Windows ME hangs during intallation

[JoeMama]

I'm doing a clean install of Windows Me and it hangs every time, right after the hardware detection phase.  When you except the EULA and enter the product key.  I've tried to enter safe mode and I get to the desktop, but as soon as I do it freezes there too.  I've tried new RAM, new power supply, disconnecting the cd drives and floppy drives, removing all PCI cards.  Antivirus support is disabled in the BIOS, I know it can cause problems if it's enabled.  What else can I do??

[mektek]

Check the installation CD has no greasy thumprints or bad scratches on. This can stop an installation.

[mundesley]

Here's what I would try;

Boot from a Win98/ME boot floppy

At the prompt type fdisk

Using the options, FIRST delete any  Extended Partitions and Logical Drives and then SECOND delete the Primary Partition

Recreate the Primary Partition and set it active, recreate ant Extended Partitions/Logical Drives Required

Reboot and format by typing Format C: Format D: ect

Reinstall Windows.

[Spero-T]

Nice buscrew !

[JoeMama]

Ok I'm trying your suggestion.  Right now I'm in the middle of formatting c:  But I get a lot of "trying to recover allocation unit".  Is that normal or is there something wrong with the hard drive?

[JoeMama]

Ok now I'm trying to enter the product key, and it's telling me the key on the sticker on the side of the computer is invalid!!

Anyone know how I could get this key to work?

[mundesley]

I suspect the key on the box is related to a recovery partition or recovery CD. Are you trying to install from a full edition of ME or an upgrade edition?

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