setup cannot copy the file:... (XP Installation)

[poocano78]

Well I have been trying to install XP Home Edition for 2 days now with no luck.

XP was previously installed on the machine but the machine had many viruses and problems so we wanted to wipe everything clean and re-install. Computer is a fairly new HP (a220n) with an AMD processor.

Well everytime we try and install XP (brand new from Best Buy) it crashes in one form or another.

We get to the point where "setup is copying files" and every time at least 1 (up to 10) time we get the error "cannot copy the file: (varies every time) We either hit enter to retry (sometimes it works) or we hit escape to skip it.

After this part finishes it goes into the actual installation of XP. Well this is when it always crashes. The closest we have gotten is within 18 minutes of being finished. Most of the time it is the blue screen of death, but other errors have occured as well.

This is getting very frustrating and I'm at a lost of what to do.

The thing is, is that I have an old disc of Windows 98 and this will install just fine. I have tried upgrading to xp from the newly installed 98 but still the same thing.

I have even tried XP Corporate and another XP home and they all do the same thing.

I could really use some help here. Would I be best off just buying a whole new hard drive? Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam

[Cartoonite]

We get to the point where "setup is copying files" and every time at least 1 (up to 10) time we get the error "cannot copy the file: (varies every time)  We either hit enter to retry (sometimes it works) or we hit escape to skip it.

I was experiencing something like this the last time I tried to install Windows. Turned out my old DVD-ROM drive was having trouble reading my DVD-R (possibly +R, can't remember which). When I swapped out the DVD ROM and swapped in the burner I'd used to create the disc, the copy errors stopped.

After this part finishes it goes into the actual installation of XP.  Well this is when it always crashes.  The closest we have gotten is within 18 minutes of being finished.  Most of the time it is the blue screen of death, but other errors have occured as well.

Have you made a note of the BSD error? If you get a BSD, is it always the same error message, or does it seem to vary as well? What other errors have you seen? Is there a common theme among them that might suggest what the root cause of your difficulties is?

...I have an old disc of Windows 98 and this will install just fine.  I have tried upgrading to xp from the newly installed 98 but still the same thing.

I have even tried XP Corporate and another XP home and they all do the same thing.

I could really use some help here.  Would I be best off just buying a whole new hard drive?  Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated.

You would definitely be best off buying a new hard drive, if the hard drive is the problem. Based on what you've posted here, I'm not sure why you've drawn this conclusion.

You said you are able to get Win98 installed, have you tried running scandisk or any similar utility to see if any faults with the drive are reported?

I would also consider trying splitting the disk into more than one partition and installing Windows XP to a partition other than the first one. If that works, then you could very well have some bad sectors near the front of the drive that XP needs but Win98 doesn't due to its smaller size.

Can't guarantee that any of this will solve your problem for you, but I hope it at least gives you some ideas on where to start.

Good luck, and welcome to MSFN.

[poocano78]

The computer has two cd drives (one DVD and one CDRW) I used both and got the same problems each time.

The errors vary with each attempted install. They are not consistant at all. Their might only be one error the whole install, yet it will still crash during the installation. It is either the blue screen or it will just simple restart itself and have to start the setup all over again.

I have tried creating separate partitions and this too did not help any.

I have run scandisk under Win 98 and nothing was found.

I'm bascially at a lost here. I don't have a clue what to try next. It's strange that it only occurs with XP and with more than 1 version of it.

I have tried using KillDisk to wipe the drive and when I load it with CD or Floppy it will start up and they I get an error saying that it is not able to access the program or something to that effect.

ugh....

[poocano78]

also, I do not have the original HP recovery disc that came with the cpu. That is why I went out and bought a new XP home edition. I was thinking of ordering it from hp.com, but it will run me $20+ and I'm not sure that this would even work. I suppose I could e-mail them to find out.

[iWindoze]

The computer has two cd drives (one DVD and one CDRW)  I used both and got the same problems each time.

The errors vary with each attempted install.  They are not consistant at all.  Their might only be one error the whole install, yet it will still crash during the installation.  It is either the blue screen or it will just simple restart itself and have to start the setup all over again.

I have tried creating separate partitions and this too did not help any.

I have run scandisk under Win 98 and nothing was found.

I'm bascially at a lost here.  I don't have a clue what to try next.  It's strange that it only occurs with XP and with more than 1 version of it.

I have tried using KillDisk to wipe the drive and when I load it with CD or Floppy it will start up and they I get an error saying that it is not able to access the program or something to that effect.

ugh....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What kind of Hard disk is it (Serial ATA, ATA, IDE, etc) and what

kinds of connections are being used by the optical drives?

This is a brand new machine you say? Yet it had all kinds of viruses

on it? Strange...was it one of Best Lies infamous 'open box buys'?

I ask because I got burnt on my first computer from them in just that

way. Ummm...this is probably a down question, but regarding the

viruses--are you installing while connected to the internet (broadband?)

If so disconnect and try installing again.

About the XP cds you have (we'll ignore the reference to corporate,

simply because we too own a copy of corporate despite being in line

to buy our own copy of home edition that cold Sunday morning...

We simply got tired of asking Mommy permission to try out Linux or

do a reformat when the viruses\spyware came calling...but anyway--)

have you slipstreamed your XP with any of the service packs?

Do you have anything plugged into the USB port? You mentioned

that this is an AMD processor, well in my experience AMD boards are

usually built on VIA motherboards and those always seem to have

issues with USB for some reason. (Only in my personal experience!)

Do you have onboard sound? Onboard video? If so try going into

the bios and seeing about turning off the sound. (If its onboard

video leave it be for now or you'll be in trouble!) Turn off serial ports

and printer ports and see what happens. Turn on 'plug in play bios'

if its off (turn it off if its on?) See if you have the OS2 memory thing

on for some ungodly reason?

Play with it. There shouldn't be any reason for Windows 98 to work

when XP fails...I'm assuming you're online now using Windows 98?

If so, try downloading the 'Ultimate bootcd' [ http://www.ultimatebootcd.com ]

and see if you can test your memory to see if its some how corrupted.

Try out some of the other tests you can perform with that disk too.

The cd comes with several hard drive testing\formatting utilities - use

them to see if the hard disk is damaged, check the disk with the virus

scanners included.

Like I said play around with it a little and see if anything helps;

otherwise make a copy of your receipt and take the thing back

to Best Lies and tell 'em you want a new machine. If they'll

honor the warranty...you DID get the 'Xtra EXTRA extra warranty'

right?

--iWindoze

EDIT - finished my explaination for having my own copy of Corporate

Edited September 4, 2005 by iWindoze

[HyperHacker]

Sounds like the install disc is wrecked.

[Kelsenellenelvian]

He has stated he used several different disks!! Read the whole post.

[iWindoze]

He has stated he used several different disks!! Read the whole post.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd like to know if any of my suggestions helped.

I'm also curious as to whether he tried simply copying the contents

of the XP disk to the hard drive and installing in from there? Either

from within 98 or via the dos boot disk he started the 98 install with...