Windows XP Will Not Install

[Domenick R. Lacertosa]

When I try a clean install from CD for Windows XP, I receive a "Cannot
format drive" error after choosing an NTFS file system format. If I choose
FAT32, it formats okay, but cannot copy any of the install files (Says HD is
damaged). It sounds like it is an easy problem to fix but I have had no
luck. I have previously installed the OS with no problems on the same
machine. It is not a simple fix because I have tried it with 2 different
motherboards and 3 different hard drives. If I put a HD in that I have with
windows 98 installed on it already, everything works fine. If I try to
install windows ME, it has problems copying some of the files to the HD.
Here is what I have done to figure out what the problem is to no avail. I
keep receiving the same "Cannot Format Drive" error after the formatting
reaches 100%. Any help would be appreciated, I am stumped.

I have tried 2 different motherboards with 3 different hard drives and
receive the same error in every combination.
I know all hardware is compatible because I have put WinXP on 8 other
systems that are exactly the same as this one.
I have flashed the BIOS on 1 of the motherboards.
When I go to recovery console I can run "format c: /fs:ntfs" with no
problem, but cannot run chkdsk - It says that drive has problems with any of
the 3 drives I use.
I have tried both HD's in other computers and they work fine.
I have turned off all shadowing in the bios and disabled on-board audio.
I have resetted the cmos on the mb.
I have disabled AGP accelleration options in the BIOS.
I have loaded "fail safe defaults" in the BIOS.
I have loaded "optimized defaults" in the BIOS.
I have tried all 4 different format options in windows setup.
I have sucessfully formatted the drive as NTFS on another machine, and tried
to install on that partition, and there are problems copying files over.
I have used 2 different CD drives for the install.
I have used 2 different WindowsXP installation CD's for the install.
I have used different IDE cables on the machines.
I have put the HD and CD-ROM on 33 and 66 IDE settings.
BIOS recognizes all hardware correctly.

I've also tried a bunch of minor changes the the BOIS and config. Any help
woulld be appreciated!

Here are the main specs if anyone is interested. I can give more info on
request.
AMD Duron 950
128x2 Generic Ram
2 Biostar M7VKD MBs with Default Award BIOS 6 installed on one and with Most
Recent Award BIOS Flashed on the other. (VIA-KT133 Chipset I believe).
20 GB Maxtor
20 GB Western Digital
4 GB Western Digital
(I have never tried it with more than 1 HD installed at a time).

Thanks in advance.

- Domenick Lacertosa

 

[Tony Meyer]

Seems to me about the only thing you haven't tried is another windows XP
Disk.....

 

[Tony Meyer]

Sorry, my apologies... I just re-read it, and it appears you have tried
another disk... Its got me beat....

 

[Domenick R. Lacertosa]

I swapped out one of my memory modules and now everything seems to work. I
have no idea why the BIOS didn't show any memory errors on boot. Anyhow,
removing one of the memory modules fixed my problem.

- Dom

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Greetings --

The BIOS doesn't really test the RAM modules; it only "counts"
them.

Bruce Chambers

--
Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on
having both at once. -- RAH