Clean Install crashes at 34 Minutes Remaining

[Guest]

Thanks for all of the helpful info. I found a place that will check the
motherboard and won't charge me if it is not the culprit.

I am going to look into another barebones system as you indicated. That
sounds better that further blood, sweat and tears over this one!

 

[S. Taylor]

Your welcome and good luck

 

[grcomp]

What is it that John Cleese says as the headmaster in Clockwise: "It's
not the despair.... I can take the despair. It's the hope I can't
stand"

You may have reached this point by now, but if you want to try one last
thing...

Though there are clearly a range of problems that cause the thirty-four
minute disaster .. one of the causes seems to be the computer running
out of resources, especially on mainboards that have lots of on-board
extras such as audio and video (rather than these being provided by
separate add-on cards). The lack of resources can be compounded by the
computer "doubling up" and attempting to load both standard drivers and
proprietary drivers eg both standard ide controllers and SiS ide
controller drivers. Anyway, the point is, a possible work-around that I
have used successfully on these occasions is to get hold of an earlier
version of XP and switch to that CD briefly when the system reboots to
have another go at installing. You can switch back to your own CD after
the 34 minute crisis has passed. All I can say is that it has worked
for me - perhaps because the earlier XP version does not attempt to
provide the proprietary drivers (!?). Good luck if you decide to give
it a try.

Just to be clear - in my own case I switched from using XP with service
pack 1 to a pre-service pack 1 version of XP. How applicable this is to
your situation I don't know, but it did appear that you had built-in
sound. I don't think you mentioned a make of motherboard - the problem
sometimes affects "no-name" motherboards that use SiS drivers.

But I do understand that sometimes it can be a relief to say "That's
it! Enough!"

Best wishes, Omeganut.

 

[jan]

Hi,

I am also facing the same problem ..windows xp crashes at 34 or 35 min
durning installation on my IBM LAPTOP...

Windows ME IS WORKING FINE...

If you have found the solution to your problems, please also mail the
solution
at my email address (e-mail address removed)

 

[vidbits]

I have an ASUS P4PE MOBO (broadband and sound on MOBO), 1 gig of memory
and an ATI 8500DV graphics card.

I have the same problem as the others.

Using an IDENTICAL configuration, Windows 2000 installs perfectly, but
on a clean XP install as soon as it hits that 34 minute mark my screen
goes blank for 2 seconds, returns and in about 2 seconds the little
green progress marker stops and my machine freezes solid. (I have tried
using the original XP install disk as well as a disk slipstreamed with
SP2).

I've checked memory, pulled out all my USB devices, pulled my external
USR modem, and the problem continues.

Funny thing, in the Award BIOS there are two settings that have never
"appeared"... Under "Advanced", the manual shows 3 sub-settings -- Chip
Configuration, I/O Device Configuration and PCI Configuration. The
latter two subsettings do not appear. I don't think that's the problem
with installing the OS, but it bugs me.

The graphics card is "suspicious" to me -- but it is supposedly
compatible with Windows XP.

The fellow that built my system has left me "high and dry" -- just
telling me to go looking on the net for a solution. He more or less
wants a BLANK CHEQUE to do any work.

I have never been so frustrated in my life because I am disabled and
it's going to likely cost me $200-$300 to get somebody in to TRY and
diagnose the problem.

I am thinking about "starting over" with an ASUS P4P800-E DELUXE MOBO.

 

[Anna]

I have an ASUS P4PE MOBO (broadband and sound on MOBO), 1 gig of memory
and an ATI 8500DV graphics card.

I have the same problem as the others.

Using an IDENTICAL configuration, Windows 2000 installs perfectly, but
on a clean XP install as soon as it hits that 34 minute mark my screen
goes blank for 2 seconds, returns and in about 2 seconds the little
green progress marker stops and my machine freezes solid. (I have tried
using the original XP install disk as well as a disk slipstreamed with
SP2).

I've checked memory, pulled out all my USB devices, pulled my external
USR modem, and the problem continues.

Funny thing, in the Award BIOS there are two settings that have never
"appeared"... Under "Advanced", the manual shows 3 sub-settings -- Chip
Configuration, I/O Device Configuration and PCI Configuration. The
latter two subsettings do not appear. I don't think that's the problem
with installing the OS, but it bugs me.

The graphics card is "suspicious" to me -- but it is supposedly
compatible with Windows XP.

The fellow that built my system has left me "high and dry" -- just
telling me to go looking on the net for a solution. He more or less
wants a BLANK CHEQUE to do any work.

I have never been so frustrated in my life because I am disabled and
it's going to likely cost me $200-$300 to get somebody in to TRY and
diagnose the problem.

