xp home 34 minute install freeze

[Purpleweenie]

I am trying to install xp home on a Compaq system. When looking at the install log after it stops at 34 mintues, I have had errors w/ the USB, Onboard vid, and the usb. Even if I shut them off in the BIOS, I still get a 34 minute hang on the installation.

I have had luck install the OS w/ the Compaq restore discs 1 out 0f 6 tries, although after some reboots from install drivers, updates, and tests, I can't boot any longer to the desktop, it hangs at the MS win xp screen. I can get to safe mode, but then I won't reboot. Hangs at the "windows is shutting down" screen.

I have tried different cd-drives, PSU, Processor, and HD. I removed all non-essesntial hardware as well and still no luck. I am starting to think that his MOBO may be going south.

Any suggestions?

[TimW]

Repair or clean install? Laptop or desk top? Mouse a usb? Did you abort the installs?
Xp usually gets to at least one point and "hangs" for a long time ....did you try just waiting it out?

[Purpleweenie]

Both repir and clean installs. Even after writing 0's to HD. I let system sit at 34 min mark for 1 hour, maybe longer. Then shut-off, boot, repartition, format and try again.

This is a compaq presario desktop system. Eliminated the usb mouse cuz I turned off the usb controls in bios along with firewire, audio, and nic.

[TimW]

My installs always "hang" at 14 minutes or something .....MS lies ..depending on the system....20 minutes to 2 hours.at that mark....it doesn't like usb mouse on installs...or other usb devices.

[Purpleweenie]

I used ps/2 mouse and turned off the USB in the BIOS. Even tried w/o a mouse just to see.

[TimW]

swap out the ram?

[Purpleweenie]

yup, you know it, everyhting has been swapped out that can be swapped out.

[TimW]

Ok...did you try a clean install on the hard drive in a diff. computer as master drive?
how old is this system? older compaq's had a small partition with drivers unique to their systems.....
did you do a diagnosis on the drive?

[Purpleweenie]

Yup, did a full system Diag, and ran the WD diag on the hd. All passed.
Was able to install on a different machine just fine. Even tried a brand new 160 gig hd.

THe machine is just over a year old.

[TimW]

any beep codes?
did you do a restore disc and then a repair install on top?

[Purpleweenie]

Yup, tried that. In fact I got it installed w/ the recovery discs, after several tries and 2 different HD's. It will boot now, but occasionally it will flake out and I have to shut the system down and do a cold boot. After about 2 warm boots it will flake out. I hooked up a brand new HD and used a brand new winxp home disc and still flaked at 34 minutes for about an hour, popped open the cd-drawer and waited another hour and never got an error about the cd not being in.

Customer is looking at a new MBD possibly. If so, I will try the install on a new MBD and see what happens.

[Matacumbie]

Originally Posted by TimW

....did you try just waiting it out?

Tim is right, wait it out. May take longer.

Steve

[Purpleweenie]

I left it overnight monday and it was at 34 in tuesday morning. There is actually a specific MS Knowledge base article on it as well. I tried there steps and in the install log it errored out 1st on the USB, after turning that off, it said the integrated was causing the error. We put in an actual PCI-E vid card, turned off the integrated and set the PCI-E as the primary graphics on boot.

[Matacumbie]

No cables, not hooked to a router?

Steve

[Purpleweenie]

Nope, not connected to anyting except power and monitor, mouse and kbd. Norhitng usb. Shut down all integreated peripnheral not needed as well.

[Matacumbie]

Did you replace "any" of the hardware before you attempted the repair/install?

If so, I would double-triple check all my connections.

Steve

[Purpleweenie]

Yup, tried new media drive and hd. Also wrote 0's to drive more than once to eliminate any left over funk on the drive.

[Adrynalyne]

Well, there is no question if XP worked here before, and not now, its hardware failure of some sort. Here is something you can try.

Restart setup, at 39 minutes press Shift-F10. Make sure its a solid 39 minutes. Too early, and this will fail.

At the cmd prompt, type taskmgr. Hit enter. In task manager, end process on all svchost.exe processes.

This causes setup to ask for verification of every hardware device on install. Find out which device is causing the install to hang.

This is not an exact science, but its worth a shot. You can also use this method to skip devices to see if install continues.

[Purpleweenie]

I got the system to install, but we are back to square one again. When booting 80% of the time it will hang at the Windows welcome screen. Sometimes it does it going to safe mode as well.

If I shut the system all the way off it might boot. It's a total hit or miss thing. I just put it back on my bench and it started just fine. Rebooted and no dice. Got the drivers installed and same thing. Disabled all onboard devices not needed to boot and still won't go into windows. Disconnected the media drives and even changed the Processor w/ an exact replica that works in another machine just fine and still won't boot every time.

Total piece of Compaq

[Purpleweenie]

Originally Posted by Adrynalyne

Well, there is no question if XP worked here before, and not now, its hardware failure of some sort. Here is something you can try.

Restart setup, at 39 minutes press Shift-F10. Make sure its a solid 39 minutes. Too early, and this will fail.

At the cmd prompt, type taskmgr. Hit enter. In task manager, end process on all svchost.exe processes.

This causes setup to ask for verification of every hardware device on install. Find out which device is causing the install to hang.

This is not an exact science, but its worth a shot. You can also use this method to skip devices to see if install continues.

We did try this, and found the USB one time was causing an error, then it was the integreated vid. I disabled the USB, put in a PCI-E vid card, disabled the onboard vid, and set primary vid to PCI-E and still is a bowl of cornflakes.