More problems........

[m_r_dxn]

I had a thread going over on the pcbuilding section of these forums and finally got everything straightened out (or so I thought). I had to make a floppy disk for my ATA Controller card drivers first so that I could install that driver during the windows setup process.

It finally all went through and I got my windows xp pro installed and the very next thing I did was to install my video card driver and my MB drivers, then all the software programs that came with all my hardware. During this process, I had to restart several times and everything went great.

Next, I set up a internet connection and did the thing (was it called authenticating or verifying or something like that???) where you had to be online (but not in a web browser) and click a few buttons or else after thirty days you couldn't use windows until you did do it (that should be about as clear as mud).

That went fine and so next I decided to surf the web. I reconnected and opened my browser, but kept getting the white page saying "this page could not be displayed". Never did figure out what was going on, but I descided to go to the store and take a break, so I shut down.

When I got back and powered back up I got a blue screen flashed in my face too fast to read, then a black screen giving me the option of starting in safe mode, starting at the last known good configuration, or starting in a normal windows startup. No matter what I pick, when it goes to the black XP page (the one right before startup with the little blue dot going across underneath) the blue screen flashes again and right back to the page letting me pick a different mode to start in. I cant get past it.

ANY SUGGESTIONS???????

[glc]

At this point, it may be best to start fresh.

The proper order for installing is this - install Windows, immediately turn off the "restart on error" option in control panel, system, advanced, startup and recovery - then install SP2 if the CD doesn't already have it incorporated, then motherboard drivers, then video driver and other hardware drivers. Do NOT blindly install all supporting software - be judicious and only install what you NEED. Then install an antivirus and antispyware software. Then TURN ON THE FIREWALL and connect to the Internet, finish updating everything - Windows, drivers if necessary, security app signatures.

You get 30 days to activate Windows - you SHOULD have waited to make sure things were working right - now you will have to talk to M$ on the phone to reactivate UNLESS you can get into Windows and save your wpa.dbl file.