can't install XP (reboots to blue screen of death)

[fgaine]

I have a laptop (my main PC) with a 320gb partitioned HDD. One partition used to be a primary drive with Vista, another one a primary drive with XP (default OS) and the rest an extended drive partitioned into several bits.

After an experiment that went wrong (tried to installed a Ghost image of a XP install from another PC, then tried to use the recovery DVD for Vista which deleted all my partitions.) I recovered my files with a partition recovery software, reformatted the entire hard drive and repartioned it as it was before. I have re-installed Vista on one of the primary partitions, and I have been trying to re-install XP on the other one for a week:

The CD installs the setup files, reboots, starts the setup process then a window pops up and says something on the lines of "lack of resource prevents API" or something. And the computer just shuts down. If i restart it, with a boot from HDD, the XP setup seems to restart but within seconds, I get the blue screen of death.

I have checked the BIOS, checked the drive for errors several times, reformatted it and even installed Vista on it (which I don't want as a default OS) I just can't understand why it refuses to install a perfectly valid XP CD, which have done billions of time in the last 5 years. Help!..

[sbolton]

Oh i have had this problem on my Packard Bell machine! i resolved it by searching high and low for a BIOs flash update, took me a couple of months to find!

From what i have worked out companys have now restricted OS install's of anything other than Vista on there machines, what make and model is your laptop?

[outcastc]

try to install xp first. after that install vista. dont boot from cd. install while xp running.

[fgaine]

Oh i have had this problem on my Packard Bell machine! i resolved it by searching high and low for a BIOs flash update, took me a couple of months to find!

From what i have worked out companys have now restricted OS install's of anything other than Vista on there machines, what make and model is your laptop?

It's an Advent 9515, but I've installed XP 3 or 4 times on it since I've had it.

[fgaine]

try to install xp first. after that install vista. dont boot from cd. install while xp running.

I have tried installing XP first when nothing else was on the HDD. It does not change anything. And I don't want Vista on top of XP, I want a dual boot from 2 separate partitions. Which I used to have.

cheers.

[sbolton]

Did you clear and format the boot sectors when formatting also? Your mirror may have screwed something in there preventing it

[fgaine]

Did you clear and format the boot sectors when formatting also? Your mirror may have screwed something in there preventing it

I have formatted the whole drive. There was nothing left on it. And I was able to install Vista... Some suggest that because the laptop was supplied with and conceived for Vista, I might need a BIOS upgrade - but I've installed XP on it before! What do you think?

[sbolton]

Well ive had this problem with XP before a few times and its been down to the following;

1> A slight SCRATCH on the Disk, this did actually make it fall over a few times, and only did it on random machine's so im guessing its good your reader is still intact.

2> BIOS re-flash <-- this also sorted it out for me on new machines that came with Vista.

3> Try a different drive - you never know

[fgaine]

Well ive had this problem with XP before a few times and its been down to the following;

1> A slight SCRATCH on the Disk, this did actually make it fall over a few times, and only did it on random machine's so im guessing its good your reader is still intact.

2> BIOS re-flash <-- this also sorted it out for me on new machines that came with Vista.

3> Try a different drive - you never know

It is not a CD problem. It places the install files fine on the HDD. It's when it does its first reboot to start the windows setup that it goes wrong. BIOS problem is more likely.

I 've been trying to find a bios update for my laptop for the last 5 days. Without any success. It's a Phoenix BIOS and even Phoenix don't seem to give any hint on where to download a bios. Any suggestion welcome.

[jaclaz]

Did you clear and format the boot sectors when formatting also? Your mirror may have screwed something in there preventing it

I have formatted the whole drive. There was nothing left on it. And I was able to install Vista... Some suggest that because the laptop was supplied with and conceived for Vista, I might need a BIOS upgrade - but I've installed XP on it before! What do you think?

What sbolton asked was NOT whether you formatted the HD or not, he asked if you wiped the first relevant sectors.

LOTS of info remains after a simple format.

Try wiping the first, say 100 sectors, READ this:

http://www.boot-land.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=4015

jaclaz

[mongo66]

Did you clear and format the boot sectors when formatting also? Your mirror may have screwed something in there preventing it

I have formatted the whole drive. There was nothing left on it. And I was able to install Vista... Some suggest that because the laptop was supplied with and conceived for Vista, I might need a BIOS upgrade - but I've installed XP on it before! What do you think?

Formatting is not the same as repartitioning. Did you repartition the drive beforehand?

It is not a CD problem. It places the install files fine on the HDD. It's when it does its first reboot to start the windows setup that it goes wrong. BIOS problem is more likely.

I 've been trying to find a bios update for my laptop for the last 5 days. Without any success. It's a Phoenix BIOS and even Phoenix don't seem to give any hint on where to download a bios. Any suggestion welcome.

I seriously doubt it's a BIOS problem... If it was, you won't be able to install Vista in the first place.

[fgaine]

I actually reformatted the drive first (several times) then I partittioned it. Jaclaz, thank you for the suggestion but surely I cannot wipe out the 1st 100 sectors of the disk without destructing my partitions, the files on them and my vista install? or can I do that on just one partition?

cheers

[jaclaz]

My wasn't a suggestion for you to follow now, it was a suggestion to follow when re-formatting/re-partitioning, and a (needed) clarification about the fact that you can format and repartition all the times you want, but still some data (that may actually prevent an install of some picky OS on some particular hardware/BIOS) will remain untouched.

Now, in order to help you in troubleshooting and hopefully solve the problem:

Can you tell us WHICH BSOD STOP code do you get?

Can you check with a disk editor/viewer whether sectors 2-63 are all 00's or not?

jaclaz

Edited November 9, 2008 by jaclaz

[fgaine]

My wasn't a suggestion for you to follow now, it was a suggestion to follow when re-formatting/re-partitioning, and a (needed) clarification about the fact that you can format and repartition all the times you want, but still some data (that may actually prevent an install of some picky OS on some particular hardware/BIOS) will remain untouched.

Now, in order to help you in troubleshooting and hopefully solve the problem:

Can you tell us WHICH BSOD STOP code do you get?

Can you check with a disk editor/viewer whether sectors 2-63 are all 00's or not?

jaclaz

OK I'll try that and get back to you - cheers

[fgaine]

My wasn't a suggestion for you to follow now, it was a suggestion to follow when re-formatting/re-partitioning, and a (needed) clarification about the fact that you can format and repartition all the times you want, but still some data (that may actually prevent an install of some picky OS on some particular hardware/BIOS) will remain untouched.

Now, in order to help you in troubleshooting and hopefully solve the problem:

Can you tell us WHICH BSOD STOP code do you get?

Can you check with a disk editor/viewer whether sectors 2-63 are all 00's or not?

jaclaz

OK I'll try that and get back to you - cheers

I'm not sure how to do this. Can anyone tell me?