[RESOLVED] windows xp clean install failure

[thickorwat]

I have tried to do a clean install of windows xp on a compaq presario 2500 from my xp disk it goes ok until it comes to installing windows i then get a fatal error message cyclic redundancy check, i have checked my cd and it is apparently corrupt as i have no os now is there a way i can overcome this problem bearing in mind i am not that tech. minded thank you.

[jdc2000]

There are several possibilities:

1. Dirty or scratched CD. Make sure it is clean, check for scratches.

2. Dirty CD drive. It there is dirt on the laser, you can have problems. There are drive cleaner CDs available.

3. Bad CD Drive. Try the CD in another drive. See if the contents can be copied to a folder on the hard drive.

4. Bad memory in the affected computer. You could create bootable CD with memory test software to check this.

[thickorwat]

Thanx for your reply jdc2000, I have clean the disk several times there are a few minor scratches but nothing that looks to serious, have tried a laser clean cd, also have tried in an external drive it comes up with the same fatal error, don't know about bad memory or how to create a bootable cd with memory check

[Midknyte]

fatal error message cyclic redundancy check

Did you do a hard drive diag?

[thickorwat]

I did check disk and it says the hd is ok

[Steve R Jones]

Download and run the hard drive manufacturer's diagnostic utility (they all run from floppy, so you don't need to get into Windows), and see what it reports. Here are the common ones:

Seagate Seatools

IBM / Hitachi Drive Fitness Test

Maxtor Maxblast 3

Maxtor PowerMax

Western Digital Software & Drivers

Fujitsu Utilities

[SpywareDr]

Tip: If the hardware is no good, the software will _never_ run right on it.

--

Here's the first few steps I would take:

1) Reset the CMOS/BIOS to factory defaults.

(Note that if the date/time is way off in the CMOS/BIOS Setup, the CMOS battery will need to be replaced ... but, only if it passes the next three tests though).

2) As mentioned above, run Hard Drive diags next to make sure the HD is not failing.

3) Then run Memory diags to make sure the RAM is ok.

4) Boot it from a Linux "Live" CD, play with it a bit and see how it reacts.

If it's made it this far with NO errors or weird behavior, it's ready for an attempt at an installation of Windows.

--

If the CD/DVD drive is acting up, they can usually be replaced in a minute or two. Remove one screw, slide the old drive out, slide the new drive in, and replace the screw.

It's also usually a simple job to replace the RAM and/or HD. Remove a screw or two, swap out the part, and replace the screw(s).

[SpywareDr]

... i have checked my cd and it is apparently corrupt as i have no os now is there a way i can overcome this problem ...

Borrow one. Same version.

[thickorwat]

Thanx everybody for your reply's I shall be trying them all. Doc if I borrow another cd can i use my same product key

[SuperSparks]

You have to match the disc to the version of Windows, so if you have an OEM version you need to borrow an OEM disc, and if it is a Retail version you need to borrow a Retail disc. Other than that there are no issues with using a borrowed CD.

[Midknyte]

I did check disk and it says the hd is ok

chkdsk is NOT enough. The other guys mentioned the manufacturer's diags. Run the diag that matches your hd manufacturer before you waste time trying to install software.

[thickorwat]

How do you tell if it's an oem or Retail cd

[Midknyte]

It would be OEM since it came in a Compaq. Retail would be if you bought it from a store in the retail box.

[thickorwat]

The cd I have came with my wifes desktop, the laptop I am trying to install on belongs to my elderly neighbour, it worked on my sons emachines laptop so I just assumed it would work with the compaq my neighbour uses it to keep in touch with his family but because it is old its not worth buying a new cd and he cant afford a new laptop.

[thickorwat]

I would just like to thank everybody for their help and advice you will be pleased to know that I am now sorted windows xp is installed and working fine, once again thank you for your help.