Serious Windows installation issues

[mtornado28]

I'm running a msi k8n neo2 platinum, athlon 64 3500, 1 gb corsair ram, western digital 120 mb hdd, ati 9700pro, 600w power supply. Ok here is the problem, all i'm trying to do is install windows xp on to this hard drive. it goes through post, and boots from xp cd-rom, sometimes it freezes while loading files, most of the time it makes it's way to the partition screen in which i choose the aforementioned hdd and try to to format it. every time i do this it freezes. just the screen with the partition listed on it with "please wait..." at the bottom, or a blank windows setup screen with a message at the bottom something like, updating 114875 mb on ide 0, etc...but i cannot get past this point in the setup. i have tried other windows cds(another xp pro, win 98) same problem, i have tried other hdd's, same problem, please help...

 

[blodhi74]

it could be a memory issue ... if U have 2 sticks of ram , try using just one or try a different CD rom

 

[mtornado28]

good suggestions, tried em both already, also tried different video card...

 

[blodhi74]

try formating with the WD tool and write zeros to the drive and then try to install windows

 

[mtornado28]

what do you mean by writing zero to the drive?

 

[blodhi74]

most HD manufactures have a utlity that will allow complete format and will write zeros to all available space to erase all data

 

[mtornado28]

tried data lifeguard tools, and it froze up before loading, just like windows xp install did

 

[firerock]

Okay, was your case closed when you install the new hd? Did you have a fan blowing on it? I had a similar problem before (while I was reinstalling WinXP). I had my case open and no fan blowing at my HD. The install will always halt somewhere along the installtion, but not at the same spot. Then, I put a fan blowing @ HD and my install went smoothly. Strange....I know...

 

[mtornado28]

case was closed, i tried another hard drive, and tried a fan blowing on it, same problem, i'm running out of ideas here...

 

[hertz9753]

What is your boot order?

 

[mtornado28]

cd-rom, floppy, hard drive (boot other device is also turned on)

 

[hertz9753]

In the bios click on advanced bios features. Change first boot device to cd rom and dissable all others including swap floppy drive and bootup floppy seek. There should also be something called hard boot disk priority. Click on it and move bootable add-in cards to the top. Save changes and install windows. Delete all partitions and reformat. I can't remember which comes first. Keep these settings until your system finally boots up to windows. After that you can restart enter the bios and change the bootup to what ever you want. I keep mine set at first boot device, hard drive and all others dissabled including swap floppy and floppy seek. You really don't need any others, if at any time you do need to bootup from another device just change it in the first boot device. Also under hard boot disk priority you need to move your hard disk to the top of the list. Bootable add-in cards is for when you want to boot from another device such as a cd rom or floppy.

 

[hertz9753]

Also turn boot other device off.