Windows XP

Ashtree · #1 01-10-2005, 08:51 AM

I need help. My machine crashed (hard Drive) and I have bought another hard drive. When I try to load Windows XP home every thing goes OK until the file copy mode. I start to get file copy errors and then set up will not run properly and has to shut down. I thought it was a bad disk but I tried 3 other discs but the same thing. Then just for fun I tried Windows ME and it loaded flawless. So in my infinite wisdom I tried to update ME to XP but had the same problem. I had to reload ME again without a problem. What could the problem be? Am I stuck running ME for the rest of my computers life? I should add that I have 2 CD drives, 1 cd and 1 dvd. They are both manufactured by LG. Please help if you can. Thanks.

chipstone · #2 01-10-2005, 01:02 PM

It seems that since you were able to install Windows Me without any problems & think you may have a defective Windows Home Install CD; sometimes they have scratches from normal use, especially if left unprotected and then some of the CD data is read and other data is corrupted.

You may want to borrow a Windows Home/Pro Installation disk from a friend and try to see if the installation sequence works in your computer, then you will confirm if is the CD causing the problem and determine if you want to purchase an new upgrade Windows XP/home/Pro CD.

Ashtree · #3 01-10-2005, 01:48 PM

That's what I thought at first but I tried 3 other disks and had the same problem. The only other thing I have noticed is that now ME is having a few minor errors when it's running. When computers are running great they are great, but when they run bad......................................

chipstone · #4 01-10-2005, 02:02 PM

What brand/size/interface is the drive you purchased? If is greater that 137GB, there may be issues with the Bios enabled LBA support and the operating system.

Are you doing a fresh install, and allowing the Windows Install program to delete the original partition and create a new partition using all available space? And is Windows recognizing the actual size of the drive you purchased, or only recognizing up to 137GB?

The only other issue would be that you may need a specific driver that is not included with the Windows Install disk, usually added via F6 option during the initial install.

chipstone · #5 01-10-2005, 02:20 PM

The only other option you have to confirm if is a driver/drive/CD issue is to force Windows Install process to copy the install files to the hard drive as opposed to installing from the CD.

From Windows ME insert the Windows Home CD, select install and select “New Install” as opposed to “Upgrade Install” next screen will have “Advanced Options” select “Copy all installation file from the CD setup” and if you want to choose partition to install, if not it will default to your primary disk.

All necessary installation files will them be copied directly to the hard-drive and the CD will not be used during installation. If you still receive a copy error then is most likely, however improbable, that the CD disk is defective; since at this point the system is just doing a pure file copy function and not an actual installation.

If the files copy ok to the hard drive then the rest of the installation will proceed from the hard-drive.

Hope this helps.

Ashtree · #6 01-10-2005, 04:27 PM

This is my first time on the board and you guys are amazing. Thanks for all your input so far but unfortunatly.....No luck. No matter whether I install from the disk, hardrive, upgrade or do a new install with a blank hard drive I get copy file errors. It always says error and wants to know if I want to retry the file. It's always a different file every time and sometimes it's 10 files sometimes more. Could it be the CD cable or the motherboard itself? Could my Bios have a virus? What I should do is chuck this PC through the window and start from scratch! Thanks for your help so far but still errors! 4 differnet disks, same errors. Can a hardrive be formatted too much???? :-)

snowmonkey · #7 01-10-2005, 04:42 PM

I can almost guarantee that problem is not your CD or your hard drive or ever your CD Rom..... You problem is with RAM.... If you can replace you memory stick do it and give it another try (See if you can get a loaner from a friend)

Cheers

chipstone · #8 01-10-2005, 04:56 PM

If the RAM issue does not resolve the problem, don’t give up yet:

You mention that you have tried the installation with 4 different disks. Do you have 4 Windows Home edition original disks or are they copies of the original disk?

If you are using copies from an original disk that was corrupted to begin with then all copies will carry the corruption.

This is what I would do to verify were the problem is: the Install CD or CD unit or the hard-drive:

1. Create a “C:\Test” directory – Copy files from any directory to the C:\Test” directory, if the hard-drive is faulty or defective, you will receive a variation of “cyclic redundancy check error”:

CRC, in simple terms, a CRC is bit of mathematics used to ensure that your data is OK when being transferred. It's a checking procedure that quickly identifies when data has been damaged. If you get this message, it means that the file being read by your PC or software is corrupted. This will indicate that the files being copies from one part of the drive to another are corrupted; this will indicate a defective drive. Sometimes you can re-format the drive, but most of the time is the disk controller that is defective. If no errors detected the hard-drive is not the problem.

2. Create a C:\Temp” directory, manually copy CD files from another source, other than the installation disk, that you know are ok to the C:\Temp directory. If no errors are detected during the manual copy then the CD is not the problem.

