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Windows won't install, Stuck when loading files!

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by wompai

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Hi

I made a computer for my brother, with parts from other computers. But windows won't install. When I put the CD in the drive, I will start the computer using the CD. It check my Hardware configuration and asks me to install a non-windows SCSI/RAID driver, I will not install this driver and I'm continueing as normal. This is when it goes wrong: when loading 'Windows Executive' (The first file it loads) the computer gets stuck. Can somebody help me?

Thanks in advance.

PS: I have 2 CD drives and I tried putting the CD in both. And I tried other CD's as well. This doesn't works at all so I suspect a hardware problem or BIOS problem.

14 replies

by robo_dev

If it will load and run Linux, then your hardware is fine.

Do you have a SCSI and/or RAID drive?

You say it asks for a driver and you do not install it?

Can you see the hard drive in BIOS setup?

by tony hopkinson

is for the hard drive(s) refusing to install it, is going to cause a wee issue....

Either you need to update your Bios so it detects properly.
Force the configuration to something compatible, (may be possible but will almost certainly cause problems).

Or find the driver and load it, you should have it with the kit, or you can probably download it and burn it on to a cd or some other media you can browse to when the option comes up.

by seanferd

in BIOS, if available. But you will need the driver.

Also, is this Windows disk retail? If it is OEM, you are likely to have major issues installing, if you can install it at all.

by oh smeg

Is for the HDD. As when XP was made there where no SATA Drives it can not ask for a SCSI, RAID or SATA Driver just what was available when the OS was constructed so it's asking for what it thinks is needed not what is actually needed.

Assuming that you have a Serial ATA Drive here you need to enter the BIOS make sure that it's being correctly identified and set it to ACHI Mode if available or if you are using a Plug In SATA Card you need to include the Plug in Card's driver.

To get around this you need to press the [b]F6 Key[/b] when the first blue screen appears and wait till you are prompted to insert the driver in to the A Drive. You'll need to copy the Necessary Driver to the Root of a Floppy if you have one, or make a Slipstreamed Install Disc to include the SATA Driver.

If you want to Slipstream a Install Disc you can use nLite which is available free here

http://www.nliteos.com/download.html

Just remember to read the destructions on their Web Site listed here

http://www.nliteos.com/guide/

And include any Service Packs, Drivers and Hot Patches that you want to.

OH and BTW which part of your Brother did you use to make this computer? I've never tried building computers from Organic Matter and it sounds interesting?

[i]I made a computer from my brother[/i]

Col

by wompai

an organic computer, sounds pretty cool...
;-)

But serious: that was just a little (kind of weird sounding) mistake, sry... ;-)

by oh smeg

I just got a laugh out of the way it was worded. :D

Col

by wompai

Thnx for all the quick replies, but I'm just gonna answer some of your questions:

-I have an IDE HDD, so I don't need to install SATA drivers.

-It asks me wether I want to install a non-windows SCSI/RAID driver or not... This is what it literally asks me. I don't think it asks me for a SATA driver.

-I have used that CD on more than 1 pc, (I used it on 3) so I think there's nothing wrong with the CD.

-Yes, I can see and manage the HDD in the BIOS setup.

Grtz

by tony hopkinson

I'd unplug as much as you can and then give it a go, or as someone else said try a linux live cd or a bootable diagnostics disk.

Make sure everything's seated right.

Winders install isn't brilliant for the unexpected but it isn't dumb enough to ask for a driver unless the hardware reports that it's there.

by oh smeg

It could be a jumper issue where Windows Isn't seeing the HDD/s correctly or that they are incorrectly jumpered on a 80 way IDE Cable and are messing with the system.

Those 80 Way Cables should have the Master Drive on the End and the Slave drive in the Middle connectors. Or set the Drives to CS Cable Select and allow the hardware to identify the drives as it wants to.

If you have more than 1 IDE Drive on the same IDE Chanel it's possible that the drives do not play well together I had that with a WD and Seagate Drive a while ago. The WD was the original and the owner wanted a new bigger drive fitted to continue using this system. The WD just wouldn't accept another drive as a Slave on the IDE lead.

But then again they didn't show in the BIOS Either. But while we are on the subject of BIOS what is actually showing here in the way of HDD/s, Optical Drives, RAM, and CPU?

If these are not correct it can cause the Windows Installer to go crazy. Also did you save the changes as you exited the BIOS?

If that is all correct Test the RAM with something like Mem Test to check it's function. I've had cases in the past where each Module tests OF but Windows can not install because of a Timing Issue between the different RAM Modules. The way around that was to remove all but 1 RAM Module Load Windows and then refit the RAM.

The Windows Installer is very fickle when it comes to timing issues with the RAM that Windows itself doesn't care about. I've also had faulty Ram in the past which has caused the Windows Installer to not find files on the install Disc. Not the same file every time but it always errors out on a unfound file before a Format is started. ;)

Col

by wompai

The HDDs can't be the problem... I know that because all the jumpers are set correctly corresponding to their position as Master or Slave and the cable is placed correctly. The Bios shows no errors, and the HDDs I'm using have already worked together in this configuration. The only thing that actually changed within the computer is the Motherboard and Processor. This is the only change which requires me to reinstall windows.

But still, Thank you for all the quick replies and I quess I'm just gonna try to mess around with the RAM and see where that gets me.

by tony hopkinson

When you have a lots of places where the problem could be.
You minimise the number by removing the extraneous stuff, for instance you can take the slave out, get windows in and then put it back in later.

Once down to the minimum, you change one things at a time. If the problem doesn't occur, hurrah, if it does undo your change move on to the next possibility.

The more assumptions you've made about where a problem isn't, the more likely one of those assumptions is going to be wrong.

Edcuated guess once based on your experience, if you are right pat yourself on the back, if you are not get systematic.

PS if you have two sticks of memory swap them over, if one has a fault, you'll get a different error or may be none at all.

by wompai

If you have some spare time left or nothing to do on a day off, could you look at the following: When I shut down my own computer it doesn't shutdown, but restarts... It's really not a big deal and I'm not in a hurry of solving it, but it would be nice if I could solve that also.

Thank you for all the replies!

by oh smeg

And the Remainder of the Configuration here would help.

But assuming that this worked correctly at one point what has changed since it worked?

That is where you need to look. Remember M$ Hot Patches are a change and it could very well be related to the Patch Tuesday prior to the problem starting. ;)

Col

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