Endless problems installing Windows XP!

GSDog

GSDog

GSDog

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My parents PC went a bit crazy last week and started getting BSOD's every two minutes and almost every program was crashing.
I decided to format the HDD and do a clean install of Windows XP because it needed it anyway.

I think I'm now on my 6th attempt of installing XP - eveything seems to be going wrong.
During the installation I kept getting numerous error messages so I kept having to start again.
This time the installation seemed to go smoothly but as soon as I logged into the Windows for the first time I noticed it had no wallpaper and the User account icons, etc. are missing.
I also can't run "msconfig" to create a system restore point or edit the startup menus, etc.

I'm guessing this is yet another corrupt install. I don't know what is causing all these problems but it's giving me a headache now, I've spent hours installing it over and over.
Does it sound like it could be a dodgy XP disk?

Here is the error message I get when I try to run msconfig;
2vkc2e1.jpg
 
My guess would be that either you have some faulty RAM, or the hard disk is failing. You should test both out before bothering to reinstall again (which you will have to do, no doubt).
 
I formatted again and during the installation I got a BSOD saying "PFN_LIST_CORRUPT".

Any idea what that means?

It could be a faulty RAM or hard disk because the PC suffered a power surge about a month ago from lightning and I had to replace the motherboard.

I'm going to try a different CD and if it still does it then I'll test the memory with memtest86 overnight and see what comes up.
I think the hard disk is OK though.
 
All the of the above are good ideas. DOwnload Ultimate boot CD. This has both memory testing tools and also hard drive testing tools (use the one provided by the drives manufacturer).

Considering you were getting problems before you rebuilt the PC I'd say it's more likely you be a hard drive or memory issue then the media or the opticle drive. It could also be a PSU or motherboard issus. Have a look at the capasitors on the motherboard see if any are bulging.
 
Thanks for the replies.

I just remembered my parents had another old PC which I completely forgot about so I moved the hard drive to it and it's installed Windows XP fine on that PC.
I'm hoping it is the optical drive because it was making some strange noises and the optical drive on the old PC was much quicker at installing Windows.

Once I've installed all the programs I'll swap the hard drive back and see what happens.
 
Ok, now I really am confused.

I swapped the hard drive back into the troublesome PC and it get's a BSOD everytime it boots up just before it gets to the Windows XP loading page.
So I decided to see if it was the RAM and replaced them with a stick from the old PC and it still got the BSOD so I guess that rules out faulty RAM.
I then took the hard drive from the old PC and tried it in the troublesome PC and it booted up perfectly!

For some reason the hard drive will not work in one PC but it's perfectly fine in the other. What could cause this?!
 
The BSOD could be a result of corruption of the installation that's already occurred, try a fresh install with the known working RAM.
 
you can't install windows on one motherboard and switch it back to another (ok, sometimes this might work, but it's a very bad thing to do)

try...

different cd
different cd drive
different ide cables
different hard drive
different ram
different psu
 
alexhull24 said:
The BSOD could be a result of corruption of the installation that's already occurred, try a fresh install with the known working RAM.
Click to expand...

I installed XP on the other PC though and the install went smoothly without any problems so it's not a corrupt install.
I'm now thinking it's because I installed Windows on the old PC which has a completely different motherboard and devices, etc.

bledd. said:
you can't install windows on one motherboard and switch it back to another (ok, sometimes this might work, but it's a very bad thing to do)
Click to expand...

Yeah I thought that might be the problem. I've ordered a new CD drive now so as soon as that arrives I'll try installing XP again.

Thanks for the help so far guys.
 
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