3. Create a directory in drive C:\i386, place the Windows Install CD, and manually copy the contents of the Windows Install CD to the directory created “C:\i386”, if errors are detected during the copy sequence, then you know it’s the CD that is defective.

If by chance the Windows Install disk copies all the files to C:\i386 then you can use this directory as your installation disk. Just click SETUP.EXE to start install; but I think the files will not copy over.

Let me know.

Ashtree · #9 01-10-2005, 08:44 PM

Well......I tried all you suggestions and everything worked fine. All the copying went over without a flaw. Just when It's time to load.....Errors. Just to add to the mess, when I'm trying to rebuild the programs on the computer I get errors with about 75% of all the programs I'm trying to load. These are all origional disks and they loaded properly before. I havn't tried replacing the RAM yet, and all the tests I tried to download to test RAM failed. Although PC Pitstop said the RAM was OK, but I won't hold much in that test. I think I have a problem!

chipstone · #10 01-10-2005, 09:14 PM

I think you hard drive is defective; based on the amount of data integrity errors. I experienced the same problem with a $ 600 Maxtor 146GB SCSI drive a few months ago; replaced under warranty.

Data would copy fine when accessed I would get data errors.

I am not sure if your hard drive is S.M.A.R.T. diagnostic equipped. If it is the manufacturer will have software to read hard drive error.

Ashtree · #11 01-10-2005, 09:47 PM

Once again a million thank you's for the quick responces. I ran the Western digital diagnostic tool and it came back Zero Errors. The drive seems fine. What about the IDE cable? Or the Mother Board? Or the fact that PC's are driving me nuts? Oh well back to the drawing board!

chipstone · #12 01-10-2005, 10:15 PM

This is quite a mystery; well start again tomorrow.

Let me know the drive capacity, number of drives in the computer, file system (FAT32 or NTFS).

I don’t think it’s the IDE cable since the data is being corrupted after it reaches the drive, and not during; when the cable would come into play.

I’ve seen problems with older bios and newer IDE drives greater than 137GB, if you drive is not larger than 137GB then that’s not the problem, if not, you may want to do a low-level format on the drive:

That’s when you delete all the partitions on the install drive, then create a new partition using all available disk space, and instead of the quick format option, you do a full NTFS format; it will pickup any defective surface error problems and marked them, so the operating system does not use them.

Sometimes the diagnostic tools will only test the file structure and integrity, and not surface defects that can cause hard drive sector errors.

Ashtree · #13 01-11-2005, 08:37 AM

The Drive size is 120 gig 7200 rpm Western Digital. This Drive is brand new. I replaced 120 Seagate that crashed. Now I'm doubting there is anything wrong with the old drive, I just started getting errors until windows finally shut down and wouldn't boot agin. I tried to repair it but those pestky errors again. Thanks a million for your help so far.

chipstone · #14 01-11-2005, 09:38 AM

Have you been able to do a low-level format on the entire drive?

The only other problem that I can think of is that the boot-sector is infected by a virus.

I spoke with my sister who previously owned a Dell 8200 with WD drive, and she had a similar experienced. She had to do a low-level format on the entire drive then she re-installed Windows XP.

Try a low level format, and then after you install Windows make sure you firewall your internet connection before you download the Windows updates, also have on-demand virus software; updated with the latest virus definition database already in place before connecting to the Internet: I use Avast! & F-Prot Antivirus, and a spyware; Microsoft new Anti Spyware Beta is excellent.

Without a firewall and virus protection you have a max of 30 minutes on line before your system is compromised.

We’ve explored most of the possibilities without success, so try this and see if it works.

You were able to copy data to the hard-drive form the CD without a copy error; so it’s not the CD. You installed Windows Home Edition, and subsequently began to experience corrupt data issues, yet no hard-drive integrity issues; based on your diagnostic scan.

If one of the RAM modules was defective, or another hardware component; monitored by the BIOS, then BIOS would have made a beeping sound indicating an error code associated with the hardware component at fault.

So the most likely culprit would be a compromised hard-drive; a boot-sector virus most likely. And the most effective way to eradicate is a full low-level format.

WD website has software to do this, but it must be installed in a bootable floppy, since you don’t have access to the operating system you can also use the Windows Install option that I described to low-level format the entire drive. Make sure you delete the entire drive partition, then create a new one, and do a full format.

Ashtree · #15 01-11-2005, 10:48 AM

Good idea, but after 4 formats later still the same thing. Everything on the computer works quirky. Sometimes programs work great then other times they crash. I get inttermitant errors even without the harddrive working. I still need to test the RAM which I'm leaning towards as part of the problem, or the mother board. With my old hard drive everything was working perfect until one morning. Then one error after another unitil nothing. I had the old hard drive tested and it was OK with no viruses. I need to get this thing fixed! Thanks for all your help.