripherals" Press Enter
• Arrow to "Legacy Devices" Press Enter
• Arrow to "Onboard Serial Port 1" Disable
• Press F10, Press Y, Press Enter, Computer will Reboot.

• Enter the BIOS
• Arrow to "Integrated Peripherals" Press Enter
• Arrow to "Onboard/On Chip PATA/SATA Devices" Press Enter
• Arrow Down to JMB363 SATA/PATA Controller
• NOTE: On the right side of the BIOS, this should control SATA Ports 8 and 9, I THINK. If you ever want to run a RAID configuration with two hard drives, you will need this enabled
• Page up or Page down to Disable
• Try this next one at the same time or seperate depending on how picky you want to be about finding what causes that screen.
• 2nd, Arrow up to Legacy Mode Support
• Page up or down to disable

Try all that out, That is what got that screen to go away for me.

If you are wondering why your computer boots a little slow, it is because this motherboard has a 8 Phase Power Design and it takes a little while before it will boot. Notice the beep you here doesn't sound right when you hit the power button? That is why, it is going through the phased power design which is a really really good feature, just boots the computer a little slower, that's all.

Ok, I disabled both 6/7 and 8/9 and that solved those screens, problem solved. As for the 32 vs. 64 I guess I only have the 32 version which kind of sucks but that's not the end of the world, problem solved there as well. Just have to figure out the network issue and all will be well haha

Thanks again for all your help!

Awesome!

Just remember that 6 and 7 are your eSATA ports. One is on the back of your computer/attached to the motherboard. The other is a header on the motherboard you would connect a eSATA wire to if you had a eSATA port on the front of your computer case. If you ever need those, you will have to enable 6 and 7. OK?

I have contacted a friend to take a look at this topic. He lives in the Netherlands, so he may not have gotten the message yet due to Time Zones.

You can always start a new topic in the Networking Forum, and post a link in this one if he should read this.

Good Luck!

As suggested I did start a thread in the networking forum (right here).