I also got this problem (immediate restart when installing Windows 2000) on my MMX PC. It was because the riser board was not powered.

For installing Windows, I used to install from USB drive since I don't have any CD drive. Here's how:

Download a bootdisk with USB drive support (see bootdisk.com). You also need a copy of Microsoft Smartdrive (google "SMARTDRV.EXE")

At another system, copy all the Windows 2000 CD into a USB drive in a folder (use name less than 8 char, ex. WIN2000). (It could be ANY USB drive as long as it is formatted as FAT16 or FAT32, no NTFS). The USB drive don't have to be empty. (SD cards or CF cards on an USB Cardreader also works).

Plug the USB drive into the computer that you want to install, and boot from the disk. Navigate to the USB drive (it could be D:\ or E:\ or another letter according to your computer configuration).

Go inside the Windows 2000 folder using CD (ex. CD WIN2000), and execute the winnt.exe inside the i386 folder. Then, do the setup as usual.

Hope this works.

I was already helped with these problems. As you say, the problem was caused by the riser board not being connected (and, later, by an odd number of RAM modules).

I made a new thread last week, this time concerning how to connect IDE cables. That problem was resolved too; three smaller problems are left now.

With regard to the USB method of OS installation; seems interesting for use with my pentium 4, as it would make a slipstream installation of Windows XP much easier to perform. I'll think about it next time I format the HDD in my pentium 4 system.

WIN 98SE is probably the best OS to run if your system can handle it. WIN ME I'm iffy on even if your system is fast enough. There are a lot of hints and tips sites out there that can get it running more stable than when it left Microsoft but it might take you a while to make all the needed changes. I'd plan on setting aside a weekend or three days for troubleshooting and bug fixes if you plan to use ME.

Do you get a BIOS post screen? If not, sounds like Power Supply issues to me.If you do get a POST from the bios, and it fails to load windows... it would be because the HAL is wrong. That would occur from installing the OS from another computer with a different CPU type. You mentioned it's a P4, and your trying to run it on a PII/PIII ? I don't know what that CPU upgrade is myself, OR windows installed the wrong chipset drivers. I wouldn't run windows2000 on it either, because it's about as heavy as XP is.
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ddexxters75 wrote:

Do you get a BIOS post screen? If not, sounds like Power Supply issues to me.If you do get a POST from the bios, and it fails to load windows... it would be because the HAL is wrong. That would occur from installing the OS from another computer with a different CPU type. You mentioned it's a P4, and your trying to run it on a PII/PIII ? I don't know what that CPU upgrade is myself, OR windows installed the wrong chipset drivers. I wouldn't run windows2000 on it either, because it's about as heavy as XP is.

The booting problems were, in fact, already resolved (causes: first, the riser board not being connected, and, later, an odd number of RAM modules).

The installation of Windows 2000 succeeded, but I do have a few remaining Windows-related problems. I discussed these in my two last posts in my other thread. They have not yet been resolved.