[Rifleman70T]

Hello, my problem goes like this:

I'm trying to install Windows XP Pro onto my PC. I start the process, the pc boots, I press a key to boot from the XP CD and the blue 'Windows installation' screen comes up. This is where it freezes. It doesn't try to load any drivers ( like for raid controllers and such ) it just stops. There is no hard disk activity and after a minute the CD drive spins down.

Can you help me?

Here's what I have done so far:

I've tried to install from my original XP CD and my SP1a CD - neither one works and they both behave identically - they stop at the 'Windows installation' screen.

Both CDs work in another of my PCs ( This one that I'm working on now ).

I've pulled out my NEC DVD-RW and replaced it with my old Sony DVD player. The install still hangs.

I memtested my ram for 6 hours - there were no erros. ( I've never overclocked )

I disconnected my HDD, my floppy drive and my flash reader. That didn't help.

My computer runs stable under linux, and has done so for the last 6 months.

My hardware is like this:

Amd Barton 2500.
MSI KT400A motherboard.
1.5 GB RAM @ 333 cas 3. ( They're mixed sticks and it's single channel )
Saphire Radeon 9550 256MB.
WD 2000JB ( 200GB, 8mb cache PATA 100 )

This is frustrating because I have installed windows successfully on this pc before.
I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have...

[PangingJr]

how many optical drive attached to the system and what kind?

one CD-Rom drive, one stick of RAM, disconnected flash reader, disconnected all USB hardware devices, disconnect the PC from LAN, use PS/2 keyboard and mouse. when you change the CD drive change its cable too. and if you can change the CD drive data transfer rate in BIOS change it from DMA mode to Processor Input/Output (PIO) mode. and then try Windows setup again.

[Rifleman70T]

Howdy.

USB keyboard was the culprit. Wtf? >.<

[md5]

Ah yes, if you installed Windows from SP1 slipstreamed CDs and had a USB keyboard, the installation would crash spectacularly (I know, it's retarded...). Installation from SP1 slipstreamed CDs crashed as well if you tried to install Windows on a system with a Geforce 5xxx GFX card

Thankfully, it's all been fixed with SP2, so if you're using slipstreamed XP CDs, make sure they're slipstreamed with SP2 or higher. "Normal" (aka non slipstreamed) XP CDs had problems when USB devices were attached during installation, XP had a buggy USB (especially USB2) support pre-SP1

[PangingJr]

just wanted to get everything cover for people who has the XP installation problems.
normally it caused by the USB stuff: esp, keyboard.

last time i installed Windows not long ago i used an unattended (SP2 level) and i connected everything to the system it came out fine.