Windows install, new GC.

[Dynash]

I need to install Windows on my desktop but I can't...

I bought a new GC popped it in and used it, it's fine. but when the install disk boots up I can't get it to install. It gets the point where it says "Windows is checking your system hardware configuration" blah, then that's it. All activity seizes and it just has the /|\ thing spinning.

Now I can't use the on-board chip since thats the reason for the new card, it doesn't work anymore. How do I do the install?



(The only option I know of is to install XP on this laptop, for the desktop, boot into MacOS for Disk Util and then use the restore tab over to the HD I'm using in the desktop. But that's a last resort for now. My laptop gets sent for repairs tomorrow so I don't know when I'll have it back.)

- edit: I'm able to boot the installer after waiting a few mins for it to fully load. It takes me to the initial blue screen, says it's loading the drivers then it just halts totally at "Setup is starting Windows". Ubuntu on the other hand can get past all the initial installers, from what I see it will install too...

 

[theraptor]

What version of windows are you trying to install? the gfx card shouldn't be a problem here, because your processor/main memory will pick up graphics (but not very well) if the gfx card isn't detected/working right.

 

[Dynash]

It's XP home SP3.

I've tried two disks now, one I know works and it just freezes at the "Setup is starting windows". I think it might be my HD? Though it worked perfectly fine last I knew. I've tested the drive and the RAM. Both fine.

When I ran Linux I got this error before it loaded:
res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
I removed the drive, reconnected it and the error went away, but I'm still having issues.

edit: Might be my PSU. Ah.

 

[Namepad]

Stephen,

I am no expert, but from my own experience, this is generally a result of a hardware configuration error from an existing driver. (assuming the new GC in good.)

I think windows is recognizing the new GC, however it sees the onboard chip driver and is trying to configure the on chip driver to the new add in card causing windows to go halt the install.

Have you disabled the on board chip in the bios ?

I used the below steps that I found and it worked for me.

"Its as simple as deleting a simple file which caused the installation to freeze. Let the XP hang up at 34 minutes remaining for the first time remove the CD from the CDROM and reboot Dont enter the CD when the installation asks for it, instead open the DOS prompt (Shift + F10) goto C:/Windows and type setupapi.log, hit enter The setupapi.log file opens in a notepad Scroll to the very last few lines in the file and search for the word “inf” You will notice that in the last few moments the installation created a file with the extension “.inf” before dying out (in my case it was the faulty modem for which XP created the file mdmcxpt.inf). It means that the device mentioned in the last few lines is faulty and you have to make the installation skip through it. Close the notepad and go to the folder C:/windows/inf in command prompt Browse through the files to find the “.inf” which was related to the faulty device. Straightaway delete the inf file (eg: del mdmcxpt.inf) now put in the XP installation CD and Continue the installation It will not put in the drivers related to the faulty device and so it wont freeze this time !!

Again, I am no expert. Good luck to you

 

[Dynash]

Yeah I told BIOS to use only the card. The onboard doesn't work at all anyway. I'm going to wait a week or so before buying any new hardware. I'll buy a cheap 400-500W PSU and see if that's the problem. I've got a feeling it will be. Done all the other checks and they all pass with flying colours.

 

[bariteau]

Yeah I told BIOS to use only the card. The onboard doesn't work at all anyway. I'm going to wait a week or so before buying any new hardware. I'll buy a cheap 400-500W PSU and see if that's the problem. I've got a feeling it will be. Done all the other checks and they all pass with flying colours.

Don't buy cheap 400-500W PSU. What's your system? The problem is if you buy a cheap 400W PSU, it doesn't really output 400W, you may get 300-350W or even lower if it's really cheap. Problem is when the calculate the power rating, it's the power drawn from your electrical outlet, not the power it outputs and since all electronics (PSU are good at it) generate heat, you loose some power by producing heat.

If you buy a better PSU (around $70 USD), you can get some 80% efficiency or higher rated PSU which will assure you that your receiving 80% or higher of the rated power.

