EsCoRt_CAB

hi all. i hope this is in the correct place.
i dont know a load about computers so bare with me :D

right then, i brought a laptop just because it was cheap, it is stuck in windows xp instalation ( a sony Vaio notebook model:PCG-N505X) i will try and put it in a list to make it a bit more readable, here goes:

- turn the lappy on and the normal sony start up screen comes up, then the normal windows xp screen

-then a blue screen with a message in the left corner just saying: windows setup is being compleated...

-then it goes onto the normal windows installation screen with all the circles green upto the 'windows installation' one

-then a box comes up saying:
the file 'asms' on windows xp proffesional service pack 2 CD is needed. type the path where the file is located and click ok
in the drop down menu where you are suposed to select where this is located only
GLOBALROOT\DEVICE\CDROMO\|386
is shown so i click this and click ok but nothing happens. so i click cancel and then just an error messege just comes up:
one of the componants is missing
so click ok and a long error message comes up basically saying the same but with more info on.

-you have to click the close button and it all starts again.

-i have tried to boot it from a xp disc i have but again it does not work :(

any help and suggestions would be much appriciated

thanks

makinu1der2

Hello EsCoRt,

See the following article. Hope it will help.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311755

Coolfreak

Is there anything on this laptop you need to save? If not, just wipe out the hard drive using a simple utility like DBAN. A download link for DBAN is available in my signature. Keep in mind this will make everything on the hard drive irrecoverable. .

After that is finished, just boot from the Windows XP disc, and install Windows. .

-Coolfreak

dai

is the xp disk a genuine disk or a burnt copy

EsCoRt_CAB

ok, cheers for all the replys. tried the methods suggested on the article but when i try to open the command thing (Ctrl+F10) but nothing happens.
done the DBAN thing, put it on a disc (used express burn) put it in the cd drive, set it to boot from the CD but exactly the same thing happened. the disc is a burnt copy (i no this problem is common if the disc is a copy)

cheers

Coolfreak

When you boot from the DBAN disc, the Windows installation thing comes up?

dai

did you burn the disk as a iso

EsCoRt_CAB

yeh, it just does the same, a blue screen comes up saying windows setup is being compleated...

then goes to the installation thing.
i think so? so it could be because i did it wrong?

i have ran out of discs now (only had one left) i do have a hard drive though so i could use that right? mind you that is coming up saying the hard drive is copy writed so dont know how to sort that?
i might be able to borrow someone elses usb or somthig?

thanks all, and sorry for wasting your time, i do appriciate it.

cheers

TriggerFinger

looks like you cannot boot from your CD/DVD drive. try another bootable CD media. if it cannot boot due to Windows installation not completed, remove the HDD and try to boot still from CD drive. if successful, format the HDD in another computer.