Unable to finish install of Windows XP Pro

[USNDave]

Built new computer, other one is old. I have a retail version of XP Pro, SP3 with COA. Purchased XP from Tigerdirect.com so it should be legit. During installation we had a power loss at the point where windows is installing files and I had 35 minutes left. Now when I try to finish the install it just freezes at the point we had the power loss and will not install anymore.

 

[mailpup]

The installation was probably corrupted. Have you tried to start over from scratch? If not, I would.

 

[Wepynx]

This happened to me twice, the first time I turn my PC off and left it off for 4 days then started over and it worked. The second time on a different computer I had to open my PC and unplug the cable to my harddrive, then plugged it back in an hour later and started over and that worked too.

 

[USNDave]

I've left the computer off for more than a week, still same problem. I've also tried to start over but it never starts at the beginning. Is there some way to format the HD again, then try to install windows?

 

[Wepynx]

Have you done a quick format or a full format, and do you delete the selected partition ??

 

[USNDave]

Since it always in the setup mode I can't do anything. I would love to be able to format. I was reading the setup log. Here's the info that's in it.
Setup failed to install the product catalog. This is a fatal error. The setup log files should contain more information.
The G:\i386\NT5INF.cat catalog could not be found. The error is 1. This is a fatal error.
If you know how to do a format while it's in this setup mode please let me know.

 

[mailpup]

It doesn't sound like you are booting from the Windows disk. If you were, it wouldn't matter what you do or do not already have on the hard drive. Make sure the first boot device is set to the optical drive that has the Windows disk. Set the boot order in the BIOS or boot menu. The difference is if you set the boot order in the BIOS, you will usually want to reset it later, after Windows has installed. If you change the order from the boot menu, it is a one time change and will revert back to the original order by itself after the Windows install. Your choice really.

 

[USNDave]

Ok, changed the boot order to just the CD. Was able to start the install from the begining. Got to the point where it says it's going to start windows and says to remove and disk in drive A, so I removed the CD. Computer restarted and nothing happened. So I rebooted went into BIOS and it had not returned to defaults, still just CD as only boot. So I put the HD back into the boot line up, saved & exit. Computer still will not boot from the HD. So I started all over again, same situation. Building computers, over coming problems use to be fun. I guess I'm just getting to old for this??

 

[LookinAround]

When I read your post, I remembered the "XP installation hangs at 35 minutes" is a common problem. Think it happened to me as well some time past. I forget the solution but it's probably out there somewhere https://www.google.com/search?q=win...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

 

[fimbles]

Remove ethernet cable or ram or something to do with an unrecognized hardware driver?

https://www.techspot.com/community/...-install-hangs-at-35-minutes-remaining.20255/

Been a while since I bumped in to this problem.

 

[SNGX1275]

I agree with mailpup.

Here is what I would do (perhaps you've already done this and it didn't work):

1. Set BIOS boot order to this: 1st CDROM, 2nd Hard Drive (nothing else matters after this point)
2. Boot with XP disk in the CD Drive. XP, I believe says "press any key to boot from CD..." press a key so you ensure it boots off the XP CD.
3. Format and install during the setup.
4. When the computer reboots during setup, remove the XP CD*. The computer then tries to boot from CD, there isn't one, so it goes to 2nd priority boot device, the hard drive. XP's initial setup puts the crap on the hard drive so it will boot from the hard drive and continue the installation. I think it will still want the CD at some point during installation, so put the CD back in after the XP setup starts to load from the hard drive.
5. Complete the installation.


* You shouldn't have to do this step if you avoid pressing any key when the XP disk says "Press any key to boot from CD..." but not having the CD in the drive in the first place eliminates the potential for something to go wrong here and it boot from the CD anyway.