Big Problem using XP PRO SP2 CD to validate a windows installation

[RSS]

I have been using a machine for awhile that a friend built for me, and
it did not have a valid copy of windows. I have decided to fix this,
and I purchased Windows XP PRO SP2 and tried to do the upgrade. All I
really wanted to do was get my purchased product code activated, but I
thought I needed to run the "upgrade" to do this.

Now, unfortunately, I have a big mess.

1. When the upgrade runs, it gets to the point where there is about 20
minutes left, and it starts telling me that it cannot copy files
(first one is icwconn1.ex_ and then there is a long list of them that
it fails on).

2. The first time through, I tried skipping these figuring that maybe
they were already installed from my previous installation. But what
that left me with was a machine that won't run Windows. When I
restart, it goes up through the Windows screen, and then it restarts
itself.

3. So I tried the install again, and it does the exact same thing.

How can this be, that a purchased copy of Microsoft Windows will fail
to install and claim it cannot find files on the CD?

What are my options here? I don't want to lose all my application
installs because that would cost me a very large amount of time.

For what it is worth, this machine has a second bootable hard drive,
so I do have access to poke around on the computer if there's
something that can easily be done to fix things.

Thanks in advance.

I sure don't like this "slap on the wrist" that I'm receiving in
exchange for being a good consumer and going legit.

RSS

 

[Bill James]

Often when I see the symptoms you are describing the CD is scratched.

 

[RSS]

the CD *is* scratched. not sure how that's possible with a brand-new
disc. it's not a big scratch... but maybe that's it. i have another
copy Windows XP and i will try that... will post again to update

 

[Bill James]

OK, good luck with the other CD. Also, while it sounds odd, sometimes if you copy a CD with a few scratches, the copy will work.

 

[RSS]

bad news... worse than i thought.

1. i tried the other CD and it would not let me enter my product
registration code (as it if is tied to the CD)

2. so i tried my other CD drive, which often reads things that the
first one won't. no luck.

3. so then i used the new XP CD up through the point where i enter the
product code, and when it gets to the "can't copy file" part, i tried
putting in the other windows CD figuring that it would get the files
from there. but it again says it cannot read the same exact files!
it is as if it doesn't care which disk I'm using. it won't read the
files.

so i am at a loss. i suppose maybe if i did a full installation,
instead of an upgrade, it would work, but i don't want to destroy
everything on a gamble like that until i know i am out of options.

any other suggestions would be appreciated. right now the status
remains that i cannot boot from that drive - it just automatically
reboots itself.

thanks again for the suggestions.

 

[Bill James]

I don't think you have said what you are upgrading from, but many times a clean install will end up being more satisfactory in the long run. If you still want to try to upgrade, if the existing OS is still accessible, load it and run disk cleanup, chkdsk and defrag. Also, don't for forget the little trick of copying the scratched CD then using the copy. Also, I have sometimes got around this problem by opening the tray when the read error occurs, turn the disk 90 degrees or so, then clicking retry.

 

[RSS]

sorry i didn't specify what i am upgrading from. i actually already
have windows xp sp2. the ONLY reason i was running the upgrade was so
i could enter a valid product code - my windows was not previously
valid since a friend had built the machine for me. i purchased a
valid copy and wanted to enter the correct product code.

i should note that before i tried to do the repair install, i tried
using some "questionable" utility that i found posted in a newsgroup
called xppid, that was supposedly going to let me change my product
code without doing the install process. now i am wondering and
paranoid that this "utility" was maybe a virus that a) prevents me
from installing, and b) steals my product code... but maybe i am
wrong.

i presently do not have access to the existing OS on that drive.
though i do have a second drive in my machine with a functioning OS.
i already ran chkdsk /f /r on the problem drive and no problems were
found.

i read some weird stuff in the link below about possible causes of
this problem, and i am not sure if i should be considering what they
have listed...

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;Q310064&id=kb;en-us;Q310064 (the section about file-copy errors)

i don't think i'm overclocked, and i don't know what they're talking
about with the DMA stuff, or whether that's likely to be my problem.

i can still try the suggestions you've made regarding opening the
drive and closing it. but this is TWO copies of XP that won't copy
those files, and it happens in TWO different CD drives in my
machine... so it really makes me wonder if it's a virus...

thanks again!!!

 

[RSS]

for what it's worth, i also am running the windiag memory tests on my
machine since other newsgroup postings (and microsoft website) suggest
that the problem could be failed memory. the basic tests found no
errors, and i am running the extended tests.