XP Pro install BSODs

Nitristion

Nitristion

Nitristion

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9 Oct 2008
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101
I'm having trouble installing XP onto a brand new rig for a friend of mine, it contantly blue screens just after I choose keyboard and time zone settings.
It is not always the same error either, it has spewed out "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA", and the most recent one; "An attempt was made to write to read only memory".

I've done a google search but havn't come up with much- infact most responses to similar problem posts are "Could be RAM, CPU, HDD, GFX, PCI, or IDE".

Its pretty useless information, because thats basically saying "Your problem is something is wrong with your computer." Well no s***.

Just wondering if anyone else out there has had similar problems, or maybe if anyone out there would be able to diagnose the problem, and be a little more specific.

Just to mention, Its an Asus P5Q mobo, a Q6600 CPU, 2x2gb sticks of OCZ DDR2 RAM, and an ATI 4850. Also its a 500gb sata HDD. I've reset all the settings in the BIOS to default, I've tried just one stick of RAM, and then the other, I've reseated the GFX card multipul times, and have removed the PCI wireless card. All of which has not stopped the BSODing.


Please don't tell me its a driver problem, because I can't even install windows to get to a stage where I can mess around with drivers.

Thanks in advance.
 
Both memory timings and voltages are all set to the default values; Auto.

If it is possible that both RAM sticks are faulty - because I tried both seperately in slot 1 and still the comp BSODed - then I'm never going to touch OCZ RAM again.

Also, I'd like my money back on said RAM which was purchased about a week ago from ocuk =/
 
This is a legit copy of xp ? or an image ? if the latter I'd suggest it's a bad copy and get another image.

If the former then get memtest86 on to a cdr and test the memory.

Auto doesn't mean it's the right settings for the ram btw it may well be that you need to up the ram voltage.

As ever narrow it down try the ram in your rig ? see if it's okay in yours ? To me it really sounds like a dodgy xp disc though happens all the time.
 
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Nitristion said:
I'm having trouble installing XP onto a brand new rig for a friend of mine, it contantly blue screens just after I choose keyboard and time zone settings.
It is not always the same error either, it has spewed out "IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL", "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA", and the most recent one; "An attempt was made to write to read only memory".

I've done a google search but havn't come up with much- infact most responses to similar problem posts are "Could be RAM, CPU, HDD, GFX, PCI, or IDE".

Its pretty useless information, because thats basically saying "Your problem is something is wrong with your computer." Well no s***.

Just wondering if anyone else out there has had similar problems, or maybe if anyone out there would be able to diagnose the problem, and be a little more specific.

Just to mention, Its an Asus P5Q mobo, a Q6600 CPU, 2x2gb sticks of OCZ DDR2 RAM, and an ATI 4850. Also its a 500gb sata HDD. I've reset all the settings in the BIOS to default, I've tried just one stick of RAM, and then the other, I've reseated the GFX card multipul times, and have removed the PCI wireless card. All of which has not stopped the BSODing.


Please don't tell me its a driver problem, because I can't even install windows to get to a stage where I can mess around with drivers.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Just a hunch, have you tried toggling the SATA controller options in BIOS. Normally you have 3 options (on the last HP machine I saw). It is late and I can't recall the options. But on quite a few newish systems I have had to faff around with this setting when installing XP (normally it falls over at the detecting HDDs section if this is the case, but worth a bash).


rp2000
 
A mint condition (Read: no visible scratches, etc) disc.

The disc is an image of a legit copy- I'm currently typing this out using a computer that was installed from the very same disc. =/

It may sound silly, but would the fact that its only a 32bit OS be causing the problems?

If this is not the case I shall have to faff around in the bios for timings and voltages I guess. Though I wouldn't know where to start, nor what to adjust them to.

Any tips?

EDIT: I've set the sata to be used as IDE in the bios. If I don't set it to that, it doesn't recognise the HDD at all.
 
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rp2000 said:
Just a hunch, have you tried toggling the SATA controller options in BIOS. Normally you have 3 options (on the last HP machine I saw). It is late and I can't recall the options. But on quite a few newish systems I have had to faff around with this setting when installing XP (normally it falls over at the detecting HDDs section if this is the case, but worth a bash).


rp2000
Click to expand...

and then you need to press an 'F' (6 I think) key during install to install the drivers.
 
What BIOS are you running? It definitely sounds like it's the RAM causing you problems so set the voltages and timings manually and then run memtest86+ on them.
 
It's either, in order of likelihood:

CD image is corrupt.
CD drive or it's interface with the PC is faulty. (this can include odd bios settings)
Ram timings are foobar.
Ram is faulty.
HD drive or it's interface with the PC is faulty. (this can include odd bios settings or a lack of a legacy mode setting)

Download a LiveCD Linux image from the internet. Boot the PC with it and run a few apps, run memtest (usually included on LiveCD bootloaders).
If this works, then at least the machine is functional and total hardware failure is probably not the issue.
 
if it's OCZ, then up the ram voltage, (check the specs first)

my ocz ram is rated at 2.2v, but my board default was 1.8, so i upped it by 0.4 and hey presto, 100% stability
 
Ah hah, okay the BIOS reported that it's default setting was to supply 1.8, so I changed it to 2.1, and tried to get it to install again. It still BSODed, I tried 2.2, 2.0 and 2.16, none of which worked either.

Any ideas? The timings tell me that they are 5-5-5-15, at least thats what they say when I set it to manual, and try to change them, otherwise on auto they say other completely different and confusing numbers. :confused:
 
Nitristion said:
The disc is an image of a legit copy- I'm currently typing this out using a computer that was installed from the very same disc.
Click to expand...

The fact that it's happening after keyboard and time settings = corrupt disc/image in my view as I stated above.
It may be just luck that it worked once for you.
 
C64 said:
The fact that it's happening after keyboard and time settings = corrupt disc/image in my view as I stated above.
It may be just luck that it worked once for you.
Click to expand...

Well I've since then tried to install using someone elses - not so legal - copy of XP. Which also crashed at more or less the same point. I've pulled out my DVD drive, and switched it with above mentioned friend's one and still the same thing happens.

I've also tried with just 1 stick of RAM, and it still won't work.

:confused:
 
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