Computer Hanging During Windows Setup

[merlinsghost]

Hello everyone,

I'm working on a friend's computer (which happens to be an Alienware Pile of You-Know-What).

He has been having compatability problems with it since he got it (about six months ago).

Finally, six days ago, Windows XP (Home Edition) crashed on him. It essentially froze and could only be recovered by powering down, then back up.

It wouldn't boot into Windows at all -- whether it was safe mode or normal mode. He decided to format his HDD and start over, which is when I came into the picture.

I fdisked the drive (Seagate, 80GB 7200RPM) and tried running the Alienware installation disc. The computer hung after the setup files were copied to the HDD.

I have tried Windows 2000, Windows 98se, Windows XP Pro, and Windows ME, and they ALL did the same thing.

So I used Gdisk on it, formatted, etc. and tried the same thing:

Installing WinXP Home Edition, Professional Edition, Windows 2000, 98se, and ME; they all fronze/hung the computer after the installation files were copied to the computer.

Thinking it was a HDD problem, I took out the HDD (after running the W2k installation program, put it in my computer, booted, and it worked perfectly.

I thought it may have been his RAM (1 256 MB stick of Corsair ECC DDR RAM, 1 512 MB stick of Corsair ECC DDR RAM), so I took it out and tried each stick in each slot, by itself; no dice.

He has an ASUS A7V8Xn
AMD 2600+
768 Megs of ECC DDR RAM
GeForce 4 Ti 4600
Seagate 80GB 7200 HDD

Any thoughts on what it might be? I tried swapping out the IDE cables with brand-new ones, and that didn't work either.

Thanks in advance,

--<MG>

[Archer]

Do you have another processor you could try on the system and have you tried resetting bios defaults?

[merlinsghost]

I don't have another CPU to try in it.

I have reset the BIOS defaults too.

I talked to a friend of mine, and he suggested that it could be Windows trying to initialize the video drivers and not being able to because it needs 3rd party drivers.

Sooo, I'm going to try that...

Thanks!

--<MG>

[merlinsghost]

Okay, pressing F6 only made it look for Mass Storage Controllers and drivers.

How do I install display drivers for the Windows Installation process?!

--<MG>

[DonJ]

I find it hard to believe that all of the versions of Windows you listed couldn't find the correct video drivers. This is a fairly simply procedure.

I would be more inclined to believe it's a hardware problem. You seemed to verify the HD. I have seen CPU cooling problems cause the exact simptons that you're describing.

One more thing to check: take your memory down to minimum configuration until you get it all figured out. 768MB of RAM could be taken down to 128MB or smaller...just for troubleshooting purposes.

Just a couple of suggetions...Good Luck!

[merlinsghost]

Originally posted by DonJ
I find it hard to believe that all of the versions of Windows you listed couldn't find the correct video drivers. This is a fairly simply procedure.

I would be more inclined to believe it's a hardware problem. You seemed to verify the HD. I have seen CPU cooling problems cause the exact simptons that you're describing.

One more thing to check: take your memory down to minimum configuration until you get it all figured out. 768MB of RAM could be taken down to 128MB or smaller...just for troubleshooting purposes.

Just a couple of suggetions...Good Luck!

I find it hard to believe too. However, I figured it made some sort of sense because it was a pre-fab computer (Alienware), and they tend to have funky propritary hardware/software requirements/options. o_O

I put on a new HSF combo yesterday. The old one did break, in fact, one of the old fan blades broke off. I don't know how long he tried to run it after that. I do know he super-glued the blade back on and some of it got in the bearings and fouled it up so that it couldn't spin anymore.

There are two sticks of RAM, one is 256, the other 512. I tried using each on individually with the same results.

Thanks for the input/suggestions!

--<MG>

[NooNoo]

Have you tried a ram checker like docmem? www.simmtester.com - makes a bootable disk that will check you ram. Do each stick individually and then together.

[merlinsghost]

I downloaded the memory testing program and tried to make a boot disk. It said that "command.com" could not be found.

=(

Any idea where I can find one? o_O

Edit: Found a site!

http://www.drd.dyndns.org/fr_index.html?/disks.html

--<MG>

[merlinsghost]

The RAM passed all of the tests...

Or so it said. After the tests were completed and it said "passed", the computer froze and I had to power down to do anything with it. o_O Could be my jerry-rigged boot floppy?

[/update]

--<MG>

[NooNoo]

beginning to sound like heat / cpu issues

[kato2274]

Originally posted by NooNoo
beginning to sound like heat / cpu issues

yeah either that or power issues whether that be bad PS or bad/dirty power in the enviroment,

[merlinsghost]

I switched the CPU out with mine (AMD 1.33 Ghz (266)) and it worked fine.

--<MG>

[NooNoo]

Aaah so he did toast the cpu... oh dear.

[Archer]

Just make sure you put a new fan on the new processor along with some good compund.

[Atodini]

Quote: "I put on a new HSF combo yesterday. The old one did break, in fact, one of the old fan blades broke off. I don't know how long he tried to run it after that. I do know he super-glued the blade back on and some of it got in the bearings and fouled it up so that it couldn't spin anymore."


Ah! The life expectancy of an Athlon without a working fan can be measured in microseconds!!

Must admit I've never heard of anyone trying to glue fan blades back on!



John