Operating System / Software Installation Guide

[JoeBar]

Very thorough Mr Steveo! Even if i didn't know u i would swear that u must had an amd system before...

You've been very helpful even if u are now on the "carefree" side...

[ronbo613]

Hello-I'll be entering the world of XP and Asus for the first time, your guide is very helpful. Looks like it would be easy to miss something.

Ron B

[YoBoGo]

Thanks Mr Steveo, this is awesome, I am just waiting for Tuesday when all the parts arrive and I can put this great guide to work! Now I can throw out my 17 separate threads I have been saving and just use ONE!

[Mr Steveo]

Originally posted by BigCat

1) I am curious about the PCI latency timer setting. I noticed my BIOS is showing 32 which is probably the default. Can you give some hints as to why you recommend 64.. This is just out of curiosity.

2) I usually use an XP backup CD that has SP1 already applied to it. So after I complete installation SP1 is already there. Do you think this could be an issue sometimes.. Would it be better to use the original CD and later install SP1 as explained in your guide?.

Youre welcome folks - glad to help.

BigCat:

1. Yes PCI Latency default setting is 32 on Asus motherboards; always has been. Why? I have no idea LOL

In simple terms, PCI latency timer is a setting that instructs the system how long a given PCI device is allowed to hold onto the PCI bus before allowing another device to poll and run its operation. The benefit of a higher PCI Latency setting is that hard drive perforamnce improves noticeably. This is especially true for RAID or PCI ATA controllers; but can also apply to regular IDE hard drives.

The downside of a super high PCI Latency setting is that some of your other PCI cards (especially sound cards) might not like it. Also a downside with a super high setting, is that devices have to sit and wit their turn longer to execute operations and some people say they can "feel" this latency (internet surfing that seems to have pause points is one example).

A setting of 64 is actually rather conservative, but it can give your system a little extra pep. Plus 64 is a safe setting for installing Windows. If you want to play with this setting and see if it gives you better HDD or system performance, here is my rule of thumb. Start at 64 and slowly move up in incrememnts of 10 saveing and rebooting in between. Keep gong as high as you can until you begin to notice choppy,poppy, or missing sound from your sound card. Then back this setting dwon a notch or two.

Again 64 is seriously consrevative. I have had systems well over 128 and running 24/7

2. What you have is either a pirated copy of WinXP (boooo ... youd never do that right?) or you have Windwos XP with Service Pack 1 slipstreamed. If what you have is Windows XP with Service Pack 1 slipstreamed and it was conducted properly, you have nothing to worry about. Just follow the Guide and the steps in order. Just be sure to skip the steps for installing Service Pack 1.

So in sum, "No." Ive done some research and so far as I can tell at this point, there would be no advantage to you installing with the original CD if you have a properly slipstreamed CD right now.

[ShoNuff_abx]

This has to be a sticky! Awesome job Mr. Steveo.

I got my GA-8INXP lastweek and I thought I was doing the right thing by installing the usb 2.0 drivers last. Well, that didn't work to well.

I used your method above (actually from a previous post) and all is well. Thank you for posting this info!

[Mr Steveo]

Shonuff.... you got that mega Granite Bay huh? Thats gonna be fun to game with. It sounds like you got a weekend of blowing up aliens at lightening fast speed coming up


Everybody:
Just a side note on computer building to those of you who say you are building systems this weekend: If you live in the USA then theres a 3/4 chance it is seriously cold where you are right now. Which probably means you are running your furnace like a madman (Brrrrrr)

Just a tip for any new people in the forum. I see a lot of you saying you are building new computers this weekend. When things get this cold and you run your furnace as much as you'll need to, things in your house are going to get seriously dry. Which means that you probably have lots of static electricity going on. If youre going to be opening your computer up and messing with parts this weekend, take lots of extra steps to minimize static electricty

Anti static wristbands and building barefoot on non carpeted flooring might be helpful

Dont zap an Asus this weekend

[BigCat]

Originally posted by Mr Steveo
Youre welcome folks - glad to help.

BigCat:

1. Yes PCI Latency default setting is 32 on Asus motherboards; always has been. Why? I have no idea LOL

In simple terms, PCI latency timer is a setting that instructs the system how long a given PCI device is allowed to hold onto the PCI bus before allowing another device to poll and run its operation. The benefit of a higher PCI Latency setting is that hard drive perforamnce improves noticeably. This is especially true for RAID or PCI ATA controllers; but can also apply to regular IDE hard drives.

The downside of a super high PCI Latency setting is that some of your other PCI cards (especially sound cards) might not like it. Also a downside with a super high setting, is that devices have to sit and wit their turn longer to execute operations and some people say they can "feel" this latency (internet surfing that seems to have pause points is one example).

A setting of 64 is actually rather conservative, but it can give your system a little extra pep. Plus 64 is a safe setting for installing Windows. If you want to play with this setting and see if it gives you better HDD or system performance, here is my rule of thumb. Start at 64 and slowly move up in incrememnts of 10 saveing and rebooting in between. Keep gong as high as you can until you begin to notice choppy,poppy, or missing sound from your sound card. Then back this setting dwon a notch or two.

