hanging during install
 

Went to setup up xp pro this weekend on a spare computer and it hangs during the installation. Here are the points i get to:

boot from cd
go through the eula
create a partition
format the partition
it copies the files
then it restarts
then it shows the windows loading screen and just stops for no matter how long i leave it on for.

it hasn't gone through the installing process yet but should if I could ever get it past that boot screen.

now this computer had xandros 3.0 on it before I tried putting xp on it, but I did a low level format to get rid of xandros.

specs:
p4 2.4 Ghz CpU
512MB pc3200 ddr ram
120gb hd
ati 32mb video
on-board lan/sound card


this is not the first time this happened, i thought well maybe something was wrong so I did another low level format last night and tried setting up xp again this morning but it still hung on the loading screen.

anyone have any suggestions? thanks.

how big is c:\ and is it FAT32 or NTFS
also, have you tried any any other win OS like Win Me or Win98
to see if they will install?

Since you did an LLF, the only thing I can think of is bad ram or a hardware conflict. I'll assume this box was running ok so I would pull all/any PCI cards etc, and try again? You might also consider reseting the bios to it's default mode.


}---:)

My first guess is what Tuby said was Bad Ram.

richard, it is formatted to ntfs and the partition is 97gb.

tubey, yes it was running fine before the llf. i pulled the other nic i had in the pci slot (that was the only extra card in it) because the onboard one didn't work with xandros, but it still hung.

i'll reset the bios and if that doesn't work I'll run a memory tester on it and report back.

If I understand you correctly, it sounds like it hangs right in the spot WindowsXP install kicks in the highRES. Try a different video card.

don't have one to try KC.

Your ati 32mb video is onboard?

"Went to setup up xp pro this weekend on a spare computer and it hangs during the installation. Here are the points i get to:

boot from cd
go through the eula
create a partition..."

I had a prob once where I couldn't do an install from the XP cd because I had partitioned my HD with Partiton Magic. I had to use the XP Boot Floppies to do a clean install. The LLF of course would rule this prob out but, your specs say ypu have a 120Ghd yet you say you create a 97gig partion before you continue your install.

Looks like you've eliminated any hardware conflicts. If resetting your bios dosen't work, the next time you boot from the CD, DO NOT "create a partiton". In other words, install the OS to the FULL 120gig HD?

Good luck!


}---:)

resetting bios didn't work and no errors on the memory test.

KC, no the video card is in the agp slot. MB doesn't have an onboard video.


Ok Tubey, one question about not creating the partition. I was planning on dual booting xp pro and xandros but read in the alternative os forum that it was better to put xp on first. So if I don't create the partition how will i get xandros installed if I ever get windows installed since the whole drive will be ntfs? can i use partition magic to get xandros on 20gb of it?

Well, the first thing you need to do is get XP installed. If you can get it to install on the full 120GHD you can indeed partition it later with a 3rd party app. After that, I know there are 3rd party "boot" apps that will let you do your Xandros thang. Let's get XP installed first and take it from there?

}---:)

well, installing on the full 120gb didn't work either, it hangs on it too. Sometime during the week I'll either put my video card in it that I have at home (at my moms house right now) or put in the other motherboard that has onboard video on it.

Asams...
Did you run the WinXP compatibility test from the install CD before you tried to install Win XP.

5 weeks ago Iwas running Win Xp Pro SP1 fine with no problem. Then I purchased Win XP Pro Sp2 and tried to install It, but it gave me lots of problems. Then I ran the WinXP compatibility test, and it said that something on my Video card was not compatible. I That was ATI Radeon 8500DV A-I-W. I also got only partways into the install.
After downloading the updated ATI catalyst drivers it worked fine.
I can imagine the 32 Meg ATI card being a possible problem.
I also have an older 64 meg ATI card, and it is totally incompatible with WinXP Pro.

can't the PM rescue disks reformat to FAT32?
if so, you could make a 8 gig (intially) for XP and FAT32
then play around with the rest later on.

Well I am also using 120gb hard drive.

I first created one single paritition, the whole 120gb. Of course its only 111gb really. ;)

But anyways I then installed windows xp and then after that I installed kandros. You can repaarititon your drive fine with many linux distros. I always use linux mandrake 10.

