Cannot get xp to install, getting desperate!!!

[Guest]

Hi all, I posted the below about a week ago and 2 very helpful people tried
to help (their responses are below), however after trying their solutions it
still freezes on the install at the exact same place. If anyone has any
ideas on what I can try now I would be most thankful, I think my cousin's
starting to get withdrawal from whatever mmorpg he's subscribed to!!!

Thanks, Mark

I'm trying to fix my aunt's computer after she had a problem with
submitting passwords. My early attempts, although fixing a number
of other problems, did not work. I asked her to dig out her xp cd
and I'd try again.

At this point she attempted to fix it herself using a restore cd
from another computer. What this done exactly i'm not sure but it
left the computer in a worse state than before. I decided the best
plan of action would be a complete format and reinstall, something
I've done a dozen times, this time it's not behaving.

Everytime I attempt this the format works fine, it then copies the
required files on the computer and restarts all as normal, however
it then freezes on the windows splash screen after the timer bar's
3rd lap. I thought it maybe the fact the computer only had 256mb
of ram with 32mb of that being used by the mobo for graphics so I
put a 512 in... still no results.

I assume it is a hardware problem, i've tried 2 different xp sp2
disks now, but I don't want to recommend her spending any money if
it's not needed.

Computer spec...

Processor - Celleron 2.4Ghz
MSI VIA® ProSavageDDRT P4M266A » P4MAM-V
512mb ram
80gig ide hdd

Any help would be very very much appreciated!

Below are the 2 responses I got which I tried without any luck...


First - using a restore CD from another computer more than likely - if it
tried to work - killed everything.

I would try removing/unhooking everything other than necessities.

Motherboard/memory/hard drive/CDROM drive/video card/monitor/keyboard/mouse
and power for it all.

Try your install from there. When it asks where to put things - erase the
partitions (hope you backed up) and reboot - do not do anything else.. Go
through the install again and when it asks where to install - create two
partitions and format the first one. Then reboot. Then go through the
first part of the install again and when it asks where to install - delete
the partitions again - create one big one and continue the install.. What
you just did was insure that you have nothing left from the old install (at
this level of data access) and so the clean install will really be clean.

 

[Guest]

A restore cd is from a oem,and is specifically for that machine...Youre right,
it'll make things worse,alot worse..Try installing xp cd,start in the
BIOS,set
cdrom with xp as 1st boot device,boot to cd,at xp cd boot screen select,
install xp,new copy,delete the partition,create one,then let xp format the hd
and install auto.

 

[Michael Stevens]

Even when you give correct advice, the formatting of your reply makes it a
challenge for anyone to understand.
Why do you even reply?

Michael Stevens MS-MVP XP
(e-mail address removed)
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com
For a better newsgroup experience. Setup a newsreader.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

 

[Mr. Roboto]

Mark: Have you determined that you don't have a hardware
problem ? It's *possible* you have bad RAM chip or (less
likely) a bad spot on the hard drive. Download and burn a copy
of the Ultimate Boot CD located @ http://ubcd.sourceforge.net/.

Make sure that the PC is working (to the extent that you can),
then maybe Windows itself is at fault. Check your RAM with Doc
Mem and your hard drive with whatever is appropriate....MR

 

[Guest]

Thanks for replying but I've already tried that without sucess.

thanks,

Mark

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your reply, I'll give the 'ulitmate boot cd' a go and let you know
how it goes.

thanks,

Mark

 

[Guest]

Hi thanks again for your help,

I've run the ultimate boot cd and checked the hard drive and memory and both
are working fine.

I have looked up the motherboard on the msi website and it says it supports
up to PC2100/PC1600 and the ram that is in the computer is PC2600... could
this be the problem? It does seem odd if it is as that is what was in the
computer when my Auntie bought it, only 256Mb which I upgradged to 512mb to
see if a shortage of memory was causing the problem.

Thanks again,

Mark