XP re-install issues

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riscbroker

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I'm trying to re-install XP Pro on a fairly recent Mecer desktop, the machine is very erratic so I thought I'd do a repair install. When I boot from the XP install CD, the install starts as expected, gets to the point where it states 'Kernel debugger DLL' on the bottom of the screen and then promptly reboots. The XP disk I'm using is known to be good.

If I try booting a Linux (Mepis) live CD, I get 'BIOS bug, no explicit IRQ entries, using defaullt mptable', followed by 'Can't startup filesystem' and the machine hangs.

I guess a hard drive format is called for, but I'd like to know what causes this error. I'm also wondering whether this machine has a custom BIOS that prohibits what I'm trying to do, in which case a HDD format won't help
 
Well just unplug your HDD, boot from CD and see if u get past that point.
If that doesn't work you can try to select default options in the bios (just make sure that CDROM drive is one of the booting drives).
 
If you tried above 2 options and still gets the error hen its most likely your MB.
 
skusku said:
Well just unplug your HDD, boot from CD and see if u get past that point.
If that doesn't work you can try to select default options in the bios (just make sure that CDROM drive is one of the booting drives).
Click to expand...

I tried this, no difference at all
 
*Bump* This has still got me baffled?? Anyone??

I'm trying to re-install XP Pro on a fairly recent Mecer desktop, the machine is very erratic so I thought I'd do a repair install. When I boot from the XP install CD, the install starts as expected, gets to the point where it states 'Kernel debugger DLL' on the bottom of the screen and then promptly reboots. The XP disk I'm using is known to be good.

If I try booting a Linux (Mepis) live CD, I get 'BIOS bug, no explicit IRQ entries, using defaullt mptable', followed by 'Can't startup filesystem' and the machine hangs.

I guess a hard drive format is called for, but I'd like to know what causes this error. I'm also wondering whether this machine has a custom BIOS that prohibits what I'm trying to do, in which case a HDD format won't help
 
You will have to troubleshoot.

Remove all non essential hardware from the machine (Even GPU if you have an onboard card), Try again.
Still not working try only one piece of RAM at a time (if you have more than one chip) or try RAM from a different machine.
Still not working, try different PSU, GPU, RAM, CPU, in that order.
Still not working its the mobo.
 
Your CD/DVD drive looks to be a common denominator there. Also what service pack version XP are you trying to use? there is some issue with installing older versions on newer machines.
 
Drake2007 said:
Your CD/DVD drive looks to be a common denominator there. Also what service pack version XP are you trying to use? there is some issue with installing older versions on newer machines.
Click to expand...

LOL CDrom may also easily be the problem.
 
Drake2007 said:
Your CD/DVD drive looks to be a common denominator there. Also what service pack version XP are you trying to use? there is some issue with installing older versions on newer machines.
Click to expand...
I'm using SP3. I tried SP2 as well, same result
 
Drake2007 said:
Your CD/DVD drive looks to be a common denominator there. Also what service pack version XP are you trying to use? there is some issue with installing older versions on newer machines.
Click to expand...
The part that puzzles me is that I installed the new CD drive so I could use a linux boot disk to reset the admin password on the machine. The drive was working perfectly at that point.....
 
Assuming the new drive isn't faulty, the next components to troubleshoot are RAM and PSU, you can check ram with hirens boot cd or more specifically use memtest86. PSU would obviously require a swap out.
 
Last edited:
Drake2007 said:
Assuming the new drive isn't faulty, the next components to troubleshoot are RAM and PSU, you can check ram with hirens boot cd or more specifically use memtest86. PSU would obviously require a swap out.
Click to expand...
I'll do the RAM test tonight. Speaking of PSU, the CPU fan and case fan appear to be spinning a lot slower than they should, is this indicative of a dodgy PSU?
 
riscbroker said:
I'll do the RAM test tonight. Speaking of PSU, the CPU fan and case fan appear to be spinning a lot slower than they should, is this indicative of a dodgy PSU?
Click to expand...

Possibly, check your 12V readout in the BIOS and also that the PSU fan is spinning.
 
Drake2007 said:
Possibly, check your 12V readout in the BIOS and also that the PSU fan is spinning.
Click to expand...

RAM test is good, 12V readout shows 12.12volts in BIOS. PSU fan is spinning merrily. I assume the CD drive is OK because I used it to boot the machine into a linux UBCD to do memtest and CPU test. The interesting part is that when I have the machine running XP, it will reboot as soon as I load a CD/DVD (I thought it was only rebooting if I loaded an executable disk but I tried with a blank CD and the machine immediately rebooted) Is this a CD drive error or MB error? And yes, I guess this thread should be in Hardware.......
 
Remove the drive, install in desktop, install xp on drive, move back to laptop, let it find all the new hardware and update drivers. See if this works.
 
ponder said:
Remove the drive, install in desktop, install xp on drive, move back to laptop, let it find all the new hardware and update drivers. See if this works.
Click to expand...
This is a desktop machine. I did a bit more sniffing around and the rebooting issue seems to indicate a dodgy PSU.
 
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