 

[Patrick]

Don't buy cheap 400-500W PSU. What's your system? The problem is if you buy a cheap 400W PSU, it doesn't really output 400W, you may get 300-350W or even lower if it's really cheap. Problem is when the calculate the power rating, it's the power drawn from your electrical outlet, not the power it outputs and since all electronics (PSU are good at it) generate heat, you loose some power by producing heat.

If you buy a better PSU (around $70 USD), you can get some 80% efficiency or higher rated PSU which will assure you that your receiving 80% or higher of the rated power.

Corsair probably makes some of the best PSU's around.

Although I've been lucky with my RAIDMAX, it was $12, 500W, and it's still working 3 years later, powering everything including my power-hungry 4870 great. I guess I've been lucky!

 

[Dynash]

I was talking cheap as in £20-£30. I've seen some good ones on Play and Dabs. I just tried again before I go asleep. Ubuntu once again installed without a single hitch. Installed, Booted, rebooted just fine. Windows I tried again, I managed to get it to load the partition manager. But once it got to the formatting of my drive, it froze at 20%. Back to stage one.

 

[fnixws]

I really doubt its PSU related, If u can run the system for hours on the same PSU under Ubuntu, but the system fails to load Windows setup correctly, and freezes in the same place then its unlikely your PSU.

Id be removing that graphics cars, and installing the OS with the on board only.
If youve got 2x RAM modules, try just one. If it fails still, try the other. If not, borrow one.
If its the drive, and ubuntu still installs, id be swaping drive, or repartitioning it and splitting it and trying to install on the different partitions.

 

[Dynash]

That's what I thought but I haven't ran Ubuntu for hours but for a little while. I can't use an on-board one its broken. I know I should get a new mobo which I might end up doing but it just seems stupid when there isn't a dire need for it in my eyes. Once this system fails, it's failing for the last time.

I'll try another drive, I was going to anyway but it's a task and a half! Got one that's 160GB which needs backing up first, then wiping.

I might still get a PSU eitherway, because everything else works but when the Installer stalls the drive loses power, my keyboard lights (caps, scroll, num, "f" keys) all flash and the PS2 ports stop responding. Then I have to force reboot. I still managed to get it passed the point where it stalled just about. I might burn a new disk aswell.

edit:

Okay. I never backed up the drive, rather just created a small side partition, but it's still working like it was with the other drive for Ubuntu. It will install. Windows still wont. Changed the RAM and, removed one, removed the other, same thing. Windows just doesn't want to boot. I've tried 3 different disks, one is a 9-in-1, tried every version on that. All the same (Though XP Pro did get to the partitioner at least but not anymore). I've tried the XP-MCE disk which I know works because I used it recently on my laptop, and I booted it to make sure it works. It does, but that too hangs. -- Going to try installing ReactOS. May aswell :/

Edit! Got it to start the install! I just had to press F5 and select the first option, once it gets to the partition manager, let it erase the disk (But me being impatient) thought it hung when it never, because all activity seized again but it just went from 20% (After around 1-2 mins) to 100%. Now it's copying the files over. Slowly might I add, but it's doing it! I hope it works

 

[Dynash]

I'm facing another issue. Even writing this is a hard task! I know what System Idle Process does, I know what it's for, and I know it would show as using alsmost 100% of the CPU usage all of the time. But this is beyond a damn joke.

SIP is shown as 100% usage, ALL of the time. Whenever I open an application I'm lucky if I get 20 seconds of no lag and stalls. But then it comes back twice as hard. The thing is, I've Googled this to find other causes of it, like the Windows indexing service, power down hard drives. I've cancelled these two things but it's still happening. My SIP is showing as the 100% user, but whenever I open an application it doesn't drop, instead it causes my system to crash, lag, cripple itself. I'm not the only one. But reading on other forums they just post "It's meant to be like that". No it's not! My laptop is perfectly fine with this, works fast as a bullet. My desktop on the other hand, total peice of crap becaue of it.

What else can I do to see what background process is causing this?

Just as I'm ending writing this, it has settled down to the point where sound is emited without 10 second lags, overlapping, gaps. And the mouse pointer actually moves in sync with my hand! But not for long. :doh!: