help please installing windows xp pro

[fnando66]

I just got a new hard drive and would like to install windows xp pro on it when the cd boots up it does everything right until it gets to " setup is starting windows" under a blue screen and that's where it stops I tried formatting the hard drive I ran fdisk tried a different hard drive and it does the same on all. I ask for your help please I am fustrated I have spent 2 days on this with no result. Thank you all.

[fnando66]

I forgot to mention the hard drive is a maxtor 30G and the mother board is a SOYO SY-K7Vempro

Sometimes it takes a while to load. How long did you leave it for?

What RAM have you got installed. Have you any different RAM to try? Sometimes windoze is a bit funny about RAM.

Cheers
Mick

BTW, Welcome to TechIMO!!

[fnando66]

it's been stuck in that screen for about 20 minutes, I have SDRAM I don't have any other ones. Any ideas?

[sKiT]

I had a bad CD that gave me the exact the symptom your talking about. As soon as I tried another WinXP PRO cd it worked fine.


You could try to copy the I386 directory to the hard drive and then try installing it from there by running the winnt.exe in that folder.



Also another option might be removing all cards and disabling all onboard "goodies" in the BIOS and then trying again.

[fnando66]

you know sKiT I tried that and it does the same thing.

Does the CD install in another machine? That's the best way to test it.

I'd still be suspicious of RAM. If you have more than one stick, and a single stick of at least 128MB, I'd try loading with a single stick and if it installs, put the rest back in. Worth trying, at least, IMO.

Sometimes windoze doesn't like cetain RAM combinations for installing, but can cope with them once installed.

Cheers
Mick

[fnando66]

ok I will try the ram issue to see what happens and I will post back thanks.

[fnando66]

Sorry to say that didn't do a thing the RAM did not make a difference.

Did you remove all other cards like skit suggested in his edit? Just CD, HDD, RAM, and vid card to start with.

Maybe there is a conflict somewhere.

Oh, and set BIOS to default properties as well.

If you've tried all that, I can only supsect that there is something wrong with the CD install routine. Can you try it on another PC to see if it's gets past the block you get?

Cheers
Mick