xp will not install !!!

[peajay]

I hope someone can help me with this, I am trying to install XP Home (2002 edition) on my desktop which is currently running W98 (an upgrade).  Every time I try to install the process goes OK until it shuts down and starts the "Checking your computers hardware configuration screen" at that screen it just hangs and that's it !!  I have even tried loading through DOS and after 15 hours ! came to the same screeen and blocked.  Using this same disc I then installed the software on my old IBM 380 laptop with no problem.  I have 2 hard drives on my desktop and both give the same result, I have disconnecetd all USB peripherals and checked the drive jumpers are correct.  Can anyone suggest what else to try ?? I am now getting desperate .

[merlin_2]

is your system adaquate for winxp.......

[peajay]

Yes the desktop should certainly be good enough, 80GB and 15GB hard drives, 256MB ram, 2002 motherboard, AMD 1200 GHz processor and graphics card circa 2003.  Plus the laptop I installed it on is an old IBM 380ZX Thinkpad with only 4GB drive and 64MB of ram.  So logically the desktop should take it easily !!

[Flame]

Has the disk ever been used before?

[glb]Flame[/glb]

[peajay]

Well yes and no, I tried to install from this disc and could not, so then I decided to try and upgrade my old laptop which was running W98 from the same W98 CD as my desktop and XP DID install OK on that machine.  So now I go back to my desktop and get the same hangup that I have seen from the start. So that shows that it is possible to install from this CD.

What difference does it make if the disc has been used before ?

[Flame]

Well, Microsoft has a protection device on all of their software now, which only allows you to install the software on only one computer..... once..... However, this depends on if you have a single-user license, or a multi-user license. It sounds like you have a single-user license..... The best way to do this is to call Microsoft and try to get them to work with you...     OR..... If you have a friend that has burned the software before, then you can just borrow it....

[glb]Flame[/glb]

[peajay]

How can you limit installation to only one computer with a CD because my understanding was that a CD cannot be changed in anyway so how ever many times you read it the files will be the same ?

In my case it didn't work on machine one but did work on machine 2, and the error going back to machine 1 is still the same so even if multiple use could be recorded on the CD that would not explain what is happening. This is baffling me !!   Is there any key combination I can hit when the program hangs up to get a reading of what error is occurring ?  

[Flame]

Here's the problem.... I don't know HOW Microsoft does it, but you can only use that CD once with a single-user license. You are right about how CDs generally do NOT change. What you said was a true fact, but Microsoft found a way. Don't forget who we're dealing with!  

[glb]Flame[/glb]

[peajay]

Hmmm..... wouldn't there be an error message or warning that would say that the disc has already been installed and not just let the computer hang when checking computer hardware ? after all it did go through the start phase and accepted the CD Key number etc. and it was only part way through that the problem appears.

Also, do you know if I burn a copy of the CD whether the new copy will be useable ?

thanks for all your helpful inputs

[Computer_Commando]

It's called Windows Product Activation.  Here's how it works:  click here

It will install and work for 30 days.  WPA has nothing to do with your problem.

[peajay]

This CD is XP Home 2002 edition, does that have WPA protection ?

[merlin_2]

http://www.windowsreinstall.com/winxphome/installxpcdoldhdd/index.htm      if you are in msdos mode......type scandisk   to check if there are any bad sector/blocks......you could format the drive using a win98 bootdisk......is this disk a recovery winxp disk..?

[peajay]

This is a full install XP home CD.  I have the same problem on two different hard drives, so not likley they both are bad, I have a good updated virus checker also and everything is clean.  My problem is that when I get to the first screen on the file link you attached "SETUP IS INSPECTING YOUR COMPUTER"S HARDWARE CONFIGURATION " that is where the machine hangs up and nothing else happens.  the problem is now compounded by the fact that when I try to re-load my W98 CD it now fails to load saying that there is a problem reading a .cab file, so I am rapidly heading towards a point of no software at all !

[merlin_2]

in the msdos command type scanreg/restore......and chose the last good cab file ......answer yes to the spalsh screen.... when windows xp get to the SETUP IS INSPECTING YOUR COMPUTER"S HARDWARE  bit and refuses to move on after that message.. re-boot pc........try that...... ::)do the above first.......

[rumple21]

I have installed XP Pro on all computers in my home office the difference is I do a fresh install and "do not download any information updates from microsoft when prompted to do so" the once installed everything is fine. I also created a slipstream version for future installations with SP2 because XP Pro won't install over itself if it contains SP1. check out http://www.informationweek.com/  Fred Langas area and search out slipstream xp2.