loading OS problem

[clifdweller]

when i set my os to boot from a cd then insert the xp install disk it starts loading the driver files before it gets to the formatting stage. before it gets to the formatting screen the computer just goes idle with a blank screen, and no RAM,HD, or optical drive activity. I tried a knoppix cd and after i select boot it just goes idle as well, but i can use the knoppix cd to do a memory test which will run for hours without overheating so that isn't a problem.

This pc has worked fine for nearly 3 years then just crashed one day while idle in windows. Iv'e gone through the basic troubleshooting steps and thought it was the mobo so had that RMA'd but it hasn't helped. I'm guessing either the power supply or processor?

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

Is the CD in good condition?


You might want to try going barebones, mobo, HD, RAM, and see if it will install.

 

[clifdweller]

The cd has worked fine before and I have tried a friends disk. I have tried booting barebones with one stick of ram which is good according to a memory check. I have tried an Ide and Sata drive so it isn't the drive controller.

 

[polarity]

Check the CD drive (because those things lifetime isn't much over a couple of years), then poke around a lot in the BIOS. A lot of the new things like SATA AHCI confuse the hell out of XP, as it doesn't have built in drivers for anything but bog standard (slow) SATA that emulates IDE.

 

[clifdweller]

Allready tried 2 different cd-drives and a dvd-rom drive. The Bios settings were fine for the life of the machine so far. I cleared them and reset to all the right values but didn't help

 

[koss64]

If you've swapped ram, mainboard ,hard drives, video card and dvd drive,then the only thing i can think of might be your cpu.

 

[TechnologyCoordinator]

You may want to try reinstalling the CPU. Pay close attention to how you apply the thermal paste.