I am thinking about "starting over" with an ASUS P4P800-E DELUXE MOBO.

vidbits:
I can understand your frustration. We've come upon this same situation more
times than I care to remember. XP is very "touchy", both during the
installation process and normal operations, when it comes upon what it
perceives to be "non-compatible" hardware, and will balk upon proceeding any
further, whether the OS installation process is currently underway or if
already installed, normal operations are involved.

You're right to suspect your graphics card. When the installation process
aborts at the 34 minute mark it's nearly always due to some video problem
that the installation process has identified - either perceived or real.
What makes the situation more aggravating is that in many cases there is
*no* problem in this area, i.e., the video card is non-defective, but the
installation process detects some sort of anomaly. In many situations, if
you repeat the installation process a number of times (we've sometimes had
to do it four times), the install will "take" and there will be no further
problems.

Of course, it *is* possible that your video card is defective and should be
replaced. And/or it *is* possible some other hardware component may be
involved, including, of course, the motherboard itself. Unfortunately the
only way you can definitively diagnose the problem is to substitute
components, not a practical task for most home users. I don't think your
BIOS settings are the culprit, but review them just to make sure.

Can you get your hands on another video card and install it in place of your
current one? That would probably be the best place to start after you've
attempted multiple installs with your present system.

Keep us informed of your progress.
Anna

 

[ANONYMOUS]

Is this going to help?

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;815319

 

[vidbits]

Is this going to help?

http://tinyurl.com/9bo6j

I don't think so because all my USB devices are not enabled and the
install fails using SP2 while the above message applies to SP1.

I have a brand new ATI AIW 9800 graphics card so will be swapping out
my 8500DV AIW card to see if that makes a difference.

It's very strange as I have created the "Ultimate Boot CD 4 Windows"
using the slipstreamed XP CD and that boots my machine perfectly -- and
appears to have no problem with "devices".

 

[S. Taylor]

I have an ASUS P4PE MOBO (broadband and sound on MOBO), 1 gig of memory
and an ATI 8500DV graphics card.

I have the same problem as the others.

Using an IDENTICAL configuration, Windows 2000 installs perfectly, but
on a clean XP install as soon as it hits that 34 minute mark my screen
goes blank for 2 seconds, returns and in about 2 seconds the little
green progress marker stops and my machine freezes solid. (I have tried
using the original XP install disk as well as a disk slipstreamed with
SP2).

I've checked memory, pulled out all my USB devices, pulled my external
USR modem, and the problem continues.

Funny thing, in the Award BIOS there are two settings that have never
"appeared"... Under "Advanced", the manual shows 3 sub-settings -- Chip
Configuration, I/O Device Configuration and PCI Configuration. The
latter two subsettings do not appear. I don't think that's the problem
with installing the OS, but it bugs me.

The graphics card is "suspicious" to me -- but it is supposedly
compatible with Windows XP.

The fellow that built my system has left me "high and dry" -- just
telling me to go looking on the net for a solution. He more or less
wants a BLANK CHEQUE to do any work.

I have never been so frustrated in my life because I am disabled and
it's going to likely cost me $200-$300 to get somebody in to TRY and
diagnose the problem.

I am thinking about "starting over" with an ASUS P4P800-E DELUXE MOBO.

 

[S. Taylor]

I've never had this problem with XP (probably haven't used it long enough
yet)
I can strongly suggest that you begin by following Anna's suggestion.
Try several times, to install XP, but make sure you have disconnected ALL
usb
devices from the computer, many, if not most USB devices require the drivers
to be installed
before they're plugged in, anyways.
If you're using a usb keyboard or mouse, try switching to PS/2 , or get a
USB->PS/2
converter, or, if you prefere, make sure your BIOS' settings for USB Legacy
Support
is active (may have a different name)

If all else fails and you decide to replace hardware,
begin by following Anna's advice and borrow or use a backup video card,
first.
I have had several ATI vdieo cards and have absolutely nothing good say
about them.
I've had ATI cards prevent stable installation of windows 98, I've had them
destabilize
a pre-existing installation, I've had them prevent the bios from posting.
I've exchanged more new ATI cards in the last 2 years then i can count on 2
hands.
I went thru 4 different models before I switched to an NVIDIA based card.
If you decide the video card is the problem, I'd suggest you use an NVIDIA
card.

IF you decide to change the motherboard and use an AMD cpu, stay away from
the ALI chipset,
try and get one with an AMD or NVIDIA chipset (i've never had problems with
them).


There are also little things you can try, such as having the BIOS load Safe
Default settings,
in case they guy that built it made a change he shouldn't have.