Installing Problem......Windows XP....

[cmgray74]

Hi all,
I am looking for some ideas on why I am seeing a scenario happen when I
install Windows XP and how to get around the issue...

OK the System;

AMD 1.3GHz Athlon
MSI motherboard
512 megs Ram
40 Gig Hd
Net Gear Network Card
Video,Sound are built in the motherboard.

The motherboard was a MSI board that Gateway bought for years and then
discontinued and dumped the board. I bought a few and have had no
problems with them. The board and CPU when I bought it was very
reasonable.

The system was running Windows XP flowlessly for over 2 years. I am a
developer and its my test box. Anyways I let different family members
use this machine occastionally and it got full of spyware/crud etc so I
decided to reinstall WinXP. I fdisked the drive and booted the WinXP
CD. Then I choose my partition and let the install format and begin
installing the O.S. to the Drive. The drive completes its formatting
and then does some sort of drive check and then the whole machine
freezes.

I have tried formatting the Drive before installing XP but no luck. I
have tried doing the quick NTFS Format and it freezes The machine just
freezes. I know I can install XP onto this machine as I ran it before
for two years. I wanna say I had to do something out of the ordinary to
get it to install but I just can't remember what anymore. Does any one
have any ideas on how to get this thing to install XP? Or pointers to
try?

Thanks,
Chris
SolomonMan

 

[Rich Barry]

Try going into the Bios and select Fail Safe or Optimal Settings.
Disconnect anything you don't need for the install.

 

[Haggis]

Try going into the Bios and select Fail Safe or Optimal Settings.
Disconnect anything you don't need for the install.

get a drive tester from the manufacturers website and test the drive ...is
"SMART" enabled in the BIOS ?

 

[cmgray74]

All,
I am thinking I disabled the Sound Card in the bios and pulled the
network card before I installed windows XP the last time. Its horrible
when you forget things. I will try again tonight after work.

I am going to run Maxtor's Utilties across it, even though the drive is
only about a year to year and half old and its been sitting for more
then half not running as I did not use it.

The only thing I think is a little weird is, on all my install attempts
through the CD WIndows XP install, I did/do not have the option to
format the drive with FAT32. I swore I had the ability to do that
before on other installs. The option is just not there. Any ideas on
why?

Anyways thanks for the ideas,(I'll keep you posted)

Chris
SolomonMan

 

[cmgray74]

All,
I ran the maxblast and the other max tool and it came back the drive is
fine.
I even "low leveled the drive" that took a while and ran all the tests,
all came back "congratulations....."

The machine just refuses to load the O.S.

I am going to play tonight some more. I have disabled the sound card
and I pulled the network card out of the Machine. I am now positive I
had to do something in the bios to make this thing work but can't
remember. Any ideas?

I have to finish installing three other machines tonight that I started
over my lunch hour and then I will be back on this one.

I am open to any ideas.

Thanks,
Chris