Setup fails to install XP

[JesseM]

Alright, this sucks.

One day I find that a virus is on my computer. Trying to remove it manually, I restart my computer in safe mode. I get a blue screen that says something like "Scan for viruses and remove any new hard drives." Then I kept trying to restart the computer in any way possible, with no luck. I tried everything from BIOS settings to "Last known good configuration." and removing my 2nd hard drive, but it kept coming up with that error after about 5 seconds of the Windows XP loading screen.
Then, I decided to reinstall Windows to see if that would help. Now here's where I'm currently stuck: It keeps telling me "Restarting setup........." on a blue XP screen and then turns black and says "Safe mode" around the screen, even if I start the computer not in safe mode. After about 3 seconds, an error pops up, "Setup doesn't work in safe mode" or something like that.

That's as far as I've gotten, and I am having to use the computers at school to type this and do all my homework. ANY ideas or help would be appreciated.

 

[Rik]

Not without knowing your system specs!!!!!!!!

 

[Darth_Terra1]

As mentioned some specs would be useful, on top of that it maybe the only way to solve the problem would be to format the drive and start from scratch it seems the virus has caused to much damage just to do a windows repair or just re-install windows without the format.

 

[JesseM]

Oh sorry I thought I had them on there.
Dell Dimension 8250
Windows XP SP2
Pentium 4 2.40GHz
120GB and 250GB hard drives
ATI Radeon 9250 128MB video card...

 

[Rik]

I figured out your problem, its a dell!!! only joking!!

Are you using the original dell installation disk?

 

[JesseM]

Yeah, it's the origional Dell XP disk.

 

[Rik]

Doing as Darth_Terra1 suggests and reformatting the drive is the best way to go!!!!

 

[JesseM]

Yeah I did that, against my wishes. I lost everything I had on that 120GB hard drive but whatever, right?

 

[Rik]

Soooo, does it install ok now????

 

[JesseM]

Yeah it installed and worksbut I was just hoping that I could find out what the problem was. Thanks.

 

[Darth_Terra1]

Yeah it installed and worksbut I was just hoping that I could find out what the problem was. Thanks.

The problem was the virus you had it damaged to many important system files, get yourself a good antivirus and firewall installed if you haven't already.