Windows Xp Won't Install

[mwhaha]

I've just started to try and install XP as my operating system at home. However after everything loads from the disk, and I have 3 steps - install windows - Enter button, repair windows - R button and Quit setup without installing.

When I press Enter, windows does not install, but it just reboots. Does anyone know why this is?

My specs are; Intel Quad core Q6660
Asus P5K-E WiFi Intel P35 (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard
OcUK 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5 1066MHz Dual Channel Kit
Corsair TX 750W ATX2.2
150gb raptor
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional Series 7.1 Sound Card
Asus 18x18 Lightscribe
OcUK ATI Radeon X1950 Pro 512MB GDDR3 HDTV/Dual DVI (PCI-Express)
Antec 900 Gaming case

[rjfvillarosa]

Are you using a genuine Windows CD or a burned copy?

[mwhaha]

Genuine oem version. Any ideas anyone?

[rjfvillarosa]

Do you have the boot sequence set to boot from CD first?
Have you run harddrive diagnostics using the harddrive manufacturers utilities?
Have you run memtest on the RAM?
How much RAM is physically installed? more than one stick?

[mwhaha]

Yea, I have set it to boot from cd, and it does to a certain point. Its when it says press enter to continue, that it just restarts.

I think I haven't done these things yet, but as I am not exactly sure what you mean. I know that the hardrive is showing on bios though. What setting should my hardrive be on if I have it set up with a sata cable? Its on IDE at the moment, but is it possible it has to be on something else?

Don't you have to have your os installed to run the manufacters utilities? How would I carry the mem tests out?


I have 2 gb ram installed, and it shows it in bios.

EDIT: My xp goes to here; http://www.theeldergeek.com/images/X...Graphic/CC.gif

When I press enter it does back to boot screen.

[trulad]

When it says press enter to boot from cd,only do that the first time. next time you get that message just wait & it should begin installation.
trulad

[mwhaha]

It doesn't, it keeps looping to the same screen. It won't go any further than that in the installation process

[rjfvillarosa]

Both memtest and the harddrive diagnostics are run from a DOS like environment before your OS boots up, so they can be run even before the OS is installed.
What make of harddrive is it?
how many sticks of ram are physically installed on the motherboard?
What type of ram is it? ddr, ddr2?

[ktkendall]

Originally Posted by mwhaha What setting should my hardrive be on if I have it set up with a sata cable? Its on IDE at the moment, but is it possible it has to be on something else? Don't you have to have your os installed to run the manufacters utilities? How would I carry the mem tests out?

1. If your using a sata drive then change the setting to sata.

2. Most of those utilities are run via boot floppy or boot cdrom.

[rjfvillarosa]

Originally Posted by mwhaha What setting should my hardrive be on if I have it set up with a sata cable? Its on IDE at the moment, but is it possible it has to be on something else?

Can you change it to SATA in the BIOS?
Is your harddrive seen in the BIOS?

[mwhaha]

Yes, it is seen, but I don't think I have a sata option - its ide, or ahci(probably spelt wrongly) or auto I think.

[ktkendall]

You may have to load your sata drivers on floppy from the Motherboard CD, and press F6 when prompted by the windows installation program and insert the floppy so that windows installation can load the sata drivers and recognize the disk. The odd thing though in your case is that I thought if windows installation does not recognize any harddrives that it could install to, it gives you that message, so I'm not sure why yours just reboots without any type of message as to why.

[rjfvillarosa]

This is a quote from this sticky in the Drives and Storage forum.
http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=185668

The vast majority of new motherboards now support SATA natively. Any SATA drive connected will be automatically detected by the BIOS. Some specialist, and older motherboards do not, however, and as such it is necessary to install a driver for the motherboard's SATA controller before the system BIOS will recognise the drive. The drivers for your SATA controller should be included on your motherboard CD, some motherboards come with a SATA driver floppy, or you can download them from the motherboard manufacturer's website. If you're getting the drivers from the installation CD that came with your motherboard, refer to your motherboard manual on where to find the drivers. Normally they are in a "drivers" folder on the CD, or there will be a "makedisk.exe" file that will put the drivers on a floppy for you. If your motherboard came with a SATA driver floppy, you're in luck. If you download the drivers from the manufacturer's website, there should be a readme.txt file in the installation package with instructions for making the floppy disk. Once you have your SATA driver floppy disk, you're ready to install. Set your CD-ROM to the first boot device in the BIOS, insert your Windows CD, and restart. Once the Windows installation starts, watch the bottom of your screen. It's going to search for a few seconds, then you'll see "Press F6 for 3rd party drivers". Press F6 when prompted, then press "S" to specify an additional device. You'll then be prompted to insert your SATA driver disk. Insert the disk, press Enter, and Windows will search the floppy for the correct drivers. When it finds the drivers, your SATA controller will be listed onscreen (it should be the only one listed). It will ask which device you would like to install the drivers for, press Enter and you'll be on your way to a happy Windows installation. If you're going to be using this drive in addition to your primary drive - as such, your operating system is already installed - you'll first need to install your SATA drivers. Whether you're getting your drivers from the motherboard installation CD or from the manufacturer's website, there should be a self installing *.exe file to install the drivers in Windows. Once the drivers are installed, shut your computer down and physically install the drive. So now you've booted back up and your new hard drive isn't showing in "My Computer" right? Simple. Right click "My Computer", go to "Manage", then "Disk Management". Now you should be able to see your new hard drive. Right click it, format it, assign it a drive letter, and it's now ready to use.

[Les28]

If checking your sata drivers and bios settings doesn't work try removing one stick of ram then try the OS installation again with just one stick of ram on the motherboard.

[glc]

You have 2 controllers. The Intel ICH9R controls SATA ports 1 through 5. The JMicron JMB controls SATA port 6, the eSATA port, and the IDE.

The hard drive should be connected to SATA port 1. You can set the ICH to either IDE or AHCI, but if you set it to AHCI you will need the Intel ICH AHCI driver from the Asus CD loaded on a floppy.

You have 4 possible ways to run the SATA optical, and you may have to try them all to get a successful boot.

SATA port 2 with the ICH set to IDE
SATA port 2 with the ICH set to AHCI
SATA port 6 with the JMB set to IDE
SATA port 6 with the JMB set to AHCI

Good luck.

[Les28]

Just been looking at your motherboard manual ASUS P5KE/WiFi-AP is that the one?
In section 2.4.2 Memory Configurations " if you install DDR-2 1066 memory module make sure that you set the DRAM Frequency item in Bios to DDR2-1066Mhz see section 4.4.1 Jumper Free Configuration for details", Les.

[ssahl]

for sure, try and remove one stick of ram then run xp setup, if it does the same thing, remove another one (replace with first one you took out)
this will at least rule out bad ram

[Cricket]

Did you try another optical drive yet?

Cricket