Can`t install Windows XP

[usslindstrom]

I have 2 Windows XP CDs. Both CDs are flawless, without a scratch. Whenever I try to install either of them, the setup program has trouble copying different files to the computer. Each time I try to run the setup, it never stops on the same file, and sometimes I do some disk swapping when it`s looking for a particular file and it goes a bit further. Kinda` wierd.

Like I said, both CDs are immaculate, without a scratch. I have a DVD drive & a CD burner, which were both tried, and both come up with the same problem copying.

Anybody got any ideas?

[jmebonner]

What board, what RAM? I suspect a RAM issue. Ram that works fine on some boards doesn't work on others, especially the Nforce2 boards. I'd run www.memtest86.com and see if it gives any errors.

[EvilRick]

Are these originals or are they copies/burns?

Just because they have no visible markings does not mean the data can't be corrupt.

[amdkt7]

Is this a new machine? Any new hardware?

This is likely a bad bios setting, perhaps jumpers set wrong on drives, maybe even bad hardware.

Need more info... what is your setup and situation?

[usslindstrom]

ASUS A7V600 Mobo
XP2800+
PC3200

-Oh yeah, every now and then it gets the blue screen of death with...

PAGEFAULT IN A NON PAGED AREA

It might be with the ram timing, but mobo is set to 400, just like the ram.

???

[usslindstrom]

By the way, the CDs are legit. Both bought, and have the hologram.

[jmebonner]

Originally posted by usslindstrom
-Oh yeah, every now and then it gets the blue screen of death with...

PAGEFAULT IN A NON PAGED AREA
???

It's the RAM, I say with 80% certainty. What brand? Go ahead and run memtest and see what it throws up.

EDIT: You might also try moving the ram to a different slot, that's worked for me before.

[EvilRick]

Probably RAM then, like suggested above.

Since this is a new board, you might wanna set the CMOS settings to their defaults, then make any changes IF they're needed.

You should always set the CMOS settings to "Default" when installing a new board. Just good practice.

[usslindstrom]

You`re all probably right.

Gonna` go to the store tomorrow, and trade in my no-name ram, for some Samsung dual channel DDR.

It`s expensive, but probably the better choice, as it will PROBABLY WORK. lol.

[usslindstrom]

-K-...

Went out and bought the expensive RAM. Still got the same problem though with the Blue Screen of Death like before.

Went into the BIOS and everything was normal. So I decided to disable the cache for the CPU (Both LVL 1 & LVL 2). Comp is EXTREMELY slow now, but I am curently installing XP, and it`s gotten further than it ever�@has before. Probably take about 1 hour to complete... But it`s WORKING

I`ll turn back on the cache when the install is done, but any1 know why that may have caused a conflict? It sounds kinda` strange to me.

[Siliconjunkie]

memory or heat. XP is quite picky about these things during setup.

[dr_roberts49]

The question now, is will you continue to have problems after you install the OS and enable the cache? I think you have a serious problem that still needs to be fixed.

Robert

[usslindstrom]

Yup.

Turned the cahce back on, and XP comes to the splash screen and dies.

Anybody have any ideas? I have a but-load of PC2100 ram that I`ve tried too, each one stick at a time. I have 4 case fans, 1 CPU fan, 1 Vid Card fan, and thermal compound on the CPU, so I don`t think heat would be a prob.

The ram shouldn`t be an issue either, cause` in the manual for the A7V600 is states that it supports the exact type I have: (Samsung 3200 via part number).

-I took the liberty to remove a hard drive, and try to install XP via my other computer - and it went without a hitch. Everything was fine. -Just my comp. XP hates it.

Some1 know anything on this kinda` stuff?

[usslindstrom]

I think I may have just figured it out.

I dropped back to an old XP 1600+ on the system, and it`s working pretty smoothly. I`m re-installing Windows XP according to that chip. All cache is enabled.

I have a feeling that my CPU fan might not be providing enough cool air for my 2800+. I`ll install XP with the old chip installed, go to the store and get a new, bigger, faster fan w/heatsink... And then upgrade back to the 2800, once it`s working correctly.

The fan I`m using came from my XP 2400+ (Thoroughbread). Probably not enough for my 2800 (Barton).

I hope that fixes it.

[DallasDon]

Loading XP the first time seems to be touchy on hi perfomance machines.

My problem was with Corsair DDR 2700. One stick of Kingston Value Ram, with fail safe defaults in the Bios, loaded just fine. After Windows installed, you could tweak all you wanted, no problems.

[amdkt7]

I think you got a bad cpu.

[usslindstrom]

It`s NOT a bad CPU. I had it installed in a different system to check. Works perfectly fine.

[jmebonner]

Go into the bios and check your temps. Should be under something like hardware diagnostics or something. Post back w/ what they are. You might also just touch the side of the heatsink and see if it feels hot. Mine's at 47 C and the heatsink is just barely warm.

[stroyal]

Just went through 10 installs of XP on a friends computer.
crashed for a differant reason each time. some times got all the way to windows update before it crashed. the last couple of times it crashed after I entered the product key. covinced it was the hard drive, because the original problem was cross linked files, I changed the hard drive. of cource I Had to Talk to MS, because I had installed too many times and changed hardware.
The install went great after that, until I had completed the last windows update and things just fell apart.

Decided to do what I have herd here dozens of times, Change the memory.

The computer started working as soon as I changed the mem.
Seemed like the bad mem worked better when it was cool, the longer you ran it the worse it would get.

[Uncle Bob]

Just my $0.02. I had a similar thing happen loading 2kpro on a low
power setup. I had the ram maxed. I dropped the ram to min.amount and got a clean install with out a hitch.