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Windows XP won'T install

7K views 13 replies 3 participants last post by  hwm54112 
#1 ·
As Gary kindly told me to make a new thread instead of posting in an old thread about the same problem, I post here mine.

My Acer AST135-U-S3352 had lots of problems due to unknown stuff. I decided to do like I usually done with my old PC (Celeron 333 MHz) and decided to format and reinstall Windows XP. The format works great, if I restart, the usual message about having no Windows and stuff appear.

But here's the problem... I can't reinstall. Everytime I try, lots and lots of files are unable to copy. I tried the CD on my Celeron and it works perfectly. I tried putting the hard disk on my Acer and it still won't install XP so I guessed it was my Acer, the problem.

I'm using my mom's PC at the moment so I can try stuff when you tell them. But please, my Acer is only 3 months old. If you need more specification, tell them but since I don't know what's the problem coming from, I can't tell everything.
 
#2 ·
SYMPTOMS
When you install Windows, you may receive a message during text-mode Setup that states that a file cannot be copied because it is damaged or missing. If you attempt to skip the file, you may receive the same message for random files that Setup tries to copy to your hard disk. Retrying a file may or may not work, but the process continues to stop on subsequent files.

CAUSE
This behavior can occur because of any of the following reasons:

• The Windows CD-ROM is damaged or dirty.
• PC133 SDRAM is being used in a computer that requires PC100 SDRAM.
• The CD-ROM drive is malfunctioning.
• The RAM is mismatched or the memory is faulty.

Source: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=257954


My workarounds/tests:

1. XP is more demanding than Win9x on RAM. Check the RAM:

. Pull out the modules, clean with pencil eraser, reinsert
. Now run a memory diagnostic test overnight. Either of these will do:

http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp
http://www.memtest86.com/#download0


2. If your RAM tests clean, and you looked at the non-RAM possibilities above and could exclude them as causes for the issue, do a DOS install:

. Make a folder on the hard drive from the root called i386
. Copy the contents of the XP CD \i386 folder to your hard drive \i386 folder
. CD \i386 on the hard disk drive

Type winnt, and then press ENTER.

Type the path of the Windows XP installation files, and then press ENTER. For example, type d:\i386.

The Windows Setup program copies files to the hard disk. When the files are copied, you receive the following message:

The MS-DOS based part of The Setup Program Is complete.
The Setup program will now restart your computer. After your computer restarts, the Windows XP Setup program will continue.

If there is a floppy disk in drive A:, remove it now.

Press ENTER to restart your computer and continue Windows XP Setup.


Remove any floppy disks from the computer, and then press ENTER. The computer restarts, and the Windows XP Setup program resumes. Press ENTER to continue.

Follow the steps to select and format a partition where you want to install Windows XP. If your hard disk contains only one partition, do not delete it from the list of existing partitions. The Windows XP Setup program has copied the installation files to this partition.

You can convert a FAT32-formatted partition to the NTFS file system later.

Setup copies the files that the Windows XP Setup program requires, and then the computer restarts. If you chose to format the drive by using the NTFS file system, Windows checks the drive for errors, and then it restarts. Windows XP Setup resumes in Graphical User Interface (GUI) mode.

Follow the steps in the Windows Setup Wizard to complete the installation of Windows XP.
 
#4 ·
Boot with a floppy with CD support.
(If you need one, pick Win98SE OEM: http://www.bootdisk.com/bootdisk.htm )

Type the following:

A:ramdrive.exe
c:
cd \
md \i386
cd \i386
cd D:\i386 (or whatever drive letter for your CD rom drive, here drive D)

Insert Windows XP CD into the CD ROM device

copy d:\i386\*.* c:\i386 /Y /V <=== use the right letter for drive D here

winnt.exe
 
#5 ·
First, the ramdrive.exe command never seems to work. Says Bad file or something like that.

Second, what partition should I be using with my 200 Go hard disk

Third, what am I suppose to do if there's still errors in the second step of install or it tells me to reinstall XP throught the first step. Very annoying!
 
#7 ·
Hi mat

I would start with wiping (zeroing) the drive with the manufacturer's drive utilities and then trying the re-install (quick wipe is OK). Formatting doesn't remove the old data and oft times it will interfere with a new install. If that is not successful, then I would look at memory issues possibly. Did you get any specific error messages or just that windows is unable to copy the files?
 
#9 ·
In that you were having lots of problems, you could be having other issues including ram, hard drive, etc. I'm kinda thinking ram at this point but ram and hdd issues are easily confused as the symptoms and error messages can be the same. I'd still do the wipe, run hdd diagnostics first though, it's quicker, and try the install, then run a mem test. If you have more than one memory stick, remove one and try it that way
 
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