Having Troubles

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:11 am

I am working on an older Compaq computer and trying to reformat and install XP. Every time I perform the install the computer has issues reading from the XP disc. This would be a simple fix but this is what I have done:
tried 3 different CDs (They work in other computers)
tried 2 different HDDs (they work in other computers)
tried 3 different IDE ribbons (last one was new)
tried both on one cable and on separate cables
tried both on same cable and both IDE channels
AND most important 4 different XP CDs one of which is original the others are discs I have used many times.

The installation always hangs up around 40-50% during copy of files with yellow progress bar for all setups. I just don't get it. Could the IDE channels on the mobo be bad?

Anyone have any other ideas to try?

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:06 pm

bad cpu battery be cheap swap . but it sounds like a bad mb !

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:34 pm

You mention changing everything but the CD drive itself. I had a similar problem awhile back.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 1:25 pm

There may also be the possibility that the computer itself is locking up. Heat issues?

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:43 pm

your not using a controller card ? i just had a problem on my machine every time i went to burn a disk the computer lock up. took the card out of the equation and all is fine now.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 2:55 pm

Oh yeah, controller card will get you too.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 8:21 pm

I've seen bad RAM often stall an XP install part way through. Reseat the RAM and run MEMTEST 86+ on it all night.

I'm seeing a LOT of bad RAM lately. I think the quality control is going to hell.

Shadow250 · Post by **Shadow250** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:32 pm

FlyingPenguin wrote:I've seen bad RAM often stall an XP install part way through. Reseat the RAM and run MEMTEST 86+ on it all night.

I'm seeing a LOT of bad RAM lately. I think the quality control is going to hell.

ive also had this issue, it was indeed bad ram.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:54 pm

Oh, crap, why didn't I mention that.

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:56 pm

Tried 3 CD Drives. I will see if I have any additional ram around here and try that. There is only one stick in the computer. Thanks for the ideas and Ill keep posting.

RubberDuckie · Post by **RubberDuckie** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 6:14 pm

Reno the RAM worked ! !
I owe you one buddy. I have never had bad ram keep an install from happening. THANKS

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:58 pm

Great!

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Mon Mar 22, 2010 9:59 pm

Good stuff.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 12:11 am

I think you cursed me. A couple days ago I started getting random lock-ups & I finally decided to get to the root of the problem today. Failed stick of ram (nice one at that).

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Tue Mar 30, 2010 8:55 am

As I said before, I have seen a LOT of failing RAM lately. It's like a plague. My theory is that there's a lot of knock-off and counterfeit low quality crap out there. Most of this stuff is made in Taiwan, China, Korea - places where it's common for people to smuggle out chips that failed quality control and then they fab their own counterfeits.

Heck, it's happening with flash memory so it's almost certainly happening with RAM.