HELP!! - Installing Windows XP

[x86]

When I install windows XP, everything is alright untill the last part: "saving settings". This part takes like 6 hours to complete when the estimated time is 9 minutes. What is the problem? My computer is fast 1.8a GHz so I don't think it can be that.

One time when I did get it to install, after it reboots a blue screen comes up and says that it has stopped booting to prevent damage to my computer. I tried to restart with ctrl+alt+del, but nothing happened so I pulled the power. I tried booting again, and the same problem happens. What could it be?

Thanks

-x86

 

[bacillus]

could you post your system specs??

 

[x86]

P4 1.8A NOT OCED
TH7-II RAID
(2) 120GB HDD in RAID 0
1GB Samsung 800 RIMM
Radeon 8500 NOT OCED
Plextor 24/10/40
Floppy drive
Sound Blaster Audigy
Linksys LNE100TX NIC
420W PSU

 

[wjsulliv]

I am offer this advice under the assumption that you are doing a clean (from scratch) install...

Remove everything not necessary. I.e. you only need:
Power Supply
Motherboard
Processor
RAM
1 Hard Drive (the one you want the OS on, in the location you want it, IDE1 or IDE 2 or etc.
1 CD-Rom
1 Floppy
Video Card

Try installing XP using that set up.

Once its installed ok, install your internet connection device (modem or nic)
Get online and download all patches, and security updates from Microsoft.
Then, one at a time, install the rest of your system.

I had this kind of problem due to motherboard drivers with Win Me, and 2K due to the VIA 686B southbridge being incompatable with my sound card. The only way around it was to install the OS without a sound card and then after all updates had been done for my minimal hardware, which included a motherboard driver update, I added the remaining pieces with the corrected compatable updates.