XP Pro install: fatal error on setup because of an I/O device error?

[Stattlich]

I'm on a tech call at the moment and need some help ASAP! I have two older Athlon boxes I'm trying to upgrade to XP Pro on. I'm using the full-version OEM with SP2 (yes, authentic). At the same point in the 'Installing Windows' phase with 39 minutes left, both systems hang on the same error!

"Installation Failed: E:\I386\asms. Error Message: The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error. One of the components that Windows needs to continue setup could not be installed."

Wtf, mate? Anybody got any idea how to troubleshoot my way out of this? When I see 'I/O' devices, I think keyboards and mice- they're in proper working order here on both boxes. It's not possible I got bad install CDs from NewEgg, is it? I will sit here patiently awaiting some responses- much thanks!

 

[KGB]

Give us some hardware details on these boxes.

 

[Stattlich]

Sure:

Box 1: Athlon 1GHz, Gigabyte GA-7DX mobo, 256MB PC133, Hitachi 250GB, Samsung DVD, Memorex CD-ROM, Kensington NIC, generic modem (I need to uninstall that), SoundBlaster, TNT2 graphics (I think).

Box 2: Athlon 500MHz, FIC SD-11 mobo, 228MB PC133, 20GB Maxtor IDE-0, 40GB WD IDE-1, generic 50x CD-ROM, S3 Savage graphics, Diamond audio, D-Link NIC.

These were scrapped together out of spare parts they had since this place (a church) is on a tight budget. I need to tidy a few things up, like taking the CD-ROM and modem out of Box 1, etc. A lot of retrofitting, but the hardware in both machines were running Win98 just hours ago with no hardware conflicts- surfing the web and everything.

 

[Stattlich]

Just called a buddy of mine who I remembered works in IT as well and gave me some advice I hadn't thought of yet for some reason- BIOS updates! I'm going to go work on that, but please, more info or suggestions would be of great help to me right now. TIA!

 

[supabeast]

I have seen this error before with bad media on several occasions, every time I fixed the problem by downloading an ISO and burning off a copy at 2x on high-end media.

Don't blame New-Egg for the bad-media, blame MS for contracting the CD manufacturing to the lowest-bidding chinese factories.

 

[Stattlich]

Guys, I updated the BIOS on each machine successfully and still no-go. I'm getting the exact same error message.

 

[Uncle Bob]

suggest you try

boot from w98 floppy, partition & format, copy i386 directory from cd to hard disc, run winnt32.exe from the hard disc

hope this helps

 

[Stattlich]

I'll give that a shot- thanks, Uncle Bob. Anybody else? I'm probably going back today to give this another stab (been down with the flu for the last week).

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Uncle Bob
suggest you try

boot from w98 floppy, partition & format, copy i386 directory from cd to hard disc, run winnt32.exe from the hard disc

hope this helps

No, no, no.

There's no need to use FAT32 thumbsdown: ).

Are you sure the drives are connected securely with the proper cables (hard drives should use 80-pin cables)?

Have you tested the memory using Memtest?

 

[montag451]

Originally posted by: MrChad

Originally posted by: Uncle Bob
suggest you try

boot from w98 floppy, partition & format, copy i386 directory from cd to hard disc, run winnt32.exe from the hard disc

hope this helps

No, no, no.

There's no need to use FAT32 thumbsdown: ).[

/q]

Can always convert to NTFS after.

Re- your 500mhz box, I'd probably try and install win98se on that one - it would run a helluvalot better that XP on that rig.

 

[realtrance]

You lose speed if you convert to NTFS after installing on a FAT32 partition, or so I've heard (certainly you lose the ability for MS Defrag to do anything with the MBR, which at a certain point will be almost the same thing).

I would recommend trying different CD-ROM/DVD drives until you find one that will read the disc.

I've run into this problem multiple times and it is, shall we say, an incompatibility between WinXP's disc copy-protection scheme and certain CD/DVD readers.

rt

 

[Slikkster]

A Google search shows some people who have swapped out their drives have overcome this error. Others who have had the errors were using cd copies, not originals. Not the case for you, so try a different CD drive, if even temporarily for install.

 

[Stattlich]

Got it- different source drives. I'm going back tomorrow morning and will try that first thing. Thanks, guys- will check back and let you know. :beer:

 

[Stattlich]

Ok, dudes- success! The 1GHz box had no problems installing XP with a newer CD-ROM drive I plucked from another system. However, the 500MHz box is still struggling, even under that same CD-ROM drive. Now instead of an I/O error, I'm getting a 'cyclical error'... anyone seen that one before? It happens at the same spot as before.

 

[Slikkster]

Are you talking about a cyclical redundancy error? I'd have to say that given the history of your problems, your Windows install media is dicey, even though it's direct from MS.

I would chose the Advanced Options during install and select "copy installation files to the hard disk", and try again. Otherwise, use a different install CD.

 

[Paperlantern]

yes, the cyclic redundancy error is a media error, not hardware related at all, try another copy of the same version of windows IF its a vailable, or do as other suggested and copy files to the source disk

 

[Stattlich]

Got it- thanks guys.

