SYSTEM CRASHED TRYING TO REINSTALL WINDOWS

[Guest]

I posted a question about recovering my backed up hard drive and did not get
any response. I am trying to reinstall Windows XP Pro to a Seagate 80GB SATA
drive. I cannot get Windows to format it. I tried a new 200GB SATA drive I
had and same problem. I don't have any new IDE drives to try and don't trust
an old one. I have had a lot of problems with SATA on my system. My laser
printing was crashing my computer with power surges even connected to a UPS.
I kept getting config.sys errors then different ones each time. I unplugged
all the add on cards and got the same. I bought a new system memory and same
problems. I even changed out the power supply also. About a week later
after it sat it will let me repair windows from the backed up copy of files
and then sits over a day when it says Windows Configuring to reinstall it. I
am about ready to give up. I have a Gigabyte GA-7N400-L motherboard and AMD
XP 2.5 Ghz processor. I would appreciate any ideas. It would be great to
repair the original install since I had a lot of programs installed but I
just want to get my computer working again.

Thanks in advance
__________
In the quest for knowledge.

 

[Ron Martell]

I posted a question about recovering my backed up hard drive and did not get
any response. I am trying to reinstall Windows XP Pro to a Seagate 80GB SATA
drive. I cannot get Windows to format it. I tried a new 200GB SATA drive I
had and same problem. I don't have any new IDE drives to try and don't trust
an old one. I have had a lot of problems with SATA on my system. My laser
printing was crashing my computer with power surges even connected to a UPS.
I kept getting config.sys errors then different ones each time. I unplugged
all the add on cards and got the same. I bought a new system memory and same
problems. I even changed out the power supply also. About a week later
after it sat it will let me repair windows from the backed up copy of files
and then sits over a day when it says Windows Configuring to reinstall it. I
am about ready to give up. I have a Gigabyte GA-7N400-L motherboard and AMD
XP 2.5 Ghz processor. I would appreciate any ideas. It would be great to
repair the original install since I had a lot of programs installed but I
just want to get my computer working again.

Strip the machine down so that there is only the one hard drive (the
SATA one) and one CD/DVD drive to install Windows from. Remove or
disconnect all other drives.

Will it install that way?

Once it is installed you can reinstall/reconnect the other drives. You
might want to manually assign a higher drive letter to the CD/DVD
before you do this so as to keep your hard drive letters contiguous.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP (1997 - 2006)
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference
has never been in bed with a mosquito."

 

[Guest]

I got it to load with an older XP SP1 but when I try install the motherboard
drivers for the USB or SATA when it reboots it crashes and won't start. Last
known settings doesn't bring it back. Looks like I keep getting a quick blue
screen with a page file error. I downloaded the new drivers off Gigabyte but
haven't tried them yet. Like I said this all started after my new Samsung
laser printer started crashing my system a few months after I got it. It was
plugged into the same outlet but not on the UPS and it crashed my computer
repeatedly on the UPS. Samsung said it's normal for a large power draw when
it first powers up. They told me to plug it into a different outlet. All my
outlets in this room are on the same circuit.

I have tried replacing everything but the AGP 8X video card and motherboard.
Don't know if it is one of those that was damaged by the power surges.