XP Pro SP3 installation problems

[emstyles]

Hey I took a minute to browse around for an answer to my problem but I couldn't find it, so maybe one of you can help

I'm trying to clean install XP, but(in innumerable tries) the computer shuts down.

Generally I go through the installation, make a new partition format it(quick because when I choose the other it shuts down before finishing) and at some point the computer just quits.

I got a message one time on a blue screen telling me the hardware might be connected wrong so I went in and checked it out but it seemed fine.

I suspected it might be overheating so I cleaned out the dust and I'm going to replace the cpu fan today because it doesn't seem to turn on at all and the heat sink gets burning hot.

The only thing is the issue seems more like software when Im dealing with it so if anyone can shed some light?

I read somewhere it might be a driver issue with the sata hard drive but I don't have any idea how I could solve or even diagnose that.

I can install ubuntu 9.04 fine(making me wonder...) but I need windows for some sound production programs so I can't give up.

Help

 

[Tmagic650]

Remove any modems, USB cards or adapters, any sound cards and swap the memory modules around. Try the XP install again. Be sure to clean off the old CPU thermal grease and apply new grease before you change the CPU heatsink and fan

 

[Wil 0' Wisp]

If you still having problems do as sugestted, a barebones install, as little as possible in the box or connected. It sounds from what you are describing as a overheated CPU do as suggested about the cleanup use your fingernail edge to scrape the top surface of the chip (it should be to soft to damage the surface and dont lick you finger either most HTPaste is obnoxious or posionous) and once you have reapplied a small amount of THeatPaste if you can wiggle the heatsink on the cpu GENTLY! to make sure the paste has no bubbles trapped, to smear it to thin layer, and to spread it around . If you have more than one Memory module try the rebuild with only one in, if that fails swap the other in and try again. If it worked originally with the BIOS setup as was what has changed? only if the system was setup with the new advance OHCP mode (!) think that right) to support SATA drive you might will have to use the altenative drive suport mode which sees the drive as more as atapi type drive.