Win2K Installation Dell Laptop Machine Identification Data Hang

[J Haas]

I'm trying to install Win2K on a Dell laptop that came pre-installed
with WinXP. I've done this dozens of times but on a laptop I just
received I'm hitting a problem.

The CD won't boot, so I'm installing it using the boot floppies. I
boot using the first floppy and it gets to the screen that says
"Loading Files (Machine Identification Data)" and it hangs. I reboot
the machine after sitting on that screen for 10 minutes and it gets to
the same screen and hangs.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[wales-is-useful]

W2k SP4: Had the same problem, changed mem sticks, reset usb bios, no use until swapped vid' card (no onboard VGA output).
Therefore prob' in this case was hardware.