Windows XP installation crashing: help

[asacerdote]

I am trying to install XP from scratch on a PC that I built:
Advance case with 300W power supply
AMD Athlon +1900XP with its original fan
ASUS A7V333-RAID (raid not enabled)
IBM HD 60G and IBM HD40G (2 installed but only 1 connected at a given time)
Hercules ATI ALL-IN-WONDER 7500
generic DVD Player
DDR2100 2x128M (waiting for DDR2700 to be shipped)

Everything started pretty well:
setup :
started to test the hardware
asked to format the disk (I selected by default one NTFS partition)
installed the drivers on the disk
rebooted the machine
Windows started.
39 minutes to complete.

And there my nightmare started:
after setting up my keyboard (French), location and entering the Product Key, there were random errors at different stages:
network setting
creation of start menu
creation registry file

The error was pretty hard:
windows stopped with a message saying that it had detected a problem and that it has stopped to prevent damages. Memory and new hardware must be checked (but without any hint on which part was faulty)

I run the POST test for memory (5 tests each time) + HD + checking temperature of the MB and CPU.

Same error 5 -7 times.

First attempt: modify HD configuration
I tried to swap HD, to create 2 NTFS partitions or 1 FAT32 and 1 NFTS and so on. Same errors.
At a certain point the message error changed: the error came from ntfs.sys with a page_fault_innopage etc.

Second attempt: reduce power consumption and heat
Finally I took away one of the HD; I formatted the other with 2 FAT32 partitions. The idea behind was to reduce the power required and the heat (I do not know if this is relevant)

XP installed well but an internal problem was pointed out. I started the computer again and there the following error came:
cannot access \windows\system32\config\system.

I run the repair utility from the CD which I do not really understand because it just let me select which windows I want to repair and then opens a limited DOS interface on it.
I managed to find the file but I do not know how to repair.

Does anybody know how to use repair and more importantly does anybody know what kind of error could trigger this situation? Is it the power supply (variation of the power to the HD), the heat (when I took away one of the HD I realised that they were both quite hot but I do not know the standards), the DDR, the board or XP?

many thanks. I lost 12 hours trying and I do not know what to do next.

 

[jlanka]

I had these types of problems. I backed off on the memory timings (CAS level, etc.) and the problems disappeared. It's easy to do, and worth a try.

<i>It's always the one thing you never suspected.</i>

 

[delpart]

Since you have only installed windows, I recommend a repartition, full format and a reinstall. Be patient at the restarting; it could take 2-3 minutes per restart. If you short changed the restart that could have been your problem. Make sure all connections are made to your hardware.

en Xristos

 

[btvillarin]

What brand is that power supply? I think that the quality and the wattage is too low for your system. If it's possible, get an Enermax PSU pronto. It's worth the cash...I've been there.

Do you have any cooling in your system, such as intake and exhaust case fans? I'm asking this because if your hard drives are too hot to touch and hold your finger/hand on them, then there's something wrong with that. The max a HD should get is 50°C, but if you get over 40°C, then there's definitely something wrong.

To test your memory, use the free utility <A HREF="http://www.memtest86.com" target="_new">Memtest86</A>.

Nice job on trying to diagnose everything. When I was in your position over a year ago, I didn't know jack squat about how to troubleshoot. You'll be alright, especially since you can endure 12 frickin' hours.

Bryan
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<A HREF="http://www.btvillarin.com" target="_new">btvillarin.com</A> won't be down for a while. My site is on a server at RackShack (Texas), and according to the announcement <A HREF="http://www.cwstatus.com" target="_new">here</A>, it'll be some time after the new data center is up before he does anything with them. I don't mind the downtime, because it'll be worth the awesome performance he's describing to us.