A problem in BIOS setup?

[ITlover]

I am having problem with my same used Dell P3 Computer which has winxp, when I go into BIOS setting to
change the boot sequence , my computer hangs and keyboard doesnot work at all, then I have to reset my Computer and then again when I enter BIOS setup and try to change the boot sequence from HDD to CD-ROM, again the same problem.

Then I decided to install WinXP from the WinXP environment, I just inserted the CD and just choosed new installation(advance) option when a setup window popped up.
After choosing new installation, a blue setup screen appeared and their were some files being scanned at the bottom of the screen but when it says "windows is starting now", it hangs at this point and then after a long time a next setup window appears where it asks us whether we want to install ,repair or exit the setup.
Even when the next setup window appears, the keyboard doesnot work and then I have no other option but to take out my CD and leave the System like that.

I want to re-install WinXP on my machine because their is a corrupt file in the C:\
Windows\Prefetch folder.

Can you give me any help.

[glc]

Have you run memory and hard drive diagnostics yet?

You don't have to reinstall Windows to fix a prefetch corruption - just empty the prefetch folder.

[ITlover]

Is their any diagnostic tool available online that you would recommend me to use?
Is their any diagnostic tool in winxp cd that I can use?

What does your experience say glc, why is my computer hanging at "Window is starting now"?

This problem happened with me in the past when I was installing Windows XP in my other Computer.

[glc]

Memory: www.memtest.org

Hard drive: From the hard drive manufacturer

Dell also offers complete system diagnostics for download.

[ITlover]

I have just opened the link www.memtest.org but I couldnot understand how to download the diagnostic tool? In this website their are many links and I donot know which link to click.

I just downloaded a file named "memtest86+-1.65is0.gz" from this website but it needs a program to open it?

[glc]

To build a boot floppy:

Download - Pre-Compiled package for Floppy (DOS - Win)

To build a bootable CD:

Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)

[ITlover]

Yes I have downloaded this package, now do I have to copy this package in the floppy disk?

Now how do I use it?

Their is a file by the name "install", should I run this file from floppy disk?

[glc]

Open up the archive and read the readme!

[ITlover]

GLC, I didnot understand this, I took this same machine to the vendor and he said that the machine wasn't hanging when he entered BIOS setup. He installed WinXP without any problem and even installed some other applications.

I didnot understand why was I having this problem of hanging at BIOS setup ?

Any idea

[glc]

What peripherals are plugged in that were not plugged in at the vendor's shop? Any USB devices, for example?

[ITlover]

No nothing was plugged in, its ok , I just went into BIOS setting today in the morning and it was working fine.