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Installing WinXP freezes during setup

N

neovan

Diamond Member
Here's my current config:
A7N8X Deluxe
XP 1800+
512MB RAM Crucial
BTC DVD+/-RW
350W Fortron PSU
ATI 9800PRO
Thermalright SLK 600
WD 80GB

So...I boot from CD and everything posts. It starts booting from CD but during the blue screen where it loads the drivers but right before the installation begins, it freezes where it says setup will now begin.

Here's the weird thing...I can install Windows 98SE and Fedora Linux but does the same thing when I try to install Windows 2000. Just in case, I have legit copies of all these OSes.

I've also swapped out the RAM with another stick of 256MB Crucial and a AN35Ultra Mobo. I'm guessing it might be the CPU, but why would it do this?

I've been system building for quite a while but this just baffles me.

Any help?
 
Take it down to just mobo, cpu, memory and a cdrom.

kick off setup. It will obviously not complete without a hard drive but see if it freezes in the same place.
Do the same process except remove your CDrom, add a floppy and run setup from the boot floppies.
If it freezes in the same place you are pretty much down to mobo, cpu or memory.

You've already tried a new mobo and memory.

CPU is shot dude. RMA it.
 
Originally posted by: Smilin
Take it down to just mobo, cpu, memory and a cdrom.

kick off setup. It will obviously not complete without a hard drive but see if it freezes in the same place.
Do the same process except remove your CDrom, add a floppy and run setup from the boot floppies.
If it freezes in the same place you are pretty much down to mobo, cpu or memory.

You've already tried a new mobo and memory.

CPU is shot dude. RMA it.
Click to expand...

I've tried using just the mobo, cpu, ram, video, and dvd drive. Hangs at the same place. I haven't tried the floppy setup because I don't have a floppy drive (threw them out since I have usb memory cards). I guess its time for a new CPU and use the old one to run Linux. I'm still puzzled.
 
My only suggestion would be to double check every BIOS setting. Make sure things are set right; tone things back to see if it affects it. (CAS 3 on the memory, etc). I actually got a CPU once that would fail to run setup at its stock speed - but if I took it 5 mhz (5!) below, it worked fine.
 
Yeah, underclocking it *may* do the trick. Be sure you have the latest BIOS, but I doubt something like this would be fixed with a microcode update. If it works with Linux that's cool, but if you get an occasional crash or lockup you'll know why.
 
i'll try the underclocking suggestion. if that doesn't work, i'll just slap on my new xp2800+ from fry's that i just bought for $90 and use the the old chip with the ecs mobo that came with my new cpu.

in the end, everything works out. 🙂
 
for some reason xp does seem extra hard on cpus than other windows or linux.
i would reset the cmos as most often xp setups that fail there are due to bad ram board or cpu. could be the hdd too.
good luck
 
for some reason xp does seem extra hard on cpus than other windows or linux.
i would reset the cmos as most often xp setups that fail there are due to bad ram board or cpu. could be the hdd too.
good luck
 
Originally posted by: xbassman
Originally posted by: lament
a friend had the same problem. solution? he used a different CD-ROM drive.
Click to expand...

Only time I have seen this type of error different cdrom fixed it.
Click to expand...

i tried 4 different cd/dvd drives; btc 4x dvd t/- rw, liteon 16x dvd, liteon cdrw, and a samsung 16x sd 616t.

anyways...i replaced the cpu with a xp2800+ and everything is working the way it should be. i'm just gonna use the xp1800+ and install linux on that machine.

thanks for everyone's help and suggestions. 🙂
 
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