weird windows XP installation

[Marmeladov]

I recently put togehter a new computer and intended to install XP on it. When trying to install XP Pro, setup fails in the "pre-installation" phase (where drivers are being read). After this, there is nothing else to do than restart the computer Installation always fails at the same spot, and therefore i'm thinking there might be a hardware problem. However, what makes this problem somewhat interesting is that an evaluation version of XP Pro is possible to install without any problems. Strange since there seems to be no difference between installation procedurec between the evaluation version and the regular release.

Ideas anyone?

[Arcuivie]

What motherboard are you using?

[JPMiller]

Have to ask...could it be something as simple as a dirty or scratched install CD?
And yes some specs might help.

[Marmeladov]

I ihave actually tried two different CD's, but it fail at the same spot with both the CD's so the scratch theory is probably not applicable.

Here are my system specs:
Abit IC-7
P4 2.4c
512Mb Twinmos PC3200
Sapphire Ati Radeon 9600 Pro
IMB Deskstar 180GXP 80Gb

[Arcuivie]

Hmm, I had the same problem but with a different board (Asus A7N8X-VM). The only thing's we have in common are our video cards and that both of us have PC3200 ram. It is possible that it could be the video card, not exactly sure, does your motherboard have onboard video?

[Wannabe Z]

It could be the type of RAM you are using. I had a similar problem in class when trying to install Win2K Pro, it turns out it was a bad stick of RAM. If the RAM isnt fully supported by the mobo it may be the ticket.

[crossedup]

I had the exact same problem just yesterday, tried to install 5 times, 2 differant cd's. Always stopped on same file or files. Holding down enter would usually get most of them to work but a couple would just never install

I swapped out memory, PSU, HD, cd-rom to no avail.

Finally got it solved last night after flashing the BIOS with a newer version. Still tried to give me trouble but managed to install all files this time.

Dont know if thats solution but its something to try.

[nishark]

XP is very picky about RAM
trying replacing ur RAM stick and see if it works
or maybe try the installation on some other pc

[RayH]

I'll go with RAM. Or the CD drive.