clean install doesn't work

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jerry
  • Start date Start date
J

Jerry

After trying out lots of software I decided to do a clean install of XP
Pro. In preparation I removed all extra hardware cards and USB cables.
After partitioning and formatting the hard disk using the Western
Digital utility CD that came with it I then booted off the XP CD. The
initial text-based part loads a bunch of files and gets to the point
where it says it's starting Windows. It stops there. Since all this
hardware was working before this point, why isn't the setup working now
and how do I fix this?
 
I've tried both ways. The WD utilities install OnTrack to the HD.
Whether I boot and let OnTrack start first or boot directly off the XP
CD the setup always stops at Setup is Starting Windows.
 
Jerry;
If you haven't already, run the hard drive diagnostics from Western
Digital.
You had Windows XP installed before?
If so and various problems necessitated a reload, maybe the source of
troubles is hardware.
Reseat all cards and cables.
Try a different video card.
Remove/swap memory sticks making sure to stay above Windows XP 64MB
minimum.
 
Jupiter said:
Jerry;
If you haven't already, run the hard drive diagnostics from Western
Digital.
You had Windows XP installed before?
If so and various problems necessitated a reload, maybe the source of
troubles is hardware.
Reseat all cards and cables.
Try a different video card.
Remove/swap memory sticks making sure to stay above Windows XP 64MB
minimum.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the quick replies.

I have run the diagnostics from WD with no problems found. I've also run
memory diagnostics on my 684M for 16 or so passes with no failures
found. I currently have XP running on the same hardware on an older 40G
WD drive. I haven't added or removed any hardware in quite awhile nor
have I upgraded any of the drivers recently. I'll go ahead and reseat
the cables and video card as well as swap the memory around to see if
that makes a difference.

I started having random system freeze problems about the time I
converted from FAT32 to NTFS. This got me thinking that either my
hardware doesn't ply well with NTFS or the conversion process screwed up
somehow. Since I had been thinking about a bigger hard drive I decided
this would be the time to do a clean install on the new one with the old
one disconnected. That's where I'm having problems.
 
yes i am having the same probs with one of my machines
and i have tried changing all hardware for more that i know works including
mem and hdd video card even my floppy disk drive
further more i can install and run all other copies of this
operating system ie win9x ME 2000 and NT v4 v5
wots your motherboard that must be my problem
 
My motherboard is a Chaintech 7AJA2

Donky_BoY said:
yes i am having the same probs with one of my machines
and i have tried changing all hardware for more that i know works including
mem and hdd video card even my floppy disk drive
further more i can install and run all other copies of this
operating system ie win9x ME 2000 and NT v4 v5
wots your motherboard that must be my problem
Click to expand...
 
I may have just remembered how to solve my problem. Thinking about the
motherboard reminded me that there is an incompatability between the
BIOS or drivers and my Nvidia video board that prevents the initial
installation of XP. I had to use my old S3 board for the install. After
that I could put my Nvidia back in.
 
I may have just remembered how to solve my problem. Thinking about the
motherboard reminded me that there is an incompatability between the
BIOS or drivers and my Nvidia video board that prevents the initial
installation of XP. I had to use my old S3 board for the install.
After that I could put my Nvidia back in.
Click to expand...

Can you elaborate on the Nvidia incompatibility? I only have NVIDIA boards
to switch to, and I'm having trouble with the initial installation on a new
computer.

If you know of any links that talk about this, I'd be hugely grateful as
well. :)

Thanks!

-Joe
 
Haven't heard of any incompatibly. Nvidia boards are use on most computers.
Are you sure this is a video board problem . You say this is a new install ,
this means the causes could be many. Giving more exacting details of the
problem will necessary in finding the cause and fixing it. Jym
 
Jym said:
Haven't heard of any incompatibly. Nvidia boards are use on most
computers. Are you sure this is a video board problem . You say this
is a new install , this means the causes could be many. Giving more
exacting details of the problem will necessary in finding the cause
and fixing it. Jym
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of anything, except that all the components are brand new. The
stop error is 0x00000008e (give or take a few zeroes). I find it hard to
believe that brand new Kingston memory, straight out of the box, gingerly
installed, would somehow be totally screwed, yet pass all memory tests.

Abit AI7 mobo, NVIDIA QuadroFX 2000 graphics, Pentium 4 3.2.

-Joe
 
One would think that all new memory modules would work right . The MS
article that I will include ,suggests a possible memory module problem. I
have heard it of a memory timing problem that XP is so sensitive to. I also
have had the same error code ... cheap memory . All kinds of intermittent
problems. I would suggest buying a name brand , high quality ram recommended
by the board manufacture. Good Luck . Jym
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315335
 
Jym said:
One would think that all new memory modules would work right . The MS
article that I will include ,suggests a possible memory module
problem. I have heard it of a memory timing problem that XP is so
sensitive to. I also have had the same error code ... cheap memory .
All kinds of intermittent problems. I would suggest buying a name
brand , high quality ram recommended by the board manufacture. Good
Luck . Jym http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315335
Click to expand...

I would've thought you couldn't get much mor ename-brand than Kingston
memory. :)
 
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