 

[montag451]

What fixed it?

 

[Stattlich]

Actually, I didn't have time to fix the cyclical redundancy error yet, but I will be tomorrow/Friday afternoon. Where in the Windows XP setup do I get to the screen to copy the files to the hdd? I've never done this before and would love a little more instruction so I can get it knocked out ASAP! Thanks!

 

[montag451]

You would have to copy the files independently of the xp setup.

Either plug the hdd into another system and make a folder, or via DOS, but that would lead to the fat problems talked about earlier. [As DOS needs FAT to run - cant see NTFS]

 

[Slikkster]

What's odd is that the "Advanced Options" menu, whereby you can copy the XP files to the install disk vs. strictly from the cd, only seems to be available when you run the XP CD from another Windows version.

In other words, it doesn't seem to to show up as an option when you boot with the XP CD, when it will show up when you run XP's CD from inside Win98, for example.

Anyway, I would do this, if need be:

Make a small partition for your installation files as Fat32. 4 gigs or so. This way you can copy all of the I386 folder into this partition using a Win98SE bootdisk, and still have room for a pagefile if you want one on that partition. Might as well make it a bootable partition by doing a "sys c:" with the Win98se bootdisk on this small partition. Then, copy over the I386 folder.

Type xcopy <CD-ROM:>\I386\*.* c:\i386\*.* /s /e and press Enter, where <CD-ROM:> is the drive letter of your CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.

The Win98SE bootdisk makes a Ramdrive, which will cause your CDROM drive to be bumped up a letter, probably to e: , to you would type this in that case:

xcopy e:\I386\*.* c:\i386\*.* /s /e

Now, if you made your small c: drive partition bootable, you can reboot after xcopy is finished without the floppy. Once at the c: prompt, type

cd i386

Then, you'll want to execute the dos-based version of the XP setup file, which is winnt.exe (not winnt32.exe). So, type

winnt

and setup should begin.

When setup asks where to install xp, you would want to install it to the large unformatted space, (not c: ). Choose NTFS as file system. Let it format it and install there.

What this will leave you with is a smaller fat32-based c: partition that will have your boot files (boot.ini, ntldr, etc.) and your I386 folder, plus some extra space for expansion.

You will have a separate larger partition for your actual XP installation.

You can, of course, convert this c: drive to NTFS after XP installs. But you may find that it will serve you better to leave it as Fat32, in case you ever have problems with your installation. This will make it a bit easier to at least get to the boot files.

If you're that concerned about security, you can tell XP to put your pagefile on the larger partition that's NTFS.

(Win98Se bootdisk can be downloaded here: http://www.mirrors.org/archived_software/www.bootdisk.com/winfiles1/boot98se.exe

Have a clean floppy ready when you run the boot98se.exe program)

 

[chachster]

I'm encountering the same issue. The media is full version Windows XP Pro OEM with SP2 and right at the GUI install of 39 minutes remaining, I get the Cyclical Redundancy Check error, please check the CD media or clean it.

I've contacted newegg.com and RMA'd the CD back, they sent it back to me stating it was fine and it is my problem. Seeing that these were also purchased from Newegg.com (again, need to blame MS for finding cheapo duplicators) and am getting the same error.

I have again contacted newegg.com telling them I'm not happy, but I do not have another Windows XP Pro OEM w/SP2 laying around.

I've attemped to copy the CD using different computers and each one will after a certain point come up with a CRC error on copying the media to hard drive.

In the machine I am trying to install it on, I've tried 3 differend CDRW drives and a DVD Burner to try the install from.

What do I need to tell newegg to get a replacement as I don't have access to the media anywhere else.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: supabeast
I have seen this error before with bad media on several occasions, every time I fixed the problem by downloading an ISO and burning off a copy at 2x on high-end media.

Don't blame New-Egg for the bad-media, blame MS for contracting the CD manufacturing to the lowest-bidding chinese factories.

.....

 

[chachster]

Originally posted by: DannyBoy

Originally posted by: supabeast
I have seen this error before with bad media on several occasions, every time I fixed the problem by downloading an ISO and burning off a copy at 2x on high-end media.

Don't blame New-Egg for the bad-media, blame MS for contracting the CD manufacturing to the lowest-bidding chinese factories.

.....

Understood, but even by contacting Microsoft, they do not offer an option of replacing OEM CD. I don't understand this. They manufactured the CD and it is very apparent it is defective.

What can I do in my case. I have my product key, i just need the media to get it installed. Newegg states it fine, but I don't see how that is possible being that I get the error repeatedly. What did they do, pop in in a cd drive, it reads, must be fine. I agree that Microsoft should have to replace, but why am I the consumer being told by each party there is nothing we can do.

 

[Slikkster]

I read an interesting thread about this elsewhere. A suggestion was made to create a different partition, and try to install to there. Might actually be a hard drive issue vs. CD.

Give it a test. You can always wipe the install.