[Miss Zombie]

Here is my problem...

I was doing a repair/reinstall for my mother-in-law on her HP Pavilion xf328 and for some reason when it started copying the files it started to skip them. I have tried several different XP disks and no luck. I was told it could be a bad RAM module, but I tried to install Windows 98 and it worked perfectly.

My problem that I have now.. I am basically trying to do a force install by copying the "skipped" files to the HD through Windows XP Recovery Console, everything has worked so far except for the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG files.

I am needing to know exactly what files to copy and/or expand to replace the files from the CD that aren't on the HD yet, or is it even possible to "force install" it successfully?

BTW, the repair folder isn't on the HD yet so repairing the missing/corrupt file isn't an option.

If someone can help it would be much appreciated, I have been driving myself crazy with this for weeks.

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The problem you face is that when Windows is installed, some files are created "on the fly" specific to that computer so they don't actually exist on the CD. Many of the files within 'C:\Windows\System32\Config' are in this category, including the folder itself.

Have you tried deleting the existing C partition and replacing it with a new, empty one before installing XP? You can perform this task using the XP CD (booting from it). If you don't do this, it's possible some existing files from the previous OS could cause XP setup to run improperly (such as the skipping of files you encountered).

[pip22]

The problem you face is that when Windows is installed, some files are created "on the fly" specific to that computer so they don't actually exist on the CD. Many of the files within 'C:\Windows\System32\Config' are in this category, including the folder itself.

Have you tried deleting the existing C partition and replacing it with a new, empty one before installing XP? You can perform this task using the XP CD (booting from it). If you don't do this, it's possible some existing files from the previous OS could cause XP setup to run improperly (such as the skipping of files you encountered).

[Miss Zombie]

Yes, I have deleted the partition, several times in fact. Everything I've tried on it is clean to where the black screen that says "NO OS FOUND" on startup. Is there anything else I can do?

[Retired Tech]

There is no data you need on the PC?

You have the installation CD's for any programmes you intend to install?

[fleamailman]

just curious, when you say that windows 98 installed perfectly did you mean that the partition is now in fat32 and not ntfs?

[Miss Zombie]

just curious, when you say that windows 98 installed perfectly did you mean that the partition is now in fat32 and not ntfs?

Yes the file system was used as FAT32, I was thinking it had something to do with that but I wasn't sure. However when I try to install XP it does give me the option to format as FAT32 or NTFS.

[Miss Zombie]

There is no data you need on the PC?

You have the installation CD's for any programmes you intend to install?

Yes, the harddrive is completely cleared. I am just needing to get WINXP back on it. Hopefully, anyway.

[Retired Tech]

I would do this

To completely erase all data on the drive(s)

Click this to download Boot and Nuke

Click this for a guide to using Boot and Nuke

Use the autonuke option, which could take 8 hours or so to format a 200 GB Hard Drive, then when you run Windows set up, use the default, not quick format option, and check it is creating a RAW1 partition on C, if the drive letter is different, restart the PC and it should default to C

[wannabe1]

I would run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. My money's on bad RAM.

[Miss Zombie]

I would do this

To completely erase all data on the drive(s)

Click this to download Boot and Nuke

Click this for a guide to using Boot and Nuke

Use the autonuke option, which could take 8 hours or so to format a 200 GB Hard Drive, then when you run Windows set up, use the default, not quick format option, and check it is creating a RAW1 partition on C, if the drive letter is different, restart the PC and it should default to C

I downloaded and burned the program to a disk but when I try to boot in on the computer it says No Bootable CD...ect =(

[Miss Zombie]

I would run the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. My money's on bad RAM.

I am having the same problem with this like I did with the other program. It is saying there is no bootable cd in the cd drive.

[wannabe1]

These will need to be burned as ISO images to work. The easiest way to accomplish that is to download ISO Recorder and install it. Then simply right click on the file you downloaded (Do the windiag.iso first...I really think it's bad RAM that's holding you up) and choose "Copy Image to CD".

[Miss Zombie]

These will need to be burned as ISO images to work. The easiest way to accomplish that is to download ISO Recorder and install it. Then simply right click on the file you downloaded (Do the windiag.iso first...I really think it's bad RAM that's holding you up) and choose "Copy Image to CD".

Okay I will try that, I used POWERISO for the last one, but I don't know why it didn't burn correctly. I will let you know how this one goes.


I got the files to burn and boot up. The mem test just keeps going and going and going.. not sure if this is normal or not. I think it's pretty much failed every test. I am going to try the HD erase that 'Keith' posted earlier and if that doesn't work I guess I am done, finally.. haha

Edited by Miss Zombie, 14 July 2007 - 09:00 PM.

[Miss Zombie]

Okay, update on the DBAN.

<0> Kernel panic: Aiee, killing interrupt handler!
In interrupt handler - not syncing


No clue what's going on. Can you fill me in Keith?

[wannabe1]

I think it's pretty much failed every test.

If it failed even one test in any pass, this is the problem. How much RAM is installed on the machine? Just for future reference, Windows 98 only uses the first 64 MB of RAM during it's install process. Windows XP needs more than that to install properly and a bad stick will give you the problems (failing to copy files) you were experiencing.