Need help reinstalling Win xp on an old Dell desktop

[housewolf]

I bought the system used about a year and a half ago. I have a Dell XP re-install disk but am having trouble getting to to work.

It gets through the set-up process through the format process and into the process where it's copying dlls and other files, and I get tons of "can't copy file" messages. I thought the hard drive was bad but now I think the problem might be with the cd itself or else the cd drive. Is there some way to check the cd to find out whether it's bad?

I've run a series of chkdsk /r until it quit finding errors on the hd, and it's been reformatted, but so far still won't boot Windwos.

Any suggestions? I'd like to hear them ....

Fortunately I also have a laptop but need the desktop too since the laptop also needs some work done to it.

:argh:

[JeffR]

1. You might try this utility if the problem is with the cd

http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29

From the developer's blurb:

"Recovers files from disks with physical damage. Allows you to copy files from disks with problems such as bad sectors, scratches or that just give errors when reading data. The program will attempt to recover every readable piece of a file and put the pieces together. Using this method most types of files can be made useable even if some parts of the file were not recoverable in the end..."

[housewolf]

4. Looks like a good tool

Thanks, I'll check it out

[canetoad]

2. Is also classic symptom

of failing RAM, although it could be dirty/scratched CD.

Memtest is good. Burn it to a CD which will boot the Dell and check the memory. http://www.memtest.org/

[hobbit709]

3. I agree with checking the RAM

Also try cleaning the optical drive. Get one of those CD drive cleaning disks.

Most of the ones I've had problems with were bad RAM or dirty/bad optical drive

[housewolf]

6. Good idea about cleaning the optical drive

Thanks for your suggestons

[housewolf]

5. Thanks for your thoughts

I'll check out Memtest

[housewolf]

7. Thanks for the responses - I was finally able to get it to load

It wasn't the cd, nor the cd drive. I was able to finally get a good install, then later the install got corrupted when I restarted the system - corrupt system config file. Maybe the drive is infected with a virus or malware of some sort... I don't know. I eventually was able to get another hard drive installed and was able to run a clean Windows install on it, so it's pretty much back up running this evening.

Thanks for your suggestions - they are all good ones and I'll look into them.

[hobbit709]

8. Sounds like you had a bad drive

I've had that happen. Works just fine for about an hour, then starts glitching files.

I'd get a drive test utility and check out the drive.