So now I have four parititions, one, and the very first for for winxp pro. sp2 and three for kandros. No problems at all.

And about ati drivers. How would that help? After all you format the drive and the drivers are gone for good until setup or you manually install them. And so far that has not happened yet.

Um dont have to have raid do u? That can cause problems. Might needs to push f6 at install or whatever it is, pretty sure its f6. Um maybe thats were you could install ati drivers if that is indeed the problem?

Yes, moen has a very good point. Ran across this myself before. If available try doing an install off WinXP without SP2 or does the copy your using only have SP1 on it? If you have available more than one copy of WinXP try a different disk, or try to install that copy on a different computer to rule out any problem with the disk itself.

Yes after moen pointed out that I remember this happening to one of my computers too. It had Windows XP SP1 installed. I formatted and tried installing Windows XP incl. SP2 and the installer hung just right there you described. It copied the files, restarts and attempts to boot for the first time. The computer hangs at the Windows XP boot screen.

I formatted again and installed Windows XP incl. SP1. Some PC Configurations don't seem to like XP SP2. I don't know which exact hardware is incompatible with SP2 but SP1.

Please try installing Windows XP incl. SP1 :)

Cheers,
McoreD

As WAR said...If you have raid, then there are several other problems that may occur. You have to hit F6 at just the right time, and if I remember correctly, you have about 2 seconds to do it. That was the first problem I had, and With my High Point accelerator card, I also had to hit F6 to install the special drivers.
Just another thing, do you know which optical drive is denotedthe 0-drive. Often that is the only one you can install from. I had that problem the very first time I tried to install WinXP.
I assume you did run the WinXP compatibility test before Win XP SP2.

well, the only disk i had here has sp2 on it, but at home i have an just the plain xp with no service packs so i will try it. i'll try getting the updated drivers for the video before installing without a service pack. i probably won't get around to messing with it today though since i'm not leaving here until about 1pm and it is a 2hour drive home, then i'm not sure how much i want to mess with it today. i might just get the drivers and my other disk ready to try either tomorrow or wednesday night and get back to ya'll.

and no I don't have raid setup. No I haven't run the compatibility test cause i didn't know there was such a thing. is it on the cd or where do I get it at?

moen, i only have 1 optical drive so that isn't the problem.

The compatibility test is one of the options shown as soon as you boot the Win Xp install CD.
It checks your system, all cards, drives, programs, drivers, etc.
It also gives you the choice of printing out the report which is usuallu 2+ pages

Like this:



And give this a good read:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Yea they even created a nice little installer for word docs. hehe

:)

You may have tried this, but last week, when I was reformatting my RAID setup, i was having hang up problems at various stages of the re-install; believe it or not, what worked for me, was every time I got stuck, I opened the cd tray, and removed the windows cd and reinserted it, closed the drive back, and hit "retry", and EVERY TIME it resumed the setup and completed just fine..

it may not work for you, but its worth a try...

@ adams
I think it is likely your video card. They are one of most common reasons for install problems. I had a high end 64 Meg ATI card and it alone prevented me from installing the original WinXP.

Other than that, don't try anything else til you ren the compatibility test. It will evaluate all aspects and will point out incompatible items, barely compatible items and so on.

guys, i found my cd that is just xp with no service packs and it didn't hang and is in the setup process right now.

so after this is setup, would partition magic be the best choice to split up the partition?

edit: xp is up and running.

good to hear about XP
I use Symantec's Pm to partition my HD's
and be sure to make the rescue disks
I also find it is a good idea not to be connected to the internet
when adding SP2

1. Glad to hear about XP.

2. I prefere Acronis Partition Expert. Bur either one should do just fine.

}---:)

Use WinXp itself. You can do the install partition as part of the install. for the rest go Control panel-->Admin tools--> Computer management-->Disk management on the left side all hard drives show up and you can partition in Fat32 or NTFS.
There are other choices...Win ME fdisk and format as well as some already mentioned by others. I do not like Partition Magic as I have had several partitions break up/fail.
Never ever had a problem with Fdisk and format, nor with WinXP Disk management.
I agree that you should download the SP2 update and then disconnect tfrom the internet.

Don't forget to run the compatibility test first. ;)

ok i've got xp pro and xandros running now and both are doing just fine.

Nice work! :)