[sapperlight]

Hi. I apologize for my first post being a question. I've just built my first computer, and it ran great for 3 days. Then, while playing a game, it locked up, requiring a hard reboot. Once I did that, Windows XP wouldn't load; instead, I received a variety of BSOD errors. I eventually got to safe mode, tried system restore, tried various error solutions, all to no avail. I then tried to reinstall Windows XP, since there was very little on the HDD. Here is the current problem: I boot from CD, get to setup, and the program starts copying files. However, a significant number of the files won't copy--"the file xxx is not a valid Win XP image...". If I limp through setup, ignoring those files (mostly drivers), I get the BSOD. The one time I got to the graphic setup screen, it didn't have the right file to continue.

Here are the specs: AMD 4000+
Gigabyte K8NXP-SLI mobo
Gigabyte GV-3D1 video card (dual 6600GT)
4x512MB RAM
WD Raptor HDD (SATA)
WD IDE HDD

Here's what I've done: tried different Win XP disk, tried different CD drive, switched HDD cables, tried installing on a different (non-SATA) HDD, tried disabling DMA. I have the latest bios, since the computer ran for 3 days without issue. The CPU temp was ~39 C at the time of the crash. I've done both quick and full partitions, but only via the Win XP CD.

I look forward to your responses. Thanks.

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Hi,

Try running memtest86 but run it on only one stick of ram at a time this way if you find a stick with errors remove it from the system and try and load windows.

Better yet if you find a stick with no errors just use that stick to see if windows will load if it does then test the other sticks to find the bad one. If after finding a error free stick windows still won't load post back.

Let memtest run for at least 3 passes and report back what test the error is on.

Rick

[Doby]

Hi,

Try running memtest86 but run it on only one stick of ram at a time this way if you find a stick with errors remove it from the system and try and load windows.

Better yet if you find a stick with no errors just use that stick to see if windows will load if it does then test the other sticks to find the bad one. If after finding a error free stick windows still won't load post back.

Let memtest run for at least 3 passes and report back what test the error is on.

Rick

[sapperlight]

Thanks for the response, Rick. I finally got WinXP to install after removing all but one stick of memory and the additional (slave) HDD. I added the mobo drivers and grapics drivers without issue. I then added the full complement of memory back into the system and rebooted. Windows crashed after the splash screen with the error, Page Fault in Non-Paged Area. I looked it up and it said that during booting, that was an indicator of corrupt physical memory. Since I just added memory, that made sense. I went back to one stick of memory, and now all I get is a black screen after the POST. The bios recognizes the memory, even if I switch it out, which I've done with all four sticks. When I try to boot from CD, the system goes black after Windows says it's checking the configuration.

I've found a computer to do the memtest on, which I'll do tonight. I'm just now wondering if there is some other physical memory that might be corrupt. Thanks again for your help.

[warriorscot]

Have you tried each of the sticks indivually if you read your mobos manualt it might have the particular combinations you can try in different orders to see if they work. The MSI manual i have been reading did it had a particular warning about using four sticks of ram as it can reduce your memory band width apparently. Have you tried a different operating system.

[Doby]

If the computer will post you may be able to test the ram on it because memtest has a version that you create a bootable floppy, the link I posted should be that version.

Read the mobo manual for the correct config when using one stick

Maybe windows got corrupt after installing the additional memory that is why you get a black screen when switching back to 1 stick

Rick

[sapperlight]

Thanks for the responses. I think you hit it on the head, Rick. I made a boot CD and ran memtest without issue on one stick. I was able to install WinXP on another HDD and then salvage my master HDD. I then went back and retested the other 3 sticks, and one of them had 12000 errors before the end of test 3. I'm now running with 2 sticks and RMA'ing the other two. I think the bad stick corrupted the install on the master. I'll stress test the computer tonight to make sure everything's in order. Thanks again for the help.

[Doby]

Your welcome,

Good idea on the stress test I alway do that just to be sure everthings 100% stable but I think you found the problem
happy computing

Rick

[Ocean-View]

Hi Sapperlight

First of all, I'd wish I found this post one month ago. I found your post during a search in google about failed OS installs related to memory.

I had the same problem. My win2k OS would not install. Files would not copy. Eventually I narrowed it down to the memory and discovered that the install would work if I only used one memory stick instead of the I had originally installed. I have two memory sticks (modules), each are 256MB PC2100 DDR ECC memory.

I did the memtest thing as well and my memory checked out ok after a few passes.

I built my own system. I'm running an iWill DVD266-R motherboard using DUAL pentium 3's utilizing raid 1 with a total capacity of up to 4 gigs of memory.

After the successful install, I popped the remaining 256MB DDR memory stick back in and I'm up and running just fine with 512MB memory. I don't remember if I installed the OS origianlly with one or two sticks. Its been running fine for about 4 1/2 years until I had to do a clean install as a result of a hard drive crash.

I never found any reason why the installed worked successfully using only one memory module. You would think my motherboard owners manual would mention something about how tricky memory can be with an OS install !!! If anyone knows why the install worked successfully with only one stick installed, please let me know.

I went ballistic for about 3 weeks before I finally narrowed down the problem. It was not a pleasent experience.

I know nothing about this forum but I had to register to respond to your initial question. I went through the same nightmare as yourself and felt a need to let others know what I discovered as well.

Peace and God bless
Ocean-View

[Peepo28]

I'm having a similar problem right now!! argh!! my boyfriend somehow screwed up our laptop so bad that it would only go to a black screen that said "disk error press any key to restart". I somehow figured out thru my own knowledge and searching on the net, to get the windows XP cd and try to recover it somehow. I did that and tried to run the recovery console, but for some reason, i couldn't really do much cuz i was confused out of my mind AND the stuff i was trying to do wasnt working.

I was supposed to create another folder or something called md tmp, then i was supposed to copy C:\windows\ yada yada yada, then delete C:\windows\ yada yada yada. but it kept saying that there was no directory to copy from or copy into. weird...

so then i decided to delete a partition (along with my old operating system) so i could re-install windows XP. what ended up happening is that it seemed to be working until it said that a whole boat load of files could not be copied. I ignored those error messages and continued with the set up, but at the end, it was all messed up b/c so many files could not copy!

now, this is where i'm up to: did it all over, this time when it said that a file could not copy, should i retry or cancel, i hit CANCEL. then when it asked to "continue setup without this file" i said NO. so it skipped all of the rest and now its installing "registry components" or something. Somehow I feel that I'm still not doing it right. I'm just waiting now IN HOPES that its going to miraculously be fine and I'll be able to start up windows and maybe work on installing the missing files by getting them from microsoft or something. AM I IN A FANTASY WORLD? How much trouble is our laptop in???!!?

[sapperlight]

Because it's a laptop, I'm not sure what to tell you. I got mine to work because I was able to install WinXP on a separate HDD, then go back and recover the original.

I did the "cancel" thing like you are doing, but even the couple of times I limped through it all the way to the end, it wouldn't boot. If you can use an external HDD and boot from it, then I think you can salvage the original drive. Other than that, I don't have much to offer.

[Peepo28]

Whats an HDD? and i have a regular desktop also. So both are in front of me right now.

[warriorscot]

Hard Disk Drive.