Takes unbelievably long to inspect hardware to install Windows XP! 3 HOURS for a P4 1.6a?!?

[cowsclaw]

EDIT: so i just left it on the "frozen" screen for 2.5 hours and it actually wasnt frozen! it just takes that long to inspect hardware! is this normal? i mean, the system i have really isnt that slow.... even on my PIII 550MHz, it inspected everything in a few minutes. what's wrong here? SOMEONE PLEASE HELP!! AHHHHHHHHH!!

UPDATE2: well, it got pass the original screen. got to the screen where you press ENTER to confirm you want to install Windows XP and it shut down the system. Also, reran MEMTEST and it just shuts down at random times during the tests now.

ORIGINAL POST:
i am trying to install Windows XP Pro Full OEM on a brand new system, and everytime setup runs, it freezes at the "Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware configuration..." screen. anyone know how to fix this? my new system specs are below

Asus P4PE with LAN, Firewire, SATA, RAID
P4 1.6a w/ AX-478 and Panaflo for cooling
Kinston Hyper-X PC3000 512MB
Seagate Barracuda V 120GB
Lite-On 16x DVD-ROM
Lite-ON 48x24x48 CDRW
Mitsumi Floppy
Gainward Geforce4 Ti4200 64MB
Seasonic 300FS PSU, EDIT: changed to True Blue 480

-i have already tried setting up Windows XP using the floppy disks but it freezes at the same screen too
-i disabled SATA and RAID just in case that was causing trouble.
-also, one time it actually went pass the aforementioned screen but froze in the middle of setup somewhere else. i dont know why it isnt still doing that. i dont think i changed anything.
-i have the latest BIOS already

 

[EeyoreX]

Run memtest and check your RAM. That is often a big cause of errors...

\Dan

 

[cowsclaw]

Kingston Hyper-X PC3000 DDR370 512MB RAM

thats the RAM i have been using. the mobo says it only takes PC2700 max. but doesnt it clock the memory i have down? anyways, i ran MEMTEST and it shuts the system down after around 20% of the first test every single time.
so it prolly is the RAM, but i havent been able to acquire any other RAM to test it out.

 

[DTSS]

I'd have to guess it is a possible problem w/ you Hard Drive...it you have a temp drive; try and install windows on that! If you happen to be successful, Viole' ...

 

[cowsclaw]

updated my problem

oh yeah, it wasnt my RAM that was making it turn off, it was my PSU, cause i tried other RAm and it still reset, so I put in a new PSU and it doesnt turn it off anymore (not yet, at least)

 

[Jwyatt]

I had an MSI board do almost the exact same thing. I ended up flashing to a newer bios because the raid.

If i were you I would disable the raid, onboard sound, lan and the firewire just to see if it acts any better.

 

[cowsclaw]

hey, thanks, jwyatt for the tips. btw, what FSB and multiplier settings do you have on your 1.6a to get that overclock?!

 

[Jwyatt]

Multiplier is locked on p4 16x 170fsp. Although that cpu has been traded off the vapochill unit i got for it is sitting in my basement wasting away!

 

[Jwyatt]

you figured out whats causing your freeze/slow setup yet?

 

[cowsclaw]

nope, still havent figured it out. left it on for 7 hours today and it froze at the "setup is inspecting..." screen the whole time. will look at it more this weekend when i have time.

thanks for your input

 

[Confused]

Is the heatsink on properly? Fan connected? If it's not, then the CPU will overheat, and will throttle down to slower speeds to prevent overheating. This could explain why it is taking a long time to do anything, and possibly why it is turning itself off.


Confused