Re: XP Pro Install prob

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
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Speaking of both idiotic pricing and 8580 system boards
    ... > Uh, the last GREAT version of Windows is WfW 3.11, where you can crash ... > it so hard it bounces, then go in with a bootable floppy with edit on it ... Win95 OSR2 is all you've got) and b) install and test a couple of very new ...
    (comp.sys.ibm.ps2.hardware)
  • please help me. slave drive not showing up
    ... Then I did the clean install XP os from recovery cd. ... before crash. ... After install xp it did not showing up slave drive on MY ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Win 95 to XP
    ... I would always recommended a clean install, ... more smoothly than a upgrade, and I bet with a upgrade you ... >trying to crash on us. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers)
  • Re: Exchange 2007 export to PST crashes powershell
    ... The crash is mostly refer to some 3rd-party software on the XP client. ... Do you install any antivirus software on the XP client? ... Click Start, click Run, and then in the Open box, type "MSCONFIG" ... click to check the "Hide All Microsoft ...
    (microsoft.public.exchange.admin)
  • Re: WMP keeps crashing. Anyway I can reinstall WMP on Vista?
    ... What's the current crash bucket information? ... The fault bucket information should likely narrow down ... I also checked the folder where divx had been installed. ... whihc I though was the only thing I did install anyway. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsmedia.player)
Loading