Re-installation problems

[olliejk]

I had a problem with a corrupt system file that i could not repair (many
methods attempted including using systems restore from a command line and
using system.sav). I finally gave up. I did let the windows HD utility (sorry
forgot the name right now) check the HD and it was fine. After connecting the
HD to another machine and spending 1.5 days extracting every file I could I
started the long and painful process of re-installing the operating system. I
got the OS (XP Home) on with some minor problems. First time for some reason
it kept having trouble “copying files during the installation…lots of them.
It did seem to work, though, on the 2nd time through.

Once the OS went on, I installed all the hardware drivers (which came w/ my
mobo). Finally I started installing the XP Home updates. After installing SP2
things got REALLY bad. I could not log in anymore. I would get the Windows
"Splash" page and my machine would reboot itself. I tried every form there is
of safe mode. Using system restore from a command prompt wasn’t an option
since any time I got to where the actual OS was booted to a point of being
able to interact w/ it the system would reboot. I am now re-re-installing the
OS. Only difference is last time I did not re-format (I just let it delete)
and this time I am reformatting it.

Now the HD isn’t a RAID HD, but there are various raid mode options in the
Bios for the Sata & Sata2 controllers, so I went ahead and installed the Raid
drivers. I figures what could it hurt? Now I’m wondering if the drivers
sometimes “confused†either the bios or the OS into thinking it WAS a raid
system since the option now existed. This time I’m leaving the Raid drivers
OFF to see if that helps.

Basically I’m worried about getting to the point where I put SP2 back on.
I’ve been up to ~3am every night working on this (& going to work &
refinancing the house & being a dad & husband) and am gonna go nuts if I get
to the SP2 level and face this again.

Are there any known issues with SP2 relating to this reboot issue which I
should watch out for (such as install a patch somehow)

Mobo is an ASRock 939Dual Sata2
Processor is AMD Athlon X2 3800+
HD is Maxtor 160GB Sata2

 

[JS]

I'd check the hard drives for problems and save yourself some effort if the
drive is defective.

Disk Diagnostic Utilities from:
Western Digital's Data LifeGuard Diagnostics
http://support.wdc.com/download/?cxml=n&pid=999&swid=3

Seagate's SeaTools
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools

Maxtor's (Now Seagate) PowerMax
http://www.seagate.com/maxtor/

Fujitsu's Utilities
http://www.fujitsu.com/us/services/computing/storage/hdd/support/utilities.html

Samsung's Disk manager software
http://www.samsung.com/Products/HardDiskDrive/utilities/shdiag.htm

Hitachi's Drive Fitness Test software
http://www.hgst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#DFT

JS

 

[olliejk]

Well other than the windows utility I did recently check with a Maxtor
Utility and the HD was fine. To be honest, though, I've long wondered about
either the HD itself or the HD controller. Even though it’s passed checks
throughout its life it always behaved oddly. Even when it was working I would
have occasional cold boot problems (i.e. it would hang or crash If I was
starting it when it had been off for a while, restarts & reboots always
worked fine). Since different utilities have been clearing the HD of issues I
have to wonder if there is a hardware problem w/ the HD controller.

Either way, though, I still want to know if there is a KNOWN failure mode
with SP and this continues cycle of rebooting on log in.

 

[JS]

You can try un-installing the existing/buggy SP2 install.
Then download (don't use Windows Update) the actual SP2 file from Microsoft
Note: To verify the ability to un-install SP2 go to Add/Remove Programs
in the Control Panel, it should be listed there.

Windows SP2 file download site:
Create a folder and download the SP2 file.
After the download completes, double click on the .exe file to start the
install.
(Note: The download file is large but Windows will only install what you
need)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...be-3b8e-4f30-8245-9e368d3cdb5a&DisplayLang=en

Order Windows XP Service Pack 2 on CD (No cost)
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx

Get Your PC Ready for Windows XP SP2
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx

JS