[captvideo]

I had some serious problems with my computer and decide to follow the instructions posted here for reinstalling XP without hurting my files etc. The re install hangs up at the 33 minute mark. It stays right there and says it is loading devices. The hype screens keep on scrolling by. Help!

[Advertisements]

You may have better luck if you remove any non-essential devices and add them back later.

Unplug external devices like printers/scanners/usb devices--basically, anything but the keyboard and mouse and monitor

If you know your way around inside a computer, remove (if possible), modems, soundcards, add-in cards. If you have a ps2 mouse and keyboard, use those instead of the usb mouse and keyboard

[gerryf]

You may have better luck if you remove any non-essential devices and add them back later.

Unplug external devices like printers/scanners/usb devices--basically, anything but the keyboard and mouse and monitor

If you know your way around inside a computer, remove (if possible), modems, soundcards, add-in cards. If you have a ps2 mouse and keyboard, use those instead of the usb mouse and keyboard

[captvideo]

Thanks for the help. I am using a laptop but I did unplug USB dvices and printer and external keyboard. No luck. Still hangs up at 33 minutes. Is there any way to get back to the old OS as this point? I know it is still in there. I saw it in the REcovery Console. Also saw that the reinstall is hanging at the modem driver but have no idea how to get to it or the old system.

[gerryf]

can you disable any device in bios/setup?

What kind of laptop? How much ram? Can you remove one stick of ram?

[captvideo]

The computer is a Dell Inspiron 8100. I have disabled several devices in the Bios. Are your suggesting that I pull one of my memory sticks. I have 256K of Ram. Thanks.

[gerryf]

I was -- if you have two sticks.

Have you ever done this before (reinstalled Windows) with this machine?

Try cleaning your xp cd, and if you have cd cleaner, use it

[captvideo]

Gerry

I recently installed a new hard drive. I have only installed the whole Windows program on it. I have not run this program before no. I had this machinne runnig beauatiufull until I stupidly download WinFixer. I don't know what I was thinking. I thought there scan had fopud reg errors my other programs must have missed but am now convinced the scan is a complete phony. Anyway, I don't want to reinstall Windows completely as I have many upgradesand programs I want to keep.

I will take out one of the sticks and re try. I think I have two but its been a while since I took that cover off.

I wish there was a way to vpoid this process and go back to my corrupted machine. It did have some functionality and I could try some more fixes. I have already used vundo removal (no vundo) and have run Hijack This and removed some mal objects adware had not picked up. But there may be more fixes and I would love to give them a try. But is it I too late? Alas I fear it is.

Thanks again.

[gerryf]

If it were me, I would remove the drive and see if anything remains by plugging it in as a slave on another machine, then backup and wipe it clean and start from scratch.

You can buy a 2.5 inch ide converter so you can plug it into a desktop machine from Radio Shack for less than $20

[captvideo]

GERRYF,

Thanks for the help. I have a laptop. did not know I could do this. However, my goal is to keep everything on my drive that I can. I was ding aWindows reinstall to I would not have to lose anthing. Ican re format the partition and reload windows if need be but am desparately trying to avoind doing s. I ma pretty certain that my old OS is still in the computer. I can see it by using the command prompt in the Repair Console. I think what I need now is a way to stop the setup boot and go back to my old boot. I have a feeeling this can be done with a rewrite of the boot programs but don't know how.

Thanks again.

[gerryf]

Why do you think it is still there? There is certainly some of it remaining, but not in a usable form. The repair process you refer to should delete the much of the c:\windows directory. (your data is not in there).

When you say not lose anything, what do you mean? Data is one thing, but programs are another.

You might consider copying the i386 directory from your cd and installing from that rather than the cd-rom....in some cases, I have had luck with this tact. How you get it on the drive differs depending on the file system.



You might also consider making a copy of your xp cd and trying to install from the copy...a minute warping of the disk could cause issues.

[captvideo]

I tried the install using a new Windows Install CD with SP2 (mine ony has SP1) on it with no luck. Same result. Hung at 33 mintues. I read the error log and it tells me "setup enountered an erro wihile trying to setup system security. Have done all I could find relevant at MSOFT but of course there could be more. the whole idea of the reinstall was to get rid of anything like "seciruty issues." I would rather have a security issue and have my computer work than hang out in pergatory!

I do not know if Setup deletes the old OS as it goes along or after it is finished actually.

So how to I get around the nag is the big question. The automatic try it three times did not work nor did unplugging devices, removing memory etc. Still frustgrated. Thanks for hlep

[gerryf]

I've re-read this and I am unsure if you have ever re-installed windows on this machine like I asked, or if you received it with windows xp on it.

The reason I ask is because I need to know if a conventional install will even work given this system.

When you boot your machine,or drop into BIOS, what version of bios are you using?

This machine is already up to bios version 9, and it is wholly possible that the problem is occuring during installing devices because Windows setup cannot access bios to discover what to install.

Thus, a "security" issue

[phillyhj]

amazingly i am having the same exact problem... should i start a new thread or just keep watching this one?

[Loganbiz]

Same here. I am having exactly the same problem . It hangs at 33 minutes. Should I just watch this post or start another.

[Comrade General]

I have had this problem before... forgot how to fix it though.

Edited by Comrade General, 27 November 2005 - 01:00 PM.