Again 64 is seriously consrevative. I have had systems well over 128 and running 24/7

2. What you have is either a pirated copy of WinXP (boooo ... youd never do that right?) or you have Windwos XP with Service Pack 1 slipstreamed. If what you have is Windows XP with Service Pack 1 slipstreamed and it was conducted properly, you have nothing to worry about. Just follow the Guide and the steps in order. Just be sure to skip the steps for installing Service Pack 1.

So in sum, "No." Ive done some research and so far as I can tell at this point, there would be no advantage to you installing with the original CD if you have a properly slipstreamed CD right now.

Thanks a lot Mr. Steveo.

a) I will increase it 64

b) yes, it is SP1 slipstreamed into original CD. I always do this with service packs to save installation time. The USB update step seems not required in this scenario as well. One other thing is that the after first boot, SP has already installed Nvidia video drivers for my card, so I am not sure wether I should uninstall those (using a recent cleaner that was posted) before installing the chipset drivers and other stuff as per your guide.

[Zoolander1_abx]

Thank you Mr Steveo!
This is a lot of work and is very much appreciated.

One question I have. Could you please clarify in Step #25 re: the DX9 installation. Why does this step need to be done? I don't understand what it does. I'm a newbie and would just like to know out of curiosity.

Thanks again for the GREAT JOB!!!

[Mr Steveo]

Originally posted by Zoolander1

One question I have. Could you please clarify in Step #25 re: the DX9 installation. Why does this step need to be done? I don't understand what it does. I'm a newbie and would just like to know out of curiosity.

Firstly, Welcome to Asusboards!

In reply to your question:
There is currently a coding problem being investigated by both ATI and Microsoft. If you have DIrectX9.0 installed and you install the latest ATI drivers and control panel, when you open the advanced properties fo the Video card a Rundll.32 call is made to check for WHQL certificate revokation.

To people who use firewalls, this call out looked to them like something fishy going on. (See the hilariously long "Spyware" Thread posted at Rage3D by some freaked out kid. LOL) Obviously its not spyware , its simply part of the WHQL verification process with a coding error.

There appear to be two ways around this issue. Either go ahead and let the Rundll32 service connect to the remote servers, or follow the instructions I laid out in step 25. The reason I chose to write up step 25 is to avoid the people starting threads and freaking out about ATI drivers calling the Microsoft site. Since many uninformed people are starting threads like this all over the Web, I figured Id just stick step 25 in there and avoid the issue entirely

BTW, From what I am told this is no serious bug or flaw on either ATIs end nor Microsofts. And ATI enginneers are working with Microsoft hands on all this week bugchecking. If you follow step 25 it will have no negative consequneces to your system.

[Zoolander1_abx]

Mr Steveo,
Thanks for the quick reply!

[YoBoGo]

Question about the BIOS, especially on the P4PE. What is the best BIOS for this board, is the 1003 good? Also, if not and I need to change for whatever reason when my board gets here, is BIOS flash the very, very last thing I do?

Also, can you tell me:

1. what the benefit is (if any) of partioning the HDD and putting the OS on a seperate partition?
2. how big should the partition be (i have an 80GB IBM 7200) for windows
3. Does this mess with certain installs and downloads (I used to have 2 HDDS, F: and G:, couldn't install Palm software, tried to install automatically to C:, couldnt' find it, also had this issue with a couple of games).

Thanks!

[Mr Steveo]

Originally posted by YoBoGo
Question about the BIOS, especially on the P4PE. What is the best BIOS for this board, is the 1003 good? Also, if not and I need to change for whatever reason when my board gets here, is BIOS flash the very, very last thing I do?

Also, can you tell me:

1. what the benefit is (if any) of partioning the HDD and putting the OS on a seperate partition?
2. how big should the partition be (i have an 80GB IBM 7200) for windows
3. Does this mess with certain installs and downloads (I used to have 2 HDDS, F: and G:, couldn't install Palm software, tried to install automatically to C:, couldnt' find it, also had this issue with a couple of games).

Thanks!

A. Im using BIOS 1002. I havent experimented with the beta BIOS's. Some other people in the forum might be able to offer you more insight on the betas

1. Theres no reason you cant have everything on one partition. I included instructions for formatting other partitions so that people who have multiple hard drives or like extra partitions had instructions they could follow as well

2, Actually theres a rather intriguing argument for having Windows XP installed on a hard drive with only one partition. See this thread here and the assocaited MS links for details http://www.asusboards.com/forums/sho...dynamic+tuning

3. Im not really sure what you are asking here. but yes some software likes to be installed to the same partition as the Operating System.

[FB]

Thanks Mr Steveo,

for the advice about the PCI latency timers, i changed from 32--> 64 and my boot time dropped by about 12seconds, i have yet to try anything higher, but thanks again

again excellent install guide, i will print a copy out later to keep

[Sharpedge]

Mr Steveo:

This is GREAT!!!

I have been following various posts and when I find information about the BIOS or Software/Hardware Installation copying to a word document so I have it right at hand.

Yours too is now right there. I am running ME at the moment but will be changing to XP with your guide in my hand.

Thank You very much for taking the time to do this.

[swannema]

Excellent