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Need Help Loading XP PRO into laptop


AlfromMd

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Yes. Dell usually provides updates that run (or at least are launched from) in Windows. You would of course need a running Windows system for that. A WinPE might do but it is possible that it complains the battery service is not installed.

The file description on the Dell website says it (also ?) runs from a DOS bootable floppy. If as I suspect you don't have a floppy drive to boot from, you could still create a dos booting usb drive, there are various tutorials and it seems fairly simple. Then add the Dell file on your bootable stick, boot to DOS (using F12 at boot and choose "USB Sorage Device") and run the update.

I'm also confused by you first saying you placed a brand new HDD and are "now faced" with an error, when after that you say the error occures with the old HDD.

I understand your XP is "a" download... this might also be a cause of problem.

Edited by Ponch
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I suspect that I have a bios issue.

NO. :no:

Meaning that your suspect is wrong :(.

If that computer came (say) with DOS 6.22 and noone ever attempted to install to it a Windows XP, that could have been the case :thumbup , but since that Laptop already was running XP, there are NO incompatibilities in the BIOS you have (unless you later aupdated the BIOS to a newer version from the one that the laptop was shipped with) with the Windows XP setup. (*somehow* that XP was installed to it using that BIOS)

The bios on my laptop is version A02. The current version is A17.

By updating the BIOS (which is not in itself a good or a bad thing ) you simply introduce a possible ADDITIONAL issue.

Could you answer my questions? :unsure:

Maybe (just maybe) if I understand waht is happening, I can help you.

jaclaz

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Could you answer my questions?

Maybe (just maybe) if I understand waht is happening, I can help you.

I do not know what, if any Bios updates have been used on the laptop prior to my purchase. I bought it from an IT guy that installed a fresh hard drive with Windows XP Pro and it has worked fine for 2 years or so.

When the system crashed, I tried to reboot using the existing hard drive without success and tried to reload XP Pro on that drive. I wound up with a hard drive with 2 copies of XP Pro that did not work. The folks at Dell and Microsoft explained that they were eager to sell me Windows 7 and forget XP. I decided to replace that hard drive as I know there is something corrupt on it and it would probably continue to haunt me.

My son-in-law is an IT tech guy that lives in another state. He sent me a copy of Windows XP Pro with a fresh key. This is where I am stuck now.

When I try to boot from the CD he sent me, I get the message that I posted at the beginning of this thread. When I turn the lap top on with out the cd, if I hit no keys at all, I just get a flashing cursor that will do nothing - or, if I hit F2 it goes to System Info Menu - or, if I hit F12 it takes me to the boot menu.

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My son-in-law is an IT tech guy that lives in another state. He sent me a copy of Windows XP Pro with a fresh key. This is where I am stuck now.

When I try to boot from the CD he sent me, I get the message that I posted at the beginning of this thread. When I turn the lap top on with out the cd, if I hit no keys at all, I just get a flashing cursor that will do nothing - or, if I hit F2 it goes to System Info Menu - or, if I hit F12 it takes me to the boot menu.

Yes, as I told you this is likely to happen if the CD you have is not (choose one):

  1. the specific "Dell" one for your laptop
  2. a "normal" XP CD BUT with integrated to it the necessary specific drivers (if you prefer a "normal" CD modified to be "wider" in the supported hardware

It is also possible that you are suffering from a hardware problem, but until you don't find a way to try a "properly made" XP install CD there is no way to check this, if not testing the laptop with an alternate OS (like a Linux "live" CD or a PE of some kind).

But then you are in a Catch 22 situation, if you (in your own words) are "not tech savvy at all" you will have difficulties in creating the (hopefully) good install CD by following the given instructions/advice and/or testing the laptp with an alternate liveOS to exclude the hardware issue, or you can decide to become tech savvy :yes: , what is needed is not over the head of any willing computer user, and we can try and help/guide you through the needed steps.

It's only up to you, but - and with all due respect :) - until you wear the hat of the "not tech savvy at all" you cannot "suspect" *anything*.

You were pointed to a possible procedure, if you have questions about it or issues in replicating it, I guess everyone will try and support you, but before the new "suspect" (IMHO perfectly innocent) you should try the recommended procedure, and not abandon it and find other suspects because you cannot replicate properly what was suggested.

If I get it right what you experience is the following:

  1. You insert the boot CD your son-in-law sent you and can boot from it.
  2. You see a number of screens in white text over blue background (this is what is called "text mode" part of the setup)
  3. You are (possibly) asked to partition/format the hard disk
  4. A number of files are copied from the CD to the hard disk (you see theis files enumerated in the bottom of the blue screen)
  5. The text mode part ends and you are asked to take the CD out of the drive and reboot.

Is the above accurate? If NO, describe what you are currently experiencing.

Then WHAT happens? (please describe what happens)

jaclaz

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If I get it right what you experience is the following:

You insert the boot CD your son-in-law sent you and can boot from it.

