Problems installing OS 'Help'

oops · 17 Dec 2010 at 16:28

Hello all,
I’m trying to install windows XP onto my friends Dell 4700 series PC, I have the dell installation disk but every time I try to install the OS, I get so far and then it says that it can’t find the kernel32.dll file and I can either try again by pressing enter or esc to skip, but it does this for all most all the .dll files and then some .exe files with the result that it can’t load windows.
I have changed the HDD but this makes no difference and I’ve even changed the optical drive with no joy. I even changed the OS disk but this still makes no difference either, cant think what to do, I would try an install from usb but I’m not sure how to do this.

unp|dissy · 17 Dec 2010 at 16:39

Reburn disk.
Try different optical drive.
Try different HDD.
USB install can be helped with http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

Finally, what you havent mentioned (and what has caused me issues in the past installing an OS)

Change sata cable / IDE cable / IDE/SATA port on the board.

oops · 17 Dec 2010 at 18:12

Thanks for the reply dissy, I took your advice and Changed the sata cable and the IDE cable, and now the install is going through without a hitch, I would never have though that it would be a cable

unp|dissy · 17 Dec 2010 at 18:45

oops said:
Thanks for the reply dissy, I took your advice and Changed the sata cable and the IDE cable, and now the install is going through without a hitch, I would never have though that it would be a cable

Weird huh!

I had the same thing installing fedora a while back

oops · 17 Dec 2010 at 19:37

Im affraid I spoke to soon

Im now getting right to near the end of the process (installing windows) and Im now getting BSOD getting weirder :confused:

RJC · 17 Dec 2010 at 19:42

You might have a component fault, ie faulty ram ect, is it possible to download and run run mem test.

oops · 18 Dec 2010 at 14:14

Thanks again guys I did run memtest (around 4 hrs) but the results were inconclusive (ie I wasn't quite sure what I should be looking for :confused:

) anyway it seemed to be down to a faulty stick of ram, once removed it booted successfully

so my thanks again to unp|dissy and RJC for all the help, great job.