I am trying to install Windows XP Pro, on a new PC. I know the disc works because I just tested it on another PC.

Anyway - what happens, is that it gets through the first part fine. I create a new partition (entire size of drive) and format NTFS (quick) -- and it copies files, and then restarts -- then it goes to the XP loading screen (the one that comes up on an installed PC when it boots) and just stays there. The little bar at the bottom moves, but it never gets past that screen -- I have let it sit for over an hour on that screen.

I have tried this a total of about 6 times. Tried a fresh disc -- tested disc on another PC, switched the CD drive.

The hard drive is SATA -- but I don't remember having to install SATA drivers, when installing XP on my other PC's with SATA drives. Am I remembering correctly?

I guess I am going to try just 1 stick of RAM next - I just wanted to go ahead and post this, so hopefully I'll have something else to try, soon, if that doesn't work.

Anyway -- I suppose I should list hardware.

• ASUS M2N-E SLI AM2 NVIDIA nForce 500 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail (w/ AMD AthlonX2 3800+)
• ASUS EN7100GS512/TD/128M GeForce 7100GS 512MB (128MB onboard) 64-bit GDDR2 PCI
• OCZ Gold 1GB (2 x 512MB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit
• Western Digital Caviar SE WD800JD 80GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
• FSP Group (Fortron Source) FSP350-60BN-S ATX12V 350W Power Supply - Retail
• Samsung SW-248 CD Burner (this is just an old drive I had laying around) - the other drive is a NoName drive (at least nothing on face plate) (also had laying around) -- it's installed at the moment, so I can't look at the label to see what it is)

Or you can see what I have here (apart from CPU (not listed anymore) and CD drives (just using spare's I have laying around)
https://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion...istTitle=Build

I dont know the exact problem of your computer, but its recommended to format the primary driver normally(not quick mode).
if you are not using bootable windows xp cd you should run smat drive in dos mode, and then run \i386\winnt
for setting hard disk type you should press Del in the beginning of PC.

I actually just tried this -- I made a smaller partition (3GB) and did an unconditional format. Still same results.

I am using a bootable WinXP CD -- its boots from the CD fine -- and then after the format - copies files like normal, and restarts -- then it hangs on the XP loading screen -- the bar is moving at the bottom - but never gets past that screen.


Everything looks fine in the BIOS -- it recognizes the SATA drive fine -- it is the only installed disk currently (there was a regular IDE drive too - but i unhooked it first thing when I had problems)

That makes me think though -- the BIOS had let me choose the order of the disks -- so I put the SATA disk first instead of the IDE, when I was first getting ready to install -- I dont see why this should matter though - - because either way - windows should always see the disk in the same place. -- Either way -- I tried switching it back to IDE first - still same thing -- then thats when i unhooked the IDE drive alltogether.

UPDATE

OK - I took one stick of RAM out, and it got past the loading screen (I didn't even have to redo the first (DOS) part again. I just took a stick out, and it booted right up.

Because of this, I ran Memtest on the RAM for a few hours, and got 0 error's -- does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

OK - got XP installed.

Now that it is installed -- I put the other stick back in -- and it boots fine.

As I mentioned before, I ran memtest with both sticks in for a few hours (I think it got through 4 full sets of tests) with zero error's.

Does anyone have any idea why the second stick of ram was stopping it from getting past that loading screen? (When the ram seems to be good -- and it gets past loading screen with it, now that it is fully installed.)

OK -- I guess I spoke a bit to soon.

Now it gets stuck on the loading screen most of the time but randomly boots fine. (I have NOT installed anything on it or hooked it to a network since i finished the install)

Any idea's?