Can't Install Windows XP

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Guest

I recently upgraded my son's pc and I'm having trouble installing windows xp.
Everything goes fine until windows starts copying the necessary files.
Messages start popping up saying "file (any name) could not be copied. please
press enter to try again or press F3 to continue without copying file" This
is a paraphrase of the exact message, but anyone familiar with windows will
know what I mean. Anyway, I've formatted and tried re-installation at least
5 times and it keeps doing the same thing. Its never the same files that
don't copy. Sometimes its random .dll files, sometimes its .sys files,
sometimes it .exe files, etc. I've updated all drivers on the motherboard,
check voltages on the system, checked cables, etc. I thought that maybe the
cd-rom was bad so I replaced it to no avail. I'm thinking that the hard
drive might have some bad spots on it, or even the memory. I need help!
Sorry about the long posting, but this has me stumped. And yes, the media
should be fine and not corrupt because its a brand new retail version I just
bought with no scratches or anything on the cd.
 
Big said:
I recently upgraded my son's pc and I'm having trouble installing windows xp.
Everything goes fine until windows starts copying the necessary files.
Messages start popping up saying "file (any name) could not be copied. please
press enter to try again or press F3 to continue without copying file" This
is a paraphrase of the exact message, but anyone familiar with windows will
know what I mean. Anyway, I've formatted and tried re-installation at least
5 times and it keeps doing the same thing. Its never the same files that
don't copy. Sometimes its random .dll files, sometimes its .sys files,
sometimes it .exe files, etc. I've updated all drivers on the motherboard,
check voltages on the system, checked cables, etc. I thought that maybe the
cd-rom was bad so I replaced it to no avail. I'm thinking that the hard
drive might have some bad spots on it, or even the memory. I need help!
Sorry about the long posting, but this has me stumped. And yes, the media
should be fine and not corrupt because its a brand new retail version I just
bought with no scratches or anything on the cd.
Click to expand...

Could be hitting bad sectors on the hard-drive, run scandisk.

Flamer.
 
Big said:
I recently upgraded my son's pc and I'm having trouble installing windows xp.
Everything goes fine until windows starts copying the necessary files.
Messages start popping up saying "file (any name) could not be copied. please
press enter to try again or press F3 to continue without copying file" This
is a paraphrase of the exact message, but anyone familiar with windows will
know what I mean. Anyway, I've formatted and tried re-installation at least
5 times and it keeps doing the same thing. Its never the same files that
don't copy. Sometimes its random .dll files, sometimes its .sys files,
sometimes it .exe files, etc. I've updated all drivers on the motherboard,
check voltages on the system, checked cables, etc. I thought that maybe the
cd-rom was bad so I replaced it to no avail. I'm thinking that the hard
drive might have some bad spots on it, or even the memory. I need help!
Sorry about the long posting, but this has me stumped. And yes, the media
should be fine and not corrupt because its a brand new retail version I just
bought with no scratches or anything on the cd.
Click to expand...

The problem might have been with the computer upgrade. Just
what was done? Adding more memory, for instance, can be a bit
tricky in view of how new memory can be combined with the old.
This would be a good place to start checking.
 
Make sure BIOS settings aren't odd. You might want to restore them to
defaults or "optimal".

Make sure computer is not overclocked.

Make sure the memory is good:

www.memtest86.com

- memtest86 is well known - can take a while to run the full set of tests.

Make sure cables connected, cards seated.

Makse sure harddrive is good. NTFS is preferred format.
 
flamer said:
Could be hitting bad sectors on the hard-drive, run scandisk.
Click to expand...

Scandisk isn't going to help. Besides, there is no Scandisk in XP and the OP
hasn't got the operating system installed yet.

To the OP: Failure to install an operating system usually indicates hardware
failure. You said you upgraded the computer - did you make sure the RAM you
bought (if you bought new RAM) would work with your motherboard? Do
hardware troubleshooting starting with the RAM, then the hard drive. Here
are instructions:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Troubleshooting

Malke
 
Hello Big Cal Fyre Big Cal,
I recently upgraded my son's pc and I'm having trouble installing
windows xp.
Everything goes fine until windows starts copying the necessary files.
Messages start popping up saying "file (any name) could not be copied.
please
press enter to try again or press F3 to continue without copying file"
This
is a paraphrase of the exact message, but anyone familiar with windows
will
know what I mean. Anyway, I've formatted and tried re-installation at
least
5 times and it keeps doing the same thing. Its never the same files
that
don't copy. Sometimes its random .dll files, sometimes its .sys
files,
sometimes it .exe files, etc. I've updated all drivers on the
motherboard,
check voltages on the system, checked cables, etc. I thought that
maybe the
cd-rom was bad so I replaced it to no avail. I'm thinking that the
hard
drive might have some bad spots on it, or even the memory. I need
help!
Sorry about the long posting, but this has me stumped. And yes, the
media
should be fine and not corrupt because its a brand new retail version
I just
bought with no scratches or anything on the cd.
Click to expand...


I had the problem you described above, and it turned out to be my CD drive
that had problems reading the Windows XP cd, so my suggestion is, try with
another cd drive and see if it works then.
 
Big said:
I recently upgraded my son's pc and I'm having trouble installing windows xp.
Everything goes fine until windows starts copying the necessary files.
Messages start popping up saying "file (any name) could not be copied. please
press enter to try again or press F3 to continue without copying file" This
is a paraphrase of the exact message, but anyone familiar with windows will
know what I mean. Anyway, I've formatted and tried re-installation at least
5 times and it keeps doing the same thing. Its never the same files that
don't copy. Sometimes its random .dll files, sometimes its .sys files,
sometimes it .exe files, etc. I've updated all drivers on the motherboard,
check voltages on the system, checked cables, etc. I thought that maybe the
cd-rom was bad so I replaced it to no avail. I'm thinking that the hard
drive might have some bad spots on it, or even the memory. I need help!
Sorry about the long posting, but this has me stumped. And yes, the media
should be fine and not corrupt because its a brand new retail version I just
bought with no scratches or anything on the cd.
Click to expand...


Problems copying files or corrupted files during installation are
most often caused by defective, incompatible, or sub-standard hardware;
in order of likelihood, either RAM, the hard drive, or the motherboard.
On very rare occasions the CD drive or installation CD is the problem.


--

Bruce Chambers

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