Ominous sign?

[venne]

My new build is taking f o r e v e r to install XP.

It started saying that it would take approximately 39 minutes and now, roughly a half hour later, it is down to 36 minutes!

It has been a while since I have done this, so I don't have a proper reference. Is this typical or is the system fubar and there are problems lurking? Right now it is 'installing devices' and the green bar isn't even moving at a snail's pace.

Is there anything I can do to speed up the process or do I just need to wait it out?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.



Oh, here is what I am working with in case it is of any use:

A64 3200+
Maxtor 160GB HDD (IDE)
PQI PC3200 (2 x 512)
DFI nF4 Ultra-D
ATI video card
Two optical drives (toshiba and plextor)

 

[corkyg]

Remove all of your excess peripherals - especially the optical drives. Install XP to your bare bones system HDD and a video card.

Then after XP is installed, add your hardware one piece at a time.

 

[venne]

Here is what I am working with.

I am trying the brand new install suggested with the above pictured components and it is still crawling (currently I am waiting for Setup to copy files to the windows installation folders and have been for the pas 45 minutes; it is currently at 40%).

I am using an OEM version of XP Home SP2. I also have a copy of XP Pro SP 1 that has been used on my laptop, should I try it in substitution? Also if you can't tell from the picture there are two sticks of RAM in the board, should I remove one?

I am up for anything at this point and more than open to suggestions.

:frown:

 

[venne]

Alright, wtf.

Can anyone tell me why there is such a huge difference with setting up the PC with XP Pro SP1 and XP Home SP2.

It is literally flying right now when I put in the XP Pro disc. Now, what do I have to do about the license?

I have a license for the XP Home, can I just input that code for XP Pro, or should I just reuse the XP Pro code and deal with Microsoft on the phone if there is an issue with activation?

 

[Bozo Galora]

home and pro licenses are different

however tho I am quite sure it wouldn't work, I would be interested to see if you could get past inputting the Pro Ser on the Home


slow load COULD be a scratched CD - is it orig or copy?

 

[VirtualLarry]

There is kind of a "known issue" with the "XP install freezes at the 39min left point when installing devices".
Try hitting RESET, and then letting it boot the partially-installed OS on the HD, it should (hopefully) continue from where it left off. You might have to do that 2-3 times, if it freezes again at that point.

If the CD was bad, you would either get freezes/hangs at random points, or get errors about bad CRCs on the files being installed. I don't think that's the case here.