XP Home Edition Upgrade Hangs on Installation

[Guest]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again? Thanks.

 

[its_my_dime]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older
computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging
up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the
green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to
have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again?
Thanks.

In all probability (and infortunately) you may end up having to reformat
your hard drive and do a new installation. In the meantime, try coping the
i386 file to your hard drive and install from there. Also, download sp2 to
a cd so that you can install it after XP, assuming your XP installation is
successful.

 

[its_my_dime]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older
computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging
up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the
green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to
have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again?
Thanks.

In addition to the i386, there are some setup files on the disk (not part of
the folder) you will also need.

 

[Bob I]

The "hangs" were likely hardware related, and putting an even bigger
load on the system by installing XP is not likely to matters any better.

 

[its_my_dime]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older
computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging
up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the
green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to
have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again?
Thanks.

Did you disconnect your printer, scanner, zip drive and everything else
except the mouse and keyboard?

 

[Guest]

Hi. Thanks for the help. I'm not sure I understood your earlier post about
files "on the disk (mot part of the folder)" as the upgrade is installing off
a CD-ROM disk purchased at a retail store.

As for connections, all the peripherals got moved over to the new computer.
The only thing left plugged into the old computer besides the keyboard and
mouse is a set of speakers. I can disconnect them easy enough.

Should I just try to reinstall the upgrade again? Would it help to select
"new installation"? I'm a bit worried about the "Bob I" post that implies
that the Upgrade isn't going to help. I don't know how to solve hardware
problems.

-Kurt

 

[its_my_dime]

Hi. Thanks for the help. I'm not sure I understood your earlier post
about
files "on the disk (mot part of the folder)" as the upgrade is installing
off
a CD-ROM disk purchased at a retail store.

As for connections, all the peripherals got moved over to the new
computer.
The only thing left plugged into the old computer besides the keyboard and
mouse is a set of speakers. I can disconnect them easy enough.

Should I just try to reinstall the upgrade again? Would it help to select
"new installation"? I'm a bit worried about the "Bob I" post that implies
that the Upgrade isn't going to help. I don't know how to solve hardware
problems.

-Kurt

What happened to me was that the computer just couldn't process the
information (expand the files) fast enough from the disk but could do so
when the information was already stored on the hard drive. So, I moved the
i386 file plus the setup files to the hard drive and upgraded from there.

 

[Roberto le Corneille]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again? Thanks.

Your statement "The old system had a nasty habit of hanging up
at inopportune times" tells me you may have hardware problems, which
installing XP will never fix. More likely it will bring more
problems given that XP is more demanding on hardware than Win98.

Start by testing your RAM and HDD
DL memtest86 here www.memtest.org
DL hard drive diagnostics from the manufacturer's site

rgds
Roberto

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I'm trying to install a Windows XP Home Edition upgrade on an older computer,
currently running Windows 98. The old system had a nasty habit of hanging up
at inopportune times, so I thought it was due for an upgrade. I installed
using the default settings ("upgrade" rather than "new installation"),
although the old computer isn't connected to the internet, so I couldn't
download updates. No serious hardware or software incompatibilities were
identified on the "collecting information" step, and I went ahead. The
system hung at the end of the "preparing installation" step, with the green
status bar filled in all the way. I'm totally locked up and am going to have
to turn the machine off. Any suggestions on how to do this again? Thanks.

I'm thinking that your Win98 "hang ups" were caused by a hardware
problem, which cannot be fixed simply be changing the OS.

Have you verified that all of your PC's hardware components are
capable of supporting WinXP? This information will be found at the PC's
manufacturer's web site, and on Microsoft's Windows Catalog:
(http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx)

You should also take a few minutes to ensure that there are
WinXP-specific device drivers available for all of the machine's
components. There may not be, if the PC was specifically designed for
Win98/Me. Also bear in mind that PCs designed for, sold and run fine
with Win9x/Me very often do not meet WinXP's much more stringent
hardware quality requirements. This is particularly true of many models
in Compaq's consumer-class Presario product line or HP's consumer-class
Pavilion product line. WinXP, like WinNT and Win2K before it, is quite
sensitive to borderline defective or substandard hardware (particularly
motherboards, RAM and hard drives) that will still support Win9x.

HOW TO Prepare to Upgrade Win98 or WinMe
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q316639

Upgrading to Windows XP
http://aumha.org/win5/a/xpupgrad.htm

HOW TO Troubleshoot Windows XP Problems During Installation When You
Upgrade from Windows 98 or Windows Me
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q310064


--

Bruce Chambers

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