screen freezes at "setup is starting windows"

Ive just formatted my pc with a copy of windows xp 64 bit to give it a try... for certain reasons ive decided to go back to my copy of xp 32 bit.... but when i boot from CD to format my pc with the 32 bit... i get up to the blue screen saying "windows setup" at the top and "setup is starting windows" at the bottom, and nothing else happens... the cd works fine on other computers just not mine :cry

 

took hard drive out and formatted it on another pc, put the hard drive back into my pc, but if i dont have the windows cd in the drive on start up i get NTLDR missing press ctrl alt del to restart..... now ive read up on the millions of things that could cause this problem, yet if i go to format again, suprise suprise i still cant get past the "setup is starting windows" screen.... is there a way i could sort the NTLDR problem without having to leave the cd in the drive 24/7

 

Looking at your posts, I read that you formatted and installed Windows using another PC and then put the hard drive into the troublesome PC. If that is the case, it is not surprising it did not work.

In normal circumstances, there is no reason your computer should not be able to get past the "setup is starting windows" screen. This points to a hardware problem.

I would install seatools http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/seatools on the working computer and use it to test your hard drive. Hook the hard drive you are trying to install Windows on as a secondary drive to the working computer. Then run the "long generic" test. It will give you a pass/fail result.

Also, I would check the RAM on the troublesome computer. http://www.memtest.org/
Just make an ISO of memtest86+ and boot the troublesome computer off of it.

I wouldn't be worried about the NTLDR problem. I would try to figure out why the windows setup will not start on your computer. When you figure that out, you should be able to use the computer to install Windows on the hard drive and everything will be peachy. Your computer specifications would be helpful. Include anything odd about the computer that would differentiate it from your average computer.

 

ive checked the ram as i think i saw that suggestion on another site, i have 3 hard drives and i have disconnected each one and tried formatting each one, and i still get the same problem...

lol like you said, i have formated it on another computer, i did that today cos i was getting that tired of not having a working pc, but i managed to get round the NTLDR problem... i hope, so for the time being i have it working, i just found it strange why i could format with the 64 bit, then litrally the same day it wouldnt let me format with a 32bit copy of xp

 

Hmm, you might try running a burn-in test to test for hardware problems. That is after you finish installing windows and drivers of course.

http://www.passmark.com/products/bit.htm

 

ah right cheers, so i just run that on my dodgy computer lol n i havent found a solution to the missing NTLDR problem... guess im gonna have to keep my windows cd in for the time being lol