When loading the cd, it ends with the STOP code previously mentioned. It also has the following:

Check to be sure you have adequate disk space. If a driver is identified in the stop message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Try changing video adapters.

Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing. If you need to use safe mode to remove or disable components, restart your computer, press F8 to select Advanced startup options, and then select safe mode.

You see a number of screens in white text over blue background (this is what is called "text mode" part of the setup)

You are (possibly) asked to partition/format the hard disk no

A number of files are copied from the CD to the hard disk (you see theis files enumerated in the bottom of the blue screen)yes

The text mode part ends and you are asked to take the CD out of the drive and reboot.see above

Is the above accurate? If NO, describe what you are currently experiencing.

Then WHAT happens? (please describe what happens)

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Ok, now I am really confused. :ph34r:

Let's do it like this :) , have a look at this video:

The actual Setup starts at 1:55.

WHEN exactly (with reference to that video) do you encounter the:

Technical information:

*** STOP: 0X0000007E (OXC0000005, 0XF76130BF, 0XF7A5F208, 0XF7A5EF080

*** pci.sys - Address F76130BF base at F760C000, Datestamp 3b7d855c

:unsure:

jaclaz

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Exactly at 2:20 on the video. The last thing I see before the Technical Information page is Setup is starting Windows

Good. (in the sense of bad :( )

The setup doesn't even "start".

This means that the issue is in the very early stage of "text mode", and this means (roughly) that either;

  1. the CD is corrupt (so-called "bad-burn") (it happens more often than not)
  2. there is a hardware faiure of some kind (less likely, but possible)

It cannot be a needed driver missing (as at this stage this should not matter as they are not yet involved, you should get a more senceful error meassage, though still not having the proper drivers integrated might be the reason :unsure: ).

Next step would be to test the CD in a Virtual Machine.

Which OS are you running on the PC you are using to browse and post the Forum?

I presume a Windows NT based system of some kind.

If yes, easiest would be to use Qemu Manager:

http://www.davereyn.co.uk/download.htm

It is quite straightforward, you install it, then follow the wizard when creating a new Virtual machine, select XP as OS, and create a new 2 Gb disk (RAW format).

Of course you will need some space on the hard disk of the "real" machine, something more than the 2 Gb.

In settings, go to the "Drives" Tab, make sure that the image you just created is set as "Hard disk 0", select "CDROM" and point it to the drive letter corresponding to the CD drive in the "real"machine (where you have inserted the XP CD Rom media to test) and make sure that "Boot order" is set so that "CD/DVD drive" is before "Hard drive".

If the CD is OK, you should be able to replicate the video.

There would be still the possibility that this "other machine" CD/DVD drive can read the XP CD by that the drive on your laptop doesn't, if this is the case normally the CD drive (of the laptop) would do "strange" noises, trying to read the CD over and over.

Checking (and if the case cleaning) the reading lens of the CD drive wouldn't make any harm.

Then, next test would be to download the UBCD:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

burn it to a CD (IMGBURN) and try booting the laptop with it.

This CD has - among many other tools - a set of diagnostic tools that will help to diagnose hardware issues (if any).

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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The computer that I am using here (Windows 7) belongs to a friend and I don't feel comfortable about downloading XP onto their machine.

I do have access to an original Windows XP Pro disk - I guess I could use that to try to load and if successful I can use the product key from my son in law.

Would this be a preferred way to go, knowing it is a Windows disk?

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The computer that I am using here (Windows 7) belongs to a friend and I don't feel comfortable about downloading XP onto their machine.

Yes, I understand, that's why I suggested a test in a VM, but it's better if you don't install *anything* on your friend's PC.

I do have access to an original Windows XP Pro disk - I guess I could use that to try to load and if successful I can use the product key from my son in law.

Would this be a preferred way to go, knowing it is a Windows disk?

Yes :thumbup , it is very good to check if the setup goes further than "2:20", thoigh the actual "edition" of the XP might not be "corresponding" (and thus the product key may not activate), but this is the least of the problems, the product key is asked for well after the "Text mode" part (inside the "GUI" part of the setup, as a matter of fact, if I recall correctly, a SP3 disk will also allow to go on without a key), if the issue is actually missing driver you won't ever get that far.

jaclaz

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I will see if I can get that disk tonight.

Good.

But, I have a question, If the product key doesn't activate, how will I continue use of the OS?

You won't, once we have found the issue, you will still be able to re-install the "proper" version (correcting or re-doing the CD your son-in-law provided, if that is the cause).

Imagine that you go to your neighbours and you ask them to lend you a (spare) TV, you get it, get home and try connecting it to your antenna, if it works it means that the issue is your old TV (and not the antenna) if it doesn't the old TV might still be OK but you have to fix the antenna anyway.

In any case you will need to return the TV and ether fix your hardware (TV or antenna or both :ph34r: ) or procure new one(s).

jaclaz

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