Windows boots to black screen

[pinion9]

I just built a new computer. MSI motherboard, Athlon 64 3400+, SATA HD, nothing really special. I installed Windows ME and it worked fine. I then upgraded to XP (I only have the upgrade disk) It installed with a few hitches (scratched disk = couldn't find a file or two) It still installed. The machine will boot in safe mode, but hangs when trying to boot in safe mode with networking. If booting in normal mode, the windows XP load screen flashes and then I get a black screen where it hangs.

Does this sound like a hardware issue, or does it sound like I simply need to reinstall XP? Anyone ever had this problem before and how did you remedy it?

 

[DogFaceMonk]

Installing XP from a bad CD may have been a bad idea...

...I hope you are using a legal copy. That being said, it would be legal to use your activation code with somebody else's CD (as long as it has a full version of XP and not just a system restore for an OEM computer).

 

[HN]

are you using an lcd?

 

[pinion9]

I do have a legal CD Key from when I stupidly bought an HP. No I am not using an LCD.

 

[wpshooter]

Call Microsoft and get a replacement for your damaged CD.

 

[pinion9]

Update: I got a good CD and reinstalled windows. I had a few problems again, but all files installed. In the middle of installation a dialog box popped up saying it couldn't install a piece of hardward called "System." It finished installing. Essentially the same thing is happening. I can boot in safe mode occasionally. If I try to boot with networking it fails. Normal boot hangs. I'm thinking the motherboard is bad. Does anyone else feel any different? Would having incompatible RAM do this?

 

[PokerGuy]

Bad or incompatible RAM (or putting in bad timings) can cause all sorts of issues, sometimes even things that don't seem to have anything to do with memory. Usually, I run memtest for a day or so to make sure the memory is stable.....

 

[wpshooter]

Originally posted by: pinion9
Update: I got a good CD and reinstalled windows. I had a few problems again, but all files installed. In the middle of installation a dialog box popped up saying it couldn't install a piece of hardward called "System." It finished installing. Essentially the same thing is happening. I can boot in safe mode occasionally. If I try to boot with networking it fails. Normal boot hangs. I'm thinking the motherboard is bad. Does anyone else feel any different? Would having incompatible RAM do this?

When you are reinstalling the operating system are you completely repartitioning AND also reformatting the drive. Do that, do NOT try to repair or install overtop of another windows installation.

 

[pinion9]

Did not repair. I deleted FAT partition, recreated, formatted as NTFS, and installed. Still had a few errors finding files but they all went in. The biggest error was the "unable to install hardware" message. I'm just going to pick up a new mobo and see if that fixes it...