Unable to install Windows from a USB thumb stick - "Checking NVRAM" bug

[Andreshk]

Hello, everybody! Long time reader, first time poster here.  :)

 

I'm having a strange problem and I am not sure where it's coming from. So I have had a couple of harddrives in my system for a long time, and have recently bought a new one, with the intention of using it as the main and only one. So, I removed the old harddrives, and with the new one (and only it) plugged in, I began installing Windows... and here is the problem, the motherboard doesn't even let me past all the POST messages and tests, it freezes on the "Checking NVRAM" message and no boot for me.

 

Before you ask, the HDD is already formatted (if it matters), and my MB is an oldie AM2+ Asus M3A76-CM.

Any ideas? Solutions? The interwebs hinted, that this NVRAM check is somehow related to the harddrives' bootsectors, but the HDD in question has never been used as a system drive. Clearing the CMOS hasn't worked, unfortunately.

Thanks in advance!

---

UPDATE:
Apparently none of that is related to the harddrives - the PC won't boot from a USB flash drive, that's it, I only get to see some of the POST messages, up until "Checking NVRAM" and it simply freezes  :wacko:

[Oisin Maguire]

I know that all the older motherboards cannot take drives that are 3TB and above {is that the case} 

[is the bios set to AHCI for the drives or legacy]

 

(im just throwing out a few ideas to you)

[Andreshk]

Nope, 2TB drive here; and it's partitioned in two, so none of that "2.2TB partition size limit" stuff... And it's not like my PC doesn't recognise it, I've used it for a while as a secondary drive...  :wacko: Will try fiddling with the drive modes.

[godlikegohan]

try unplug and replug in the hard drive.  sounds like a plug not all way in

 

.all so did you try booting to hiren's boodcd ) on a a usb drive or burned onto a cd

that way you could run a few programs for testing

[Andreshk]

No, the motherboard just doesn't let me boot off of the USB flash drive! :wacko: Last time I reinstalled Windows from such drive, there was no problem, now it hangs during POST - regardless of plugged in HDDs.... do you think it may be the thumb sticks' fault?  :blink:

[ethanp]

I realize this thread is long dormant but did you ever figure out the problem? I'm having this now. Same board, same situation.