Registry error after new install

[tacoeater]

I have reinstalled xphome on four different hard drives so now i have ruled out hard drives. If not immediately after installation then not too long after updates the computer belches out a message about registry having been restored. I have checked the memory with memtest and it checks out fine. What else could be causing this pavilion to corrupt files?
thanks,
alan

[GaryRouth]

Do you mean four different clean installs using four different hard drives?

If yes, look in the Bios settings one more time, and make sure the timings are OK. Accidental overclocking could cause data corruption. Try things at the "by SPD" value if it's available, and try to make sure any unused onboard devices are disabled. Check the system temps, too, while in the Bios Setup.

Other things - you could try a different IDE cable, a different IDE controller, a different optical drive.

You could check at the motherboard maker's website to see if there's anything odd with that model or version = sometimes Bios updates fix the strangest things.

Should be interesting
. . . Gary

[tacoeater]

Yes Gary, same computer four different hard drives. Actually the original customer/owner went ahead and upgraded his motherboard and processor and I am now stuck with trying to fix up this pavilion to sell for whatever i can get for it. Way back when I first reinstalled for him on this unit i finished everything and a couple of days later he brought it back with the registry error. I noticed at that time that everything was running slowly. I reinstalled on another hard drive for him and it messed up while I had it in the shop. So I upgraded for him using whatever was usable. Now I am wanting to sell some used systems and pulled it back up on the bench. I have tried two more hard drives. I will try to restore defaults in the bios and see if that works. The timing is something i had not thought of. I have replaced cables. Thanks for the ideas. I will let you know if i get this solved.
alan

[GaryRouth]

Good luck with it. I was thinking that a Bios Flash for the motherboard might help in a couple different ways - some older motherboards don't get along with XP & SP2 (and updates can help), and if by chance a virus has made it's way into the Bios, the flash would likely erase it.
. . . Gary