Problems starting XP Pro SP2 (fresh install)

[theChameleon]

hi, i have reformatted and installed XP Pro SP 2 from disk.

but the boot up only got until the loading screen where i can see that progress bar thingie.

but it does not go into Windows.

wat should i do?

[Geek-9pm]

Most likely cause is a bad Hard Drive.
Second most likely is a dirty CD, or dirty lens in CD-Drive.
Or failing CD-drive.
Sick  RAM can cause that.
Overheating CPU, due to improper mounting of fan.
Failing Power supply.

Easy quick test is to boot up a small version of Linux  off just the CD-Drive.
It can run even with a bad hard drive. If it has a hard time mounting the Hard drive and reading the directory, it becomes obvious it is the hard drive.

Here is an article dated 2003 from IBM:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-knopp.html
The author says that Knoppix Linux on CD is a good tool to have.

[theChameleon]

Most likely cause is a bad Hard Drive.
Second most likely is a dirty CD, or dirty lens in CD-Drive.
Or failing CD-drive.
Sick  RAM can cause that.
Overheating CPU, due to improper mounting of fan.
Failing Power supply.

Easy quick test is to boot up a small version of Linux  off just the CD-Drive.
It can run even with a bad hard drive. If it has a hard time mounting the Hard drive and reading the directory, it becomes obvious it is the hard drive.

Here is an article dated 2003 from IBM:
http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-knopp.html
The author says that Knoppix Linux on CD is a good tool to have.

ok... but when i install XP Home, it starts up ok. so i guess the CD for the XP Pro SP2 is faulty?

[Geek-9pm]

ok... but when i install XP Home, it starts up ok. so i guess the CD for the XP Pro SP2 is faulty?

Yes.
Bbut that was a list of things...
 and a easy way to isolate the problem to the CD or Hard drive.
If you can NOT boot the Linux CD, the CD-drive is bad.
If you can boot the Linux CD, the hard drive is bad.