WINDOWS XP Installation Problem

Discussion in 'MCDST' started by londonboy, Apr 19, 2007.

  1. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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    1)I personally would get my money back, and then get some reliable RAM from crucial.
    2)Most BIOS updates run from a bootable floppy or CD, it doesnt matter if there is an OS on there or not, the BIOS should update. If it doesnt then you have more serious problems.
    3)I was thinking possible mobo problem because if you check the pics of memtest, it seems to freeze on the chipset info, could it be possible that you may have damaged something when you have been working in the pc. Do you wear an anti static strap?
    4)Is there nothing at all in the expansion slots?
    5)PSU=Power supply unit.

    Did you ever run a HDD diagnostic test? Cant remember if you did or not
    Have you tried different IDE cables?
     
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  2. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    1) I already asked for replacement and they will refund if it doesn't work ( I don't understand how could they sell 256MB DDR RAM for £7.99 each)

    2) I have downloaded the BIOS but just wondering if i can boot from floppy with that .exe file

    3) No I don't wear anti static starp

    4) There is nothing on expansion slot (no pci device or GRAPHICS card all builtin)

    5) PSU= Do you I should try changing the PSU

    NO I Didn't try HDD diagnostic test, and I will try changing IDE Cables...

    Thanks.. It looks like real FUN.. too troubleshoot COMPUTER..lol:cry:
     
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  3. Tinus1959

    Tinus1959 Gigabyte Poster

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    Compaq used to have a special partition on the drive that would function as a sort of BIOS. If you deleted that partition you could restore it with a CD from Compaq.
    I have spens a few days getting one of these older Compaqs to work. Then I got this tip and it worked in 15 minutes.
     
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  4. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Interesting Tinus 8)
     
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  5. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    HI Thanks for your tip but ebay seller didn't give me the compaq cd.. and I deleted the partition several times while I was trying to install win xp pro even win 2k pro.

    DO you have any idea how can I get the cd for my COMPAQ EVO D310...
     
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  6. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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  7. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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  8. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    Thanks for your reply mate, I returned the RAM yesterday by recorded delivery and thinking what to do? Do you suggest that I should buy 256MB RAM from crucial.com and I couldn't find the way to update BIOS using bootable floopy, I have downloaded .exe file but its for win xp pro O/S.
     
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  9. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Focus on the RAM and forget the BIOS for the moment.
     
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  10. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    You said that you bought 2 PCs for testing, can you use some components from that PC to help troubleshoot the problem?
     
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  11. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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    Yeah, concentrate on the RAM like Bluerinse mentioned.

    Try what Sparky has said aswell, i did mention this before about using the RAM from another machine, but you never mentioned if you had tried that.
     
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  12. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    hi thanks to everyone.. for valuable tips.. I can't try this (256MB DDR PC 2100) on my another computer,because it will not support, I checked the module already and tried didn't work, so I have to buy a RAM from CRUCIAL.com. Regarding other computers component, there is nothing to swap from Compaq EVO D310 except CD ROM (Everything is builtin). I actually bought 3 computers, 2 from ebay and 1 from FRIDAY-ADD, to install SERVER and practice my MCDST course excercise and later for MCSE...
     
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  13. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Cables? Are both IDE? :blink
     
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  14. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    You're probably wondering how XP ever got on this computer in the first place if the RAM is not suitable - the answer to that, is that the original operating system was probably *imaged* onto the drive (using norton ghost or similar) and therefore the computer never had to run the setup part of XP's installation. Note that during the initial part of setup, the OS is not actually 32 bit XP but rather a 16 bit DOS like program, which doesn't have such a sophisticated memory management capability as when *windows* is installed and running.

    I have been able successfully install RAM in the past after Windows was installed which refused to work during the setup process.
     
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  15. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    WOW! Thanks for your valuable information. Could you please explain how can I image win xp pro on Compaq EVO D310's HDD and end this thread... by the way I must admit that every new post in this thread is very important for my MCDST course and also for my future.
     
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  16. Bluerinse
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    Bluerinse Exabyte Poster

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    Unfortunately you can't - you see you need a working system to create the image in the first place - this is how PC builders do it, as long as the hardware is the same, they can take the time to build one system and make sure that it is all working perfectly, they can even install applications and customise the setup - then they image it, which basically means they use a program (like Ghost) which takes a snapshot of all the files on the system partition, this is usually stored on CD or DVD, then you boot a fresh computer with no operating system from a disk that was created by the imaging program and from there copy the image onto the freshly formatted hard drive and bobs your uncle - the whole process takes only a fraction of the time, in comparison to doing a clean install manually.
     
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  17. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    Thanks for your reply.. I changed IDE Cables from my another computer, tried to diconnect builtin USB port cables, tried FDISK to format (which worked), tried using memtest86+ v 1.70 (didn't work)... bought 2 x 256MB DDR PC2100 RAM (didn't work).. so what shall I do next.. shall I buy RAM from crucial.com
     
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  18. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Hmmm, might be a problem with the motherboard. :hhhmmm
    When the PC boots does it actually do a memory test before POST?

    Is it possible to put the PC back to its original build except swap the hard drive out of the other PC (which already has Windows installed) and see if it boots?

    If so it will detect new hardware and eventually get into Windows. I wouldnt normally do this but it will at least test to see if the mobo is working correctly.
     
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  19. Raffaz

    Raffaz Kebab Lover Gold Member

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    I was thinking the same aswell from the fact that memtest is freezing at the chipset stage.
     
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  20. londonboy

    londonboy Bit Poster

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    hi thanks for your reply... well I will try that this evening changing the HDD which already got win xp installled.. thanks again.. but I tried to install win 2k on Compaq EVO D310 's HDD using anthoer computer and then I put it back, so what happens is every time I boot computer it stopped at 'Windows Loading..' stage...!!!!
     
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