Windows XP install

My setup:

Albatron 865PE Pro II motherboard
1 - Intel 4.0 cpu
1 - 120g Maxtor harddrive
1 - 250g Maxtor harddrive (disconnected for now)
4 - 1g DDR memory sticks (tested 'A-ok' by Fry's)
NOT overclocking or any thing like that
ALL BIOS updates were checked about two months ago and everything is up to date (I do this every quarter).

Problem:
After performing a clean install of Windows XP w/SP2 on the 120g harddrive, the system will reboot after installing all software - no errors and everything is going along as it should at this point.

After rebooting, the Cylon's 3 blue eyes runs across the screen. On the 10th time to go across the screen the eyes stop midway and my system freezes.

I have taken off the 250g harddrive and have tried with only two sticks of memory at a time, in different slots. I even tried two 512g sticks from my son's system. But the results are the same - 10th time the eyes cross to the midway point, the system freezes.

I even tried a different cd-rom drive with the same results.

I even tried the 250g harddrive by itself. I borrowed my neighbors 60g harddrive. I even used his copy of Windows XP w/SP2, but the results are the same.

This system was running just fiine under Windows XP w/SP2 for 7/8 months, until I installed some software that I bought that, "I just had to have".

Any help, ideas, 'solutions' would be appreciated.


RwsRichard

 

I'm not familiar with your reference here. Is this a suspected virus or part of a game???

 

Cylon? As in Battlestar Galatica? Sounds like you have changed your theme....

Does booting into safemode work for you?

WHAT software did you buy that you "Just had to have?"

 

had a similar problem and had to reset bios. something in my bios was stopping windows from loading, and I'd also tried different hard drives and all new ram etc... hope that helps

 

Cylon, Battlestar Galatica. Yeh, that is what those three blue squares running from left to right on the screen as Windows XP boots up, remind me of. Sorry about that.

Cannot boot into 'safe mode'. I press F8 until my finger falls off, but it will not go that options screen.

"Just had to have" was Roxio Easy Media Creator ver 8. Cost $80 plus tax and now 5 days of NOT having a home computer with all my homework on it!!

I installed Roxio and pressed 'restart' when the "You must restart your computer in order for the installation blah, blah, blah ....."

When I pressed 'restart' all I got was 'the blue screen.' So I rebooted again, went into 'safemode' got rid of Easy Media Creator, rebooted and still got 'the blue screen".

So, I started reinstalling Windows Xp w/SP2 and -- you know the rest of the story.


rwsrichard

 

Did all that, too.


rwsrichard

 

did you reset them to default or take the battery completely out ? if you havent removed cmos battery take it out for approx 5 min then put it back in and power up (make sure unit is unplugged when battery is out)

 

Did that, too. Took the battery out before I went off school. When I got back home 9 hours later, put the battery back in, rebooted and got the same results.

Thanks for the tip, though.


rwsrichard

 

Okay, before I posted, there IS another way to get into the bootup menu.

Upon reboot (during post), instead of pressing F8 multiple times, PRESS AND HOLD DOWN the LEFT CONTROL KEY, until the boot menu shows up.

I just did this on my own computer, and got the same results as pressing F8. Just to make sure that what I post here is accurate. (on my setup atleast. )

 

There is no SAFEMODE to boot up to. XP has not finished installing yet. When I go to the boot screen and click on SAFEMODE, nothing happens.

rwsrichard

 

Ok, I fixed my problem. Thanks to all those that gave a helping hand.


Richard

Oh, I bought a new motherboard, cpu and video card. Took the other motherboard and cpu to two dealers to have them tested. Now GET THIS:

The motherboard tested fine and worked with another CPU. The CPU tested out A-ok and worked great in another motherboard. BUT when they put them back together, NO ONE could get them to work!!!!! Pretty Cool, Huh??

Also, my old motherboard and cpu worked fine together for a little over a year and 'then' one day I installed some software, that I 'just had to have' and .........