Re: XP Pro Install prob

Ok cool.

Ripping apart one of the other machines to get another CD drive.

I'm thinkin (hoping) you're right abt the CD even though it's new (but it's
still seems strange that it'd go halfway and crap out).

I'lll be back later and let you guys know how we made out...

THANKS !

Rob
"Malke" <notreally@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:u8lTtkJCGHA.740@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
| Rob Giordano (Crash) wrote:
|
| > Ok I'll try that next. I just didn't want to be chasing too many
| > ghosts...someone had told me that XP will lock me out of installing
| > after a certain amount of attempts at installing.
| >
| > Just in case... how can I reformat if I wanted to start clean clean?
|
| > | Rob Giordano (Crash) wrote:
| (various snippages)
| > | > XP gets up to the point where it's actually starting to install
| > | > itself, then we get error about not finding I386, somekind of
| > | > manifest error (forgive me but don't remember the exact errors
| > | > since we tried it so many times, and Im now kinda burned out on
| > | > this).
| > | >
| > | > For a while it would ask to put the CD in or point to where I386
| > | > was, we tried this abt 5 times, now it doesn't even ask for that.
| > | > We are stuck in somekind of half-installed loop.
| > | >
| > | > I even tried using the full XP Pro CD from my machine, that didn't
| > | > work. We don't ever get to where it asks for the key...so I
| > | > thought this might work..nope.
|
| There is no limit to the number of times you can do the XP installation.
| You will not be "locked out".
|
| Most failures to install an operating system are because of faulty
| hardware. Here are some suggestions for you:
|
| 1. Swap out the CD drive for a known-working one. If that solves the
| issue, fine. If not...
|
| 2. Test the RAM. Marginal/flaky/bad RAM is one of the most common
| culprits. I like Memtest86+ from www.memtest.org. Obviously, you have
| to get the program from a working machine. You will either download the
| precompiled Windows binary to make a bootable floppy or the .iso to
| make a bootable cd. If you want to use the latter, you'll need to have
| third-party burning software on the machine where you download the file
| - XP's built-in burning capability won't do the job. In either case,
| boot with the media you made. The test will run immediately. Let the
| test run for an hour or two - unless errors are seen immediately. If
| you get any errors, replace the RAM.
|
| 3. It doesn't sound like your hard drive has any problems, but you could
| always test it to be sure. Test the hard drive with a diagnostic
| utility from the mftr. Download the file and make a bootable floppy or
| cd with it. Boot with the media and do a thorough test. If the drive
| has physical errors, replace it.
|
| 4. Here's a link to instructions about doing a clean install. You do not
| need a floppy drive since all XP CD's are bootable. You may need to
| change the boot order of the machine in the BIOS.
|
| http://michaelstevenstech.com/bios_manufacturer.htm - Accessing the BIOS
| http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install
|
| Malke
| --
| Elephant Boy Computers
| www.elephantboycomputers.com
| "Don't Panic!"
| MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User


.

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