[Anomalous]

Unfortunately I cannot reach the event viewer.

Windows XP home and pro can run the desktop and sometimes I can upgrade to SP2 and SP3 without any issues, but when it finally decides to crash I can no longer reach the desktop until I reformat and reinstall XP again.

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OK this makes no sense with 4 retail or system recovery disks and nothing is working.
Have you tried a different optical drive?
Something is causing it not to install correctly and if all the installation disks are authentic and not burned then we have to look at the optical drive as being a issue.

[rshaffer61]

OK this makes no sense with 4 retail or system recovery disks and nothing is working.
Have you tried a different optical drive?
Something is causing it not to install correctly and if all the installation disks are authentic and not burned then we have to look at the optical drive as being a issue.

[Anomalous]

Replaced the optical drive, both windows XP home and pro crashed during installation, both windows 7 CDs froze like before.

[rshaffer61]

OK then at this point you have tested the memory, hd, optical drive, system files, chkdsk.
At this point we have to accept it maybe a motherboard or a cpu issue.
Something is stopping the installation and if the motherboard is damaged somehow then it will freeze up or crash as in your issue.
The other issue I need ot check is did you ever replace the cmos battery? At the start of this your time and date were off by 8 years and I suggested replacing the battery. Did you purchase a new one and replace it as I see no reference to this ever being done?
Please boot into bios and check the date to see what it is set at.

[Anomalous]

It did reset again but I adjusted the time,

I've never replaced the battery before, does it need a specific one and where can I buy one?

[rshaffer61]

Since it reset then that is the battery is failing.
The battery is on the mobo and looks like this below.
You shouldbe able to buy it at any Radio Shack or watch store. Walmart carries them in the watch department.
Take the old battery out being careful not to break the clip or clips that hold it in place.
They are pretty standard so the store will be able to egt you the right one with no problem. They should cost less then 5 bucks for one.

[Anomalous]

Replaced the battery but still having problems,

Somehow the Dell Windows 7 installation was working, unfortunately it said it couldn't support my hardware. (I'm assuming its because its the 64bit version.)

At this point I cant get an OS on the computer, every CD is freezing and/or crashing during the installation process.

Edited by Anomalous, 10 September 2010 - 06:01 PM.

[rshaffer61]

Very few things cause this issue.

• Bad media as in cd
• Bad optical player
• Bad memory
• Bad HD
• Bad CPU
• Bad Mobo