XP will freezes at startup screen before completing instalation

[Guest]

Hello,
Whenever i tried to clean-install/upgrade from 98 se to Xp home i get as
far as second startup screen (the one where the loading icon is blue not
gray) after xp has installed all instalation files (when it reboots after
"preparing to install"). Then it freezes, if i reset, it no longer finds the
keyboard, if i shut down and unplug, it loads again then freeze again (though
not always at the same places). I tried removing and/or disabling all
unessary hardware though i've double checked and aprt from a superfluous
modem (that's been removed) all hardware and software are compatible
according the xp catalogue. On closer examination in repair & recovery, it
tell me my regedit.exe is corrupt or damaged (no active controlset key, start
value key). I don't live in the one area that microsoft has the "hotline"
for Canada", (is there a 1-800 number?) and i can't get to my PID (because
windows won't start) so i can't contact Microsft by email either.
i have :
p4sp-mx 400Mhz asus mother board with celeron pentium 4
with maxtor 60 gig hard disk

Please if anyone has any suggestion let me know.

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, senientsilent.

HOW have you "tried to clean-install/upgrade from 98 se to Xp home"? Did
you boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and tell it to clean install? Did you let
Setup repartition/reformat your hard drive?

If you booted into Win98 and attempted to upgrade from there, then you
started with Win98 drivers in control and WinXP had to try to "migrate"
those to the WinXP versions during the upgrade - and this is not always 100%
successful.

RC

 

[Guest]

thanks for taking the time to help (BTW)
It's a brand new hard disk so I've tried to clean install xp by booting from
xp cd (the hard disk software formated and partitions specifically for xp).
And i've tried installing 98 se then upgrading to xp. i Removed modem, sound
card and disable mother board network card on both types of installs (all
things the upgrade check told me might be problematic, though are in the
catalogue of acceptable hardware) and disconected my other hard disk. As i
said, the first hard disk is brand spanking new, nothing on it (no norton,
internet explorer...). When i installed win 98 se it worked perfectly, ie;
hard disk, network, internet, other hard disk, but either way i put in xp it
freezes at the same screen, though sometimes after 2 seconds, sometimes after
35 secs. Also on both installations it gives me the same response in the
repaire mode for the regedit, "controlset key not active", "no start value
key". I've tried each intallations atleast 4 or 5 times.
Any Ideas?

 

[Guest]

just wanted notification...

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, sentientsilent.

That's about all you've told us about your hardware, so we've had to make
some assumptions - which may not be correct. ;^{

I assume that HD is a "standard" IDE that needs no special drivers; if it is
SATA or SCSI - or maybe even ATA133 - you might need to press F6 early in
WinXP Setup to install its drivers from a floppy diskette.

You haven't said how much RAM you have. WinXP needs considerably more than
Win98 is happy with. With RAM prices low these days, 512 MB is the "sweet
spot"; 256 is adequate for most users; 128 can work, but performance will be
sluggish; 64 MB may not be enough to get WinXP installed in some systems.

Your 400 MHz CPU should be adequate for WinXP, though not a speed burner.

Removed modem, sound
card and disable mother board network card on both types of installs (all
things the upgrade check told me might be problematic, though are in the
catalogue of acceptable hardware) and disconnected my other hard disk.

Those are good steps to take. Do you have current WinXP drivers for all
that hardware? As you probably know, WinXP deals with hardware MUCH
differently from Win98. Any driver that worked with Win98 almost certainly
will NOT work with WinXP. Visit the website of each hardware manufacturer
and look on their support pages for instructions and drivers specifically
for your hardware model and WinXP. If you mention specific brand names and
models here, someone may recognize them and give you specific guidance.
Without that information, all we can do is make "generic" guesses, which are
more likely to be wrong than right. :>(

RC

 

[Sharon F]

it no longer finds the
keyboard,

USB? If you have PS/2 keyboard or an adapter for the USB keyboard - it
could be worthwhile to use that during setup. Go back to USB once XP is
installed.