XP/2000 will not install.

I just finished building my computer the other day and was ready to do a clean install of XP on it. I do have a SATA hard drive, but I know that is not the problem. I get through formatting and partitioning, but when I get to copying files they seem to not want to copy. It tells me that - The Setup file is an invalid windows image. It is a regular cd and I have used it before. I did try a 2000 cd and that did not work either. However, DOS worked and so I am positive after about 10 hours of research all DOS based windows 9x work too. The motherboard detects my hard drive fine but it might have to do with how the motherboard sees ntfs or something. HELP ME PLEASE!

MB: Gigabyte GA-8ipe1000 Pro-G
CPU: Intel P4 3.2 800Mhz 512kb
Mem: Corsair XMS Pro 512mb PC3200C2
HD: Seagate SATA 120gb
VC: EVGA Nvidia 5900se
SC: Creative Audigy 2 ZS
DVD-Rom

Welcome to windrivers simies

Are you starting your setup from by booting from cd? If so, is the dvd drive secondary master?
Is the dvd drive using a 40 or 80 wire cable?


Do you have the sata drivers on a floppy ready?

Could you confirm that "The Setup file is an invalid windows image" is the EXACT error message? Is there any other information shown with this message?

I am actually using the setup disks from Microsoft because it is not a bootable cd. The setup disks are Windows XP Professional w/SP1 which is what I am trying to install.

The DVD is on secondary master and uses a 40 wire cable.

I do have the SATA drivers on a floppy and I already tried the third party install in the windows setup and it does not do anything different. The hard drive seems to be detected fine by windows. There is a problem with copying files. I can go through and ignore the files and continue copying the others (occasionally popping up not being able to copy random files) and then I will get a blue screen after that saying there could be problems with the hardware and turn off power now. (fatal error.) BUT I CAN install DOS just fine, so it shouldn't be hardware. It seems to have something to do with NTFS or 32 bit windows. I don't know. Maybe MB BIOS can't handle it?

The message just says cannot copy "so and so" file (usually random files it decides it can't copy) and the Setup file COPIED TO THE DRIVE is an invalid windows system image.

I apologize. The DVD drive has a 80 wire cable and the other part of the message during the copy error says there could be something wrong with the windows xp cd but like I said, I also tried my 2000 cd (I have 2 windows 2000 cd's that I tried).

put the dvd rom on a 40 wire, secondary ide master.

Then boot with your 2k cd.

I know of no circumstance where a legal copy of xp is not bootable - so therefore there is something most definitely wrong with your xp cd.

I tried what you said and it did not work. The two 2000 cd's act the same as the xp cd. It probably narrows it down to hardware. Any more suggestions? PLEASE!!!

I did figure out the problem myself. After just calming down and looking at the obvious I realized after all the crap I told you it all led to hardware and the only hardware that would have an effect of copying files from the dvd to hd is memory. I have a bad stick of memory (Not bad just not good enough I guess to install windows xp) - (downgrade from performance to value seemed to work) HA! I tried another stick and it worked. 2000 and xp run on a more secure hardware detection than windows 9x, that is why I could only install 9x and not 2000/xp. (For further info). Thanks again. Oh and that xp cd is legal and I dont know why it is not bootable but it isnt, but that is what i am using to install. I know what pirated software acts like and this doesnt act that way. It just doesnt boot, dont know why. Thanks very much! BYE!

Glad its fixed simies.