Windows XP install Dell Dimension 4100 (i815 chipset) lock..

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
(Home and Professional) locked up just the same.

I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>
> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?


I oddly had the same problem with our Dim4100 (1GHz/256mb/20gb) before I
sold it - but not until the 2nd time I installed XP (Pro).

The first install was uneventful on a clean (new) drive booting from the XP
Pro (upgrade/retail) CD. Showed the WinMe CD when prompted during the
install. Completely uneventful. Installed as FAT32, knowing that I could
convert to NTFS later.

However, I wanted to wipe the hard drive before I sold the machine and did
so. I don't recall whether I killed the partition or simply formatted it. At
this time the partition had been converted to NTFS. I got lockups on
different menus when booting from the XP CD at various points. Diags showed
all HW to be fine. I ended up creating a FAT32 partition, performing a
clean install of WinMe (which I was able to do w/o issue at any time during
the process), and then ran the XP Pro upgrade.

It finally went through. I goofed something or changed something up, but I
never narrowed it down. In my case, it could've been file system issues
(NTFS versus FAT32). Once I got the upgrade on it was fine. (Also, mine
had the latest BIOS version....)


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

My son, on his 4100, has installed XP Pro, linux, back to XP to linux to
(presently, I think) XP Pro again. Not a problem. I think, but not sure,
that he formatted the drive each time.

.....and so it goes.

"S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:OMJUd.15703$Q47.7008@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
>
> "Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
> news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
>> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
>> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
>> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
>> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
>> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>>
>> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
>> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?
>
>
> I oddly had the same problem with our Dim4100 (1GHz/256mb/20gb) before I
> sold it - but not until the 2nd time I installed XP (Pro).
>
> The first install was uneventful on a clean (new) drive booting from the
> XP Pro (upgrade/retail) CD. Showed the WinMe CD when prompted during the
> install. Completely uneventful. Installed as FAT32, knowing that I could
> convert to NTFS later.
>
> However, I wanted to wipe the hard drive before I sold the machine and did
> so. I don't recall whether I killed the partition or simply formatted it.
> At this time the partition had been converted to NTFS. I got lockups on
> different menus when booting from the XP CD at various points. Diags
> showed all HW to be fine. I ended up creating a FAT32 partition,
> performing a clean install of WinMe (which I was able to do w/o issue at
> any time during the process), and then ran the XP Pro upgrade.
>
> It finally went through. I goofed something or changed something up, but
> I never narrowed it down. In my case, it could've been file system issues
> (NTFS versus FAT32). Once I got the upgrade on it was fine. (Also, mine
> had the latest BIOS version....)
>
>
> Stew
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Duh! Of course he formatted the drive before the different installs...lol

"joe_tide" <joetide@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:1126tbrm8h5p33@corp.supernews.com...
> My son, on his 4100, has installed XP Pro, linux, back to XP to linux to
> (presently, I think) XP Pro again. Not a problem. I think, but not sure,
> that he formatted the drive each time.
>
> ....and so it goes.
>
> "S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net> wrote in message
> news:OMJUd.15703$Q47.7008@bignews5.bellsouth.net...
>>
>> "Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
>> news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>>> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
>>> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
>>> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
>>> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
>>> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
>>> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>>>
>>> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
>>> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?
>>
>>
>> I oddly had the same problem with our Dim4100 (1GHz/256mb/20gb) before I
>> sold it - but not until the 2nd time I installed XP (Pro).
>>
>> The first install was uneventful on a clean (new) drive booting from the
>> XP Pro (upgrade/retail) CD. Showed the WinMe CD when prompted during the
>> install. Completely uneventful. Installed as FAT32, knowing that I
>> could convert to NTFS later.
>>
>> However, I wanted to wipe the hard drive before I sold the machine and
>> did so. I don't recall whether I killed the partition or simply formatted
>> it. At this time the partition had been converted to NTFS. I got lockups
>> on different menus when booting from the XP CD at various points. Diags
>> showed all HW to be fine. I ended up creating a FAT32 partition,
>> performing a clean install of WinMe (which I was able to do w/o issue at
>> any time during the process), and then ran the XP Pro upgrade.
>>
>> It finally went through. I goofed something or changed something up, but
>> I never narrowed it down. In my case, it could've been file system
>> issues (NTFS versus FAT32). Once I got the upgrade on it was fine.
>> (Also, mine had the latest BIOS version....)
>>
>>
>> Stew
>>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Mon, 28 Feb 2005 15:03:41 -0500, "joe_tide" <joetide@nowhere.com>
wrote:

>Duh! Of course he formatted the drive before the different installs...lol

He might have partitioned. But probably not, from the description.
--
Top 10 Conservative Idiots:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/top10/

 

[JohnS]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>
> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?


Did you format the drive before installing XP or did you intall over WinME?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Have you reset the BIOS to default values?

"Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>
> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

cleared the NVRAM?

"WSZsr" <nospam@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:coOUd.20172$D34.16252@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com...
> Have you reset the BIOS to default values?
>
> "Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote in message
> news:kXHUd.22271$Sa6.12082@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
>> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
>> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
>> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
>> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
>> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>>
>> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
>> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Only 128MB of memory? Upgrade the memory!!!! ... Ben Myers

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 16:48:16 GMT, Jim Jim <user@example.com> wrote:

>Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
>Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
>Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
>All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
>PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
>(Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>
>I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
>in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:4223b4b4.43529341@nntp.charter.net...
> Only 128MB of memory? Upgrade the memory!!!! ... Ben Myers
>


Good point, I missed that. My 4100 had 512mb, but 128mb would be a true
adventure....


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

A long slow adventure, at that... Ben Myers

On Mon, 28 Feb 2005 20:36:43 -0600, "S.Lewis" <stew1960@cover.bellsouth.net>
wrote:

>
><ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>news:4223b4b4.43529341@nntp.charter.net...
>> Only 128MB of memory? Upgrade the memory!!!! ... Ben Myers
>>
>
>
>Good point, I missed that. My 4100 had 512mb, but 128mb would be a true
>adventure....
>
>
>Stew
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

<ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
news:42240e2f.21278306@nntp.charter.net...
>A long slow adventure, at that... Ben Myers
>



"If condition persists for more than 4 hours, call a technician." The
machine would run like a pig once XP was finally installed.

heh heh

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Jim Jim" <user@example.com> wrote:

> Can't get past GUI install if I move the mouse. System locks up.
> Freezes. Flashed BIOS from A06 to A11, no go. Able to install Win 98,
> Slackware no problem. Was running WinME before I tried to upgrade to XP.
> All internal devices unplugged except PCI video card. Ran memtest on
> PC133 128mb stick, no problem. Swapped hard drives, ran XP install again
> (Home and Professional) locked up just the same.
>
> I've read elsewhere of Dell Dimension 4100 owners upgrading to XP, but
> in this case the only problematic variable is XP... any ideas?

Aside from the machine having so little main memory (128 MB minus
whatever the video card steals -- I don't recall the numbers) which
under XP will deliver performance lending new meaning to the
phrase "patience is a virtue" ... I would suspect either a heat-
related failure, or contact corrosion. Running an operating system
in a computer that's critically memory-limited can flush out all
sorts of bugs that weren't caught by product testing.

Given the obscenely low prices for memory (in years past I've bought
memory at prices far above $1 per byte, so maybe my opinion of today's
prices is a bit skewed) adding memory to at least 256 MB and preferably
512 MB would be the first item on my list to address the problem.

Has someone tried to concoct a homebrew fix for the 4100's notoriously
noisy fan, or maybe routed flat cables in a manner that obstruct
the airflow paths? This might cause hotspots and lead to failures.

As for the contact possibility: try removing and reinstalling (carefully!)
every removable connection in the computer. Don't forget to do this to
the memory in addition to all the cables and cards.

Joe Morris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I had formatted the drive, but I was using an old video card. (Alliance
Semiconductor Corporation ProVideo 6424 chipset). After installing
Win2000 with no problem, I put the XP disk in and let it run the
pre-install harware check. That got it. And you might not believe this,
but a fresh XP install (minimal Services, HijackThis regularly) runs
fine. It's not modeling weather systems, but
Firefox/OpenOffice/iTunes/Media Player Classic/AVG don't miss a beat...

Thanks for the help.


S.Lewis wrote:
> <ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
> news:42240e2f.21278306@nntp.charter.net...
>
>>A long slow adventure, at that... Ben Myers
>>
>
>
>
>
> "If condition persists for more than 4 hours, call a technician." The
> machine would run like a pig once XP was finally installed.
>
> heh heh
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Jim J" <user@example.com> wrote in message
news:8C_Ud.2444$782.1609@fe2.columbus.rr.com...
>I had formatted the drive, but I was using an old video card. (Alliance
>Semiconductor Corporation ProVideo 6424 chipset). After installing Win2000
>with no problem, I put the XP disk in and let it run the pre-install
>harware check. That got it. And you might not believe this, but a fresh XP
>install (minimal Services, HijackThis regularly) runs fine. It's not
>modeling weather systems, but Firefox/OpenOffice/iTunes/Media Player
>Classic/AVG don't miss a beat...
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
>



Cool beans.

Hmm. I did change the video adapter on mine back to an ATI Rage 16mb from
the GeF3 Ti 200 that had been in the machine during the first (smooth) XP
Pro install.

Glad you got it straightened out.


Stew

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

So you removed the Alliance card and now life is good? Alliance is one of the
many casualties of the long-time hot competition in graphics chips. Out of
business. No drivers for newer operating systems. Another orphaned product
that nobody loves any more. Best to scrap the card to keep others from having
similar unpleasant experiences... Ben Myers

On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 14:02:44 GMT, Jim J <user@example.com> wrote:

>I had formatted the drive, but I was using an old video card. (Alliance
>Semiconductor Corporation ProVideo 6424 chipset). After installing
>Win2000 with no problem, I put the XP disk in and let it run the
>pre-install harware check. That got it. And you might not believe this,
>but a fresh XP install (minimal Services, HijackThis regularly) runs
>fine. It's not modeling weather systems, but
>Firefox/OpenOffice/iTunes/Media Player Classic/AVG don't miss a beat...
>
>Thanks for the help.
>
>
>S.Lewis wrote:
>> <ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers)> wrote in message
>> news:42240e2f.21278306@nntp.charter.net...
>>
>>>A long slow adventure, at that... Ben Myers
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "If condition persists for more than 4 hours, call a technician." The
>> machine would run like a pig once XP was finally installed.
>>
>> heh heh
>>
>>
>>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote:

>So you removed the Alliance card and now life is good? Alliance is one of the
>many casualties of the long-time hot competition in graphics chips. Out of
>business. No drivers for newer operating systems. Another orphaned product
>that nobody loves any more. Best to scrap the card to keep others from having
>similar unpleasant experiences... Ben Myers

Faced with the same problem regarding the fate of a Diamond card
I had installed, I found the web site for the company that had
bought out Diamond and retired the line. Although they didn't
have an XP driver, or for that matter any NT driver at all, for
my specific "Diamond Something" card, they did have an alternate
driver for a "Diamond Somethingelse" card that worked fine for
XPPro.

If OP is emotionally attached to the Alliance card, a google
might turn up who bought them out and/or the possibility of
alternate, probably S3 chip, drivers that would work with his
card/XP.

[My Diamond card was an old one I installed in an L733r vice the
on-board video. Machine has been sold, but card still works fine
for the new owner with XP thru SP2.]
--
OJ III
[Email to Yahoo address may be burned before reading.
Lower and crunch the sig and you'll net me at comcast.]

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The Alliance graphics chip was like no other. Same as Cirrus Logic, Avance,
3Dfx, and many others which have passed on. No hope of compatibility with
drivers for another chipset. Not worth the trouble, especially with 815 chipset
graphics built into the 4100. If the OP wants a potentially faster graphics
replacement, the only logical choices are cards with chipsets from companies
still in business, effectively three of them: nVidia, ATI and Matrox, the latter
now a niche player again... Ben Myers

On Tue, 01 Mar 2005 10:59:14 -0500, Ogden Johnson III <oj3usmc@yahoo.com> wrote:

>ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote:
>
>>So you removed the Alliance card and now life is good? Alliance is one of the
>>many casualties of the long-time hot competition in graphics chips. Out of
>>business. No drivers for newer operating systems. Another orphaned product
>>that nobody loves any more. Best to scrap the card to keep others from having
>>similar unpleasant experiences... Ben Myers
>
>Faced with the same problem regarding the fate of a Diamond card
>I had installed, I found the web site for the company that had
>bought out Diamond and retired the line. Although they didn't
>have an XP driver, or for that matter any NT driver at all, for
>my specific "Diamond Something" card, they did have an alternate
>driver for a "Diamond Somethingelse" card that worked fine for
>XPPro.
>
>If OP is emotionally attached to the Alliance card, a google
>might turn up who bought them out and/or the possibility of
>alternate, probably S3 chip, drivers that would work with his
>card/XP.
>
>[My Diamond card was an old one I installed in an L733r vice the
>on-board video. Machine has been sold, but card still works fine
>for the new owner with XP thru SP2.]
>--
>OJ III
>[Email to Yahoo address may be burned before reading.
>Lower and crunch the sig and you'll net me at comcast.]

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote:

>The Alliance graphics chip was like no other. Same as Cirrus Logic, Avance,
>3Dfx, and many others which have passed on. No hope of compatibility with
>drivers for another chipset. Not worth the trouble, especially with 815 chipset
>graphics built into the 4100. If the OP wants a potentially faster graphics
>replacement, the only logical choices are cards with chipsets from companies
>still in business, effectively three of them: nVidia, ATI and Matrox, the latter
>now a niche player again... Ben Myers

<I am now my father mode>

Sigh. Things keep changing all the time. Why do people keep
doing that to me? Back in the old days, the Golden Age, ...

</I am now my father mode>
--
OJ III
[Email to Yahoo address may be burned before reading.
Lower and crunch the sig and you'll net me at comcast.]