Installiing XP help!!!

[spiritwolf]

I know some about computers but have never come across this problem before. I can't seem to install any OS above Windows 98 SE. I get past all the first initial parts but when it gets to the "intstalling Windows XP" or "Windows 2000" (I have tried both) it just stays like that. I have tried to upgrade and it goes through all the initial first stages but when it reboots and gets to the windows in now installing prompt it goes to a black screen and does nothing else. I had an error message quite some time ago about the NTFS file system but have not had it since and can not figure this one out. There was some debate as to some blame going on the video card I was using at the time but I no longer have it and have long since forgotten the name. Any help would greatly be appreciated seeming I am completely ignorant on this one.

 

[tomrca]

installing xp

i understand from past post that putting xp over w98 can cause problems in some cases, do what i done boot from cd and make a clean installaton and format your hd

 

[tomrca]

installing xp

i understand from past post that putting xp over w98 can cause problems in some cases, do what i done boot from cd and make a clean installaton and format your hd. save your music and pics etc to cd or dvd in data form if you have any to save

 

[spiritwolf]

Nope...tried that. I have even wiped my hard drive and started from scratch with no success. When starting from scratch it goes through all the first initial startup stuff fine but when it reboots and it has the the "Windows is now Installing or Setting up" (whatever that phrase is) that is all it does. It freezes. It wont continue any further. It has me stumped. But I can format and install windows 95 or 98 just fine with no problems what so ever. I should also mention that I can take my hard drive out of my pc and put it in another one and install XP no probs but when I try hookin it back up to mine..all I get is a blank screen.

 

[Tedster]

did you reformat your hard drive under XP?
what are your system specs?
Is your copy of XP an upgrade or a full disc?

 

[spiritwolf]

I have reformatted under XP. I have reformatted manually. I have wiped my hard drive and written zeros back to the drive. I have deleted the partitions and created new ones. I have tried upgrading off Windows 98. I have even updated all my MOBO drivers, video drivers, and updated my BIOS and nothing has seemed to get me past that "Setup is now starting Windows" and then it freezes. I dont get it. I am truly stumped.

I have a: KT3 Ultra 2 MOBO with a VIA KT333 chipset
AMD Athalon XP 2200 + CPU
Onboard sound
384mb pc 2100 ddr mem
60 gb western digital HD 7200 rpm
NVidia GeForce FX 5600 256 mb
HSP56 Micromodem

 

[Tedster]

I had an Asus board that did that because the memory wasn't matched to the board.
RTFM and see what it says about brands that will work with the board.

If that isn't the problem the only thing left is the CPU.

 

[gonzalito]

Hi

Try and format the Hard drive again from scratch... try and get yourself a copy of a "G-DISK"... that would completely wipe off everything (data, partitions, everything...) And if it still has problems with installing... You just might have either a fudged up copy of windows (scratched, damaged, faulty cd) or your config might not accept your hardware settings (incompatible hardware purhaps???) you also just might have a faulty HDD... must of either done something wrong in the BIOS or its just your bad luck and your Harddisk went haywire...

Cristian


PS...

Have you used that copy of windows xp before (is it brand new or old)..??? and ifso... how many times have you registered your copy of xp... you just might have problems with just the OS software... if worst comes to worst... you need to purchase yourself a new copy...

 

[spiritwolf]

Ok, maybe this will help. I was outta town when pc crashed on my sis. Came back to a "NTLDR IS MISSING" message. XP would not boot. I tried Recovery Console but it didnt work so I tried to format and reinstall from scratch but it kept freezing at "Setup is starting Windows". Then I found out the video card I was using had some issues that would cause this prob so I replaced the video card. I have systematically replaced all the hardware in my pc checking for issues but no probs. It isnt the hard drive cuz I hooked it into another pc and XP installed fine. Windows 2000 wont even install. Memory is not the prob..checked on that too. It is almost like it wont take any OS that has the NTFS file system cuz all the OS with FAT32 install just fine.

 

[tomrca]

xp prob

only other options is to checkout your cd with another pc or your reader or there has been some changes made to the bios

 

[gonzalito]

Ok, maybe this will help. I was outta town when pc crashed on my sis. Came back to a "NTLDR IS MISSING" message. XP would not boot. I tried Recovery Console but it didnt work so I tried to format and reinstall from scratch but it kept freezing at "Setup is starting Windows". Then I found out the video card I was using had some issues that would cause this prob so I replaced the video card. I have systematically replaced all the hardware in my pc checking for issues but no probs. It isnt the hard drive cuz I hooked it into another pc and XP installed fine. Windows 2000 wont even install. Memory is not the prob..checked on that too. It is almost like it wont take any OS that has the NTFS file system cuz all the OS with FAT32 install just fine.

hmmm so it might be a fault in your system ... (one faulty part or something not connected properly, faulty memory/cpu, optical drives (faulty cd-rom, etc), a damaged/over used copy of windows xp has limitations on installation... there comes a point where you just need to re-register or buy a new copy of xp, bios probs(wrong sys config) or driver problems... (wrong driver, missing files, etc)...

As i said before try reformatting it with a "G-DISK" not an F-DISK a G-DISK.. (tho its not advisable to use a G-Disk if you have crucial documents and programs that arent backs up)....

 

[gonzalito]

i've done a bit of work with computers (jnr tech) and i also have encountered similiar problems as this... sometimes it just comes to hardware/software faults...

You would change and test soo much new hardware and you would still encounter the same faults with all newly added or tested componets... and that seems impossible... 'how can you have the same faults when its practically a new machine???' ... Noone is 100% sure bout that...at the end of the day... it could also be your supplier... they might distribute faulty/damaged hardware...in a few instances..(intensional or not) these kind of cercumstances arent out of the ordinary...

 

[Tedster]

if you can read your hard drive on another computer, then you know the HD is good from a controller card standpoint. A cheap and easy way to check is to get a $20 IDE to USB converter that converts your internal HD to external. It's an easy to test bad hard drives without the hassle of installing. You can get them on ebay cheap. If the controller and HD turn out to be ok, then you know the problem lies elsewhere.

 

[Samstoned]

try resetting your bios to default
set the hdd to master not cable select
had a hang like that with bios upgrade
plus there was a time when a crdom drive went and the copy process was corrupted.
most of my issues related (other than bios)where fixed